UL Online Certifications Directory

Listings in this category cover central station service as covered by NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code.

Central station service is the use of a system or a group of systems in which the operation of circuits and devices at a protected property are signaled to, recorded in, and supervised from a central station included in this Listing category having competent and experienced operators who, upon receipt of a signal, take such action as required by the National Fire Alarm Code. Related activities at the protected property such as equipment installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and runner service are the responsibility of a company known as a prime contractor which is either the central station or a fire alarm service - local company included in this category. Central station service is controlled and operated by a person, firm, or corporation whose business is the furnishing of such contracted services or whose properties are the protected premises.

The companies in the listings include:

Full Service Company. A central station that provides all elements of service required by the Standards either directly or through the sub-contracting of certain elements. A full service company is considered to be a prime contractor and has been qualified to issue UL Certificates for alarm systems.

Monitoring Company. A central station that is recognized only for signal monitoring, retransmission, record keeping, and report. A monitoring company is not eligible to issue UL Certificates for alarm systems as this type of company does not bear responsibility for activities at the protected area involving equipment installation, inspection, testing, maintenance and runner service.

Fire Alarm Service — Local Company. A company that provides installation, testing and maintenance for a protected area with its own personnel, and which subcontracts the monitoring, retransmission, and associated record keeping and reporting to a central station. Required runner service is handled either by the local service company or the central station full service company. A fire alarm service - local company is considered to be a prime contractor and has been qualified to issue UL Certificates for alarm systems.

A company shown in the listing without any qualifying description is considered to be a full service company. Those companies that are identified in each individual listing as a monitoring company or a fire alarm service — local company are not considered individually to be full service companies.

A central station alarm system is considered to be Listed only if a current active UL Certificate has been issued for the alarm system. Certificates for alarm systems can be issued only by a full service central station company or a fire alarm service - local company, either of which are defined by NFPA 72 as prime contractors. A monitoring company is not authorized to issue Alarm System Certificates because this type of company has not been investigated for providing installation, testing, maintenance, and runner service for a protected area. An alarm service company is not obligated to issue UL Certificates on all of its systems. Systems which are not covered by a Certificate are not required by UL to comply with UL's requirements for Certification.

Central stations, both full service and monitoring only types, and fire alarm service--local companies are listed according to the city from which they provide service.

The limits of coverage, as determined by response time for runner response, and for service and maintenance, are based on identification of a service territory through the use of United States Post Office zip codes. An alarm service company selects those zip codes (areas) it will serve, as verified through periodic audits of its response capability by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. The area coverage is defined by five digit or nine digit zip codes, or some of each. A response area need not include all zip codes within the general area. A zip code shall be for the physical address of a Certificated installation.

Each central station signaling system covered by a Certificate is required to be maintained by the prime contractor who is the alarm company responsible for issuing the Certificate.

UL maintains a Certificate Verification Service (ULCVS) that allows authorized Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to verify up-to-date Certificate information and identify companies eligible to issue Certificates as of the date of the inquiry. Only those alarm or signal system installations for which a Certificate has been properly issued are covered under UL's Certificate Service. The verification of a Certificate on ULCVS is the only method UL provides to identify the Certificated alarm systems actively covered under its Listing and Follow-Up Service.

Information on the Central Station Certificate includes the name and address of the central station, the name and address of the installed system, the extent and type of system, central station alarm retransmission means, issued and expiration dates, and the alarm service company. Each Certificate also bears a unique serial number. Underwriters Laboratories Inc.'s inspection program which is a counter check of an alarm company's certification practices is extended only to those systems which have an active, unexpired Certificate.

The Certificate Service is evidence that the alarm service company (1) is Listed as providing central station signaling service; (2) is authorized to issue the Certificate for the installation as its representation that the equipment and service is in compliance with the requirements in NFPA 72 "National Fire Alarm Code;" and (3) is subject to the Laboratories' field countercheck program whereby periodic reviews are made of representative installations and also at the central station to check the correctness of certification practices.

The Certificate is intended to provide an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) with basic information on the installation and maintenance of an alarm system including the extent to which the system complies with specific NFPA Standard referenced on the Certificate as permitted by the AHJ.

Inspections and tests of representative installations in the field are made to determine the correctness of equipment and wiring, operability of circuits, maintenance and extent of protection indicated.

Periodic inspections at central stations are conducted by the Laboratories to check for compliance with applicable Standards. Records involving alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals for systems covered by UL Certificates are subject to periodic audit. The response to alarm signals may be periodically checked by "surprise tests" initiated from an alarm system covered by a UL Certificate. Such a test is conducted under the supervision of the local fire department.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, that the alarm system will prevent any loss by fire, smoke, water damage or otherwise, or that the alarm system will in all cases provide the protection for which it is installed or intended. UL may at times conduct inspections of the alarm service company, including inspections of representative installations made by it. UL does not assume or undertake to discharge any liability of the alarm service company or any other party. UL is not an insurer and assumes no liability which may result directly or indirectly from inspection of the equipment, failure of the equipment, failure to conduct inspections, incorrect Certification, nonconformity with requirements, failure to discover nonconformity with requirements, cancellation of the Certificate, or withdrawal of the alarm service company from inclusion in UL's Directory prior to the expiration date on the Certificate. If an installation is found not in conformity with requirements, it shall be corrected or the certificate is subject to cancellation.

The basic Standards used to investigate systems and services covered in this category are UL 827, "Central Station Alarm Services," or NFPA 72, "National Fire Alarm Code," or NFPA 71, "Installation, Maintenance and Use of Central Station Signaling Systems" .

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