What Dallas–Fort Worth cities require before a gate goes across a fire lane, access control goes on an exit door, or an alarm starts calling for police response.
Gates, access control and alarms often touch fire and life-safety rules. Installing them the wrong way can mean failed inspections, removal, fines, or a gate that fire crews cannot open. This page summarizes what several DFW cities publish, with links to the official sources, so you know what to expect before a project starts.
Important: requirements and fees change, and each city adopts its own amendments to the fire code. Use this page as a starting point, not legal advice, and always confirm with the city for your specific address. Last reviewed: October 18, 2026.
In Texas, the Private Security Act (Occupations Code Chapter 1702) defines an alarm systems company as one that sells, installs, services, monitors or responds to an alarm system, and an electronic access control device company as one that installs or maintains electronic access control devices. The Texas Department of Public Safety regulates the private security profession.
Before you hire anyone for alarm or access control work, ask for their state license number. A1 Security Gate & Intercom holds Texas license B31188501.
Source: Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1702 · Texas DPS Private Security
Fire lanes must stay open to fire apparatus. Cities allow access-control gates across them only when the fire department approves the design and can open the gate quickly. Here is what four DFW cities publish:
Source: Dallas Fire-Rescue – Fire Apparatus Access Roads (Fire Lanes) (revised June 18, 2021)
Source: City of Frisco – Fire Lane & Gate Systems
Source: McKinney Fire Marshal’s Office – Gate Access (Vehicular) Guide
Source: City of Richardson – Fire Department Permits
Electric strikes, magnetic locks and card readers on doors people use to exit are regulated by the fire code, because the door must always allow free exit. McKinney’s published guideline is a clear example of what inspectors look for:
Source: McKinney Fire Marshal’s Office – Access Controlled Doors Installation and Operation
Other cities apply their own adopted fire code and amendments. In Richardson, for example, access control systems go through Building Inspections.
Source: City of Dallas – Security Alarm Information
Source: City of Frisco – Alarm Permits
Plano, Allen, Garland, Irving, Carrollton, Prosper and other DFW cities each set their own requirements through their fire marshal, building inspections and police alarm units. Before any gate, access control or alarm project, check with the city for your address — or ask us and we’ll tell you what we know about your city’s process.
In the DFW cities we reviewed — Dallas, Frisco, McKinney and Richardson — yes. A gate that crosses a fire lane needs fire department review and a permit before it is installed, and the fire department must be able to open it in an emergency. Requirements differ by city, so always confirm with the local fire marshal.
In Dallas and Frisco, the alarm permit is held by the alarm user — the homeowner, tenant or business operating the system — not by the installer. Frisco requires the permit within 30 days of installation, and Dallas police will not respond to a burglar alarm from a site without a valid permit.
It must not. Fire codes require that people can always exit. For example, McKinney’s guideline requires access control systems on egress doors to be UL 294 listed, to unlock automatically on power loss, and to include a mechanical release built into the door’s exit hardware.
It is a key-operated switch, opened with a key held by the fire department, that lets firefighters open an automatic gate in an emergency. McKinney and Frisco both reference the Knox KS-2 switch in their gate requirements.
Yes. Under the Texas Private Security Act (Occupations Code Chapter 1702), a company that installs or maintains electronic access control devices, or sells, installs or services alarm systems, falls under the private security licensing regulated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. A1 Security Gate & Intercom holds Texas license B31188501.
Planning a gate, access control or alarm project? Request a free estimate and tell us your city — we’ll walk you through what to expect.