What is the possible punishment for operating as an alarm company without an ACO license?

• A. A fine of $1,000 or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or both
• B. A warning letter
• C. A 90-day license suspension
• D. A mandatory training course

Answer: (A)

Operating without the required ACO license is illegal and treated as a criminal violation under the Alarm Company Act. The law sets the penalties for this unlicensed activity as a misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in county jail, or both. This reflects the seriousness of offering alarm services without proper licensure and helps protect consumers and the industry’s standards.

Why the other options don’t fit: a warning letter is an administrative remedy usually used for licensed entities or less severe issues, not for operating without any license. A 90-day license suspension and a mandatory training course require that a license exists or that a regulatory action follow licensure; they don’t apply to the act of operating without a license in the first place.