A security and low voltage business installs cameras, alarms, video doorbells, access control and network cabling. Some installers resell monitoring through a central station partner; others install and service only. Many come from electrical or IT work and start with cameras for homes and small shops.
- Many states license alarm and low voltage contractors. Ask whether each installer needs a license too.
- Monitoring is done by a central station partner with its own contracts. Know what you are reselling.
- Price per device plus per cable run, and count setup time.
- Sell a service plan with every system.
1. Decide what you will offer
| Work | Who asks | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Camera systems | Homeowners, small businesses | The usual starting point |
| Alarm systems | Homeowners | Monitoring partner needed |
| Video doorbells and smart locks | Homeowners | Quick installs |
| Network and low voltage cabling | Builders, offices | Licensing often applies |
| Service plans | Every customer | Recurring income |
Electricians and builders get asked for cameras and cabling. Offer to take that work.
2. Check the license and permits
Many states license alarm companies and low voltage contractors, and some also license or register the people who install and service alarms. Ask your state board what applies to you and to each installer before you advertise.
3. Register the business and set up taxes
The SBA lists the launch steps in this order: pick a location, choose a structure, choose a name, register, get federal and state tax ID numbers, apply for licenses and permits, open a business bank account, and get insurance. For a security system installation business working out of a truck, the location is usually your home address and the area you will serve.
- Structure. A sole proprietorship is the simplest. An LLC keeps the business separate on paper. Ask an accountant which fits your state and your plans.
- Tax ID. The IRS gives out an employer identification number (EIN) online, and says you never have to pay a fee for one. Websites that charge for an EIN are not the IRS.
- Self-employment tax. The IRS lists the self-employment tax rate as 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. Income tax comes on top, so set money aside from every job.
- Bank account. Open it before the first payment lands, so every dollar in and out is easy to find at tax time.
4. Pick a name customers can say and find
Your name goes on the truck, the invoices, the Google profile and the yard signs, so pick it once. The free security systems name generator gives 36 ideas for your town and style, each with a domain idea, and lists the checks to run before you commit: your state's business name search, a federal trademark search and the domain itself.
5. Get insured before the first job
The SBA describes general liability insurance as cover for financial loss from bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses and defending lawsuits. It says businesses with employees are required to carry workers' compensation, unemployment and disability insurance, and some states ask for more.
Security claims include a break-in blamed on a system, damage running cable, and data or privacy complaints. Ask your agent about general liability with errors and omissions, commercial auto, and workers' compensation once you hire.
6. Gear up and add up your startup costs
No total here on purpose. What you spend depends on what you already own, new or used, and how much work you plan to take on. Price your own list with a local supplier, then put the numbers in the startup cost table of the free business plan generator, which adds them up for you.
- Drills, long bits, fish tape and glow rods
- Cable testers, crimpers and a label maker
- Ladders and an attic walk board
- A laptop or tablet for setup
- A van with stock of common cameras and cable
Tools are modest. Stock of cameras, recorders and cable is the larger cost, and distributor accounts help.
7. Set your prices
Price per device and per cable run, with setup time and a service plan. Our guide to pricing security system installation has a worked camera system, and the free security camera installation cost calculator and maintenance plan pricing calculator do the math.
8. Find your first customers
- Small businesses. Commercial outreach writes to them on Front Office.
- Electricians and builders. They get asked for cameras and cabling.
- Homeowners after a break-in on the street. Koira answers every call.
- Realtors. New owners want new codes and cameras.
9. Get paid and keep the customer
Take a deposit to cover equipment, collect the balance at install with pay at the door, and on Front Office sell a service plan that bills every month.
10. Grow past one truck
A second tech who can pull cable lets you take larger commercial jobs. Read how security installers run on Koira.
Sources
- SBA: Launch your business (the launch steps), checked October 8, 2026
- SBA: Get business insurance, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number, checked October 8, 2026
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes), checked October 8, 2026
Last checked October 8, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.