Does your state require a locksmith license?
Some states license locksmiths. Of the 35 states we have confirmed, 13 do and 22 do not. Washington, D.C. has no license for locksmiths. The table shows what each state’s official sources say.
States that license locksmiths 13 states and New York City
| State | License needed? | Issued by | Check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaLocksmiths in Alabama | Yes, a license | The Alabama Electronic Security Board of LicensureIssued by the Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure | Ask for the number |
| CaliforniaLocksmiths in California | Yes, a license | The Bureau of Security and Investigative ServicesIssued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services | Official lookup |
| ConnecticutLocksmiths in Connecticut | Yes, a registration | The Department of Consumer ProtectionIssued by the Department of Consumer Protection | Official lookup |
| IllinoisLocksmiths in Illinois | Yes, a license | The Department of Financial and Professional RegulationIssued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation | Official lookup |
| LouisianaLocksmiths in Louisiana | Licensed by the state | The Louisiana Office of State Fire MarshalIssued by the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal | Ask for the number |
| MarylandLocksmiths in Maryland | Yes, a license | The Maryland Department of LaborIssued by the Maryland Department of Labor | Official lookup |
| NevadaLocksmiths in Nevada | Yes, a permit | The county sheriffIssued by the county sheriff | Ask for the number |
| New JerseyLocksmiths in New Jersey | Yes, a license | The Division of Consumer AffairsIssued by the Division of Consumer Affairs | Official lookup |
| New YorkNew York City onlyLocksmiths in New York City | Yes, in New York City only | The Department of Consumer and Worker ProtectionIssued by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection | Ask for the number |
| North CarolinaLocksmiths in North Carolina | Licensed by the state | The North Carolina Locksmith Licensing BoardIssued by the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board | Official lookup |
| OklahomaLocksmiths in Oklahoma | Licensed by the state | The Oklahoma Department of LaborIssued by the Oklahoma Department of Labor | Official lookup |
| OregonLocksmiths in Oregon | Yes, a certification | The Construction Contractors BoardIssued by the Construction Contractors Board | Ask for the number |
| TexasLocksmiths in Texas | Yes, a license | The Department of Public SafetyIssued by the Department of Public Safety | Ask for the number |
| VirginiaLocksmiths in Virginia | Licensed by the state | The Department of Criminal Justice ServicesIssued by the Department of Criminal Justice Services | Ask for the number |
No state license 22 states and D.C.
- AlaskaLocksmiths in Alaska
- ArkansasLocksmiths in Arkansas
- DelawareLocksmiths in Delaware
- FloridaLocksmiths in Florida
- GeorgiaLocksmiths in Georgia
- HawaiiLocksmiths in Hawaii
- IowaLocksmiths in Iowa
- KansasLocksmiths in Kansas
- MaineLocksmiths in Maine
- MichiganLocksmiths in Michigan
- MinnesotaLocksmiths in Minnesota
- MissouriLocksmiths in Missouri
- MontanaLocksmiths in Montana
- NebraskaLocksmiths in Nebraska
- New MexicoLocksmiths in New Mexico
- North DakotaLocksmiths in North Dakota
- OhioLocksmiths in Ohio
- South CarolinaLocksmiths in South Carolina
- South DakotaLocksmiths in South Dakota
- TennesseeLocksmiths in Tennessee
- VermontLocksmiths in Vermont
- Washington, D.C.Locksmiths in Washington, D.C.
- WyomingLocksmiths in Wyoming
- We checked state law only. Your city or county may have its own rules.
- States we have not yet confirmed from an official source are not listed.
- Locksmiths Finder does not check the licenses of the businesses listed here.
Source: state table
On the phone: four things to ask
Ask for the full legal name of the business. If the person answers with a generic “locksmith” or “locksmith services” and will not give a name, call someone else.
Sources: FTC · Minnesota AG · Washington AG · Oregon DOJ
Ask for the address, and check it. Search the address and look at it on a street view. If there is no address, ask why.
Sources: Connecticut DCP · FTC
Ask for the full price, and get it in writing before work starts. It should include the service call and travel.
Sources: Connecticut DCP · Minnesota AG · Oregon DOJ
Ask whether they are insured in case your door or lock is damaged.
Sources: FTC · Minnesota AG
The FTC describes the pattern to watch for:
Some companies run multiple ads that seem to be for local businesses, but actually connect to call centers in another city. Operators in the call centers may give surprisingly low estimates and dispatch poorly trained locksmiths.
When the locksmith arrives
Ask for identification and a business card. The name on the card should match the name on the invoice.
Sources: FTC · Minnesota AG
In a state that licenses locksmiths, ask to see the license. In California, locksmiths must carry a pocket copy of theirs.
Sources: California DCA · state table
If the price does not match what you were told on the phone, think about calling someone else. Don’t hand over your credit card until you agree with the estimate.
Source: FTC
Be careful if you are told the lock has to be drilled. The FTC says to think about hiring a different person if a locksmith says it is necessary to drill and replace the lock. Oregon’s advice is to find another locksmith.
Sources: FTC · Oregon DOJ
Get an itemized invoice with the business name, its address and phone number, the labor, the parts, and every fee.
Sources: FTC · California DCA · Minnesota AG
What a real local business looks like
It answers the phone with its own name.
Sources: FTC · Minnesota AG · Washington AG
It has an address you can check, and a local phone number.
Source: Connecticut DCP
It gives you a price up front, in writing.
Sources: Connecticut DCP · Oregon DOJ
It usually arrives in a marked vehicle, with identification.
Sources: Connecticut DCP · Oregon DOJ
Washington’s attorney general suggests using a locksmith with a shop, and adds that there are good mobile-only locksmiths too. The FTC notes that a legitimate locksmith who works from a van or from home, with no address in the ad, “will be able to explain that.”
Sources: FTC · Washington AG
If something went wrong
If you are threatened, or told you must pay just for the visit, call the police. This is California’s consumer agency’s advice.
Source: California DCA
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and with your state attorney general.
Sources: FTC · FTC complaints
In Connecticut, the Department of Consumer Protection takes locksmith complaints at ct.gov/dcp/complaint.
Source: Connecticut DCP
Find a locksmith near you
Locksmiths Finder lists local businesses by city.
Locksmiths Finder does not check the licenses of the businesses listed here.
Questions people ask
Do locksmiths need a license?
It depends on the state. Of the 35 states we have confirmed, 13 require a license, registration, permit or certification, and 22 do not. Washington, D.C. has no license for locksmiths. New York City has its own license. See the table above for your state.
Source: state table
Should a locksmith drill my lock?
Be wary. The FTC advises considering a different locksmith if one says the lock must be drilled and replaced. It says a skilled locksmith “should have the skills to unlock almost any door.”
Source: FTC
Can a legitimate locksmith work from home or a van?
Yes. The FTC says a legitimate mobile or home-based locksmith will be able to explain why the ad shows no address, and Washington’s attorney general says there are good mobile-only locksmiths.
Sources: FTC · Washington AG
How do I spot a scam on the phone?
Watch for a generic greeting instead of a business name, and a person who will not give an address.
Sources: FTC · Minnesota AG · Washington AG
Is a very low price on the phone a good sign?
Not always. The FTC warns that call centers posing as local businesses may give surprisingly low estimates, and Connecticut advises asking for the full price up front, including service and travel costs.
Sources: FTC · Connecticut DCP
Missing a locksmith?
Add it freeSources
Federal Trade Commission, “Finding a Locksmith”
No longer on the FTC’s live site. Source: United States Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov.
August 2016 · Archived copy · Read November 11, 2026
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, “Consumer Alert: Locked Out? Be Wary of Scammers Posing as Locksmith Technicians”
July 16, 2026 · Read November 11, 2026
Minnesota Attorney General, “Out-of-State Companies Posing as Local Locksmiths”
The live page could not be reached on November 11, 2026.
Copy of January 22, 2026 · Archived copy · Read November 11, 2026
Washington Attorney General, “Keys to avoiding locksmith fraud”
August 10, 2011 · Read November 11, 2026
Oregon Department of Justice, scam alert
August 8, 2013 · Read November 11, 2026
Federal Trade Commission, complaint site, ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Read November 11, 2026
California Department of Consumer Affairs, locksmith tips
Read November 11, 2026
Each state’s licensing body or state law, as linked in the table
Read November 9, 2026
The FTC material is shown with its attribution, as its policy asks; no FTC endorsement is implied. State pages are summarized and linked.