Locksmith license requirements by state
13 states license locksmiths statewide: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Virginia. Some cities and counties license locksmiths themselves, including Clark County, Lacey, Mountlake Terrace, Nassau County, New York City, Olympia, Provo City, Tumwater and Washoe County.
Every state below was checked against its own licensing agency and statute pages. A state page shows who issues the license, the license types, fees, training, renewal and penalties, each quoted from the official page it links to.
Last checked October 13, 2026
State by state
13 with a statewide license · 38 without one.
| State | State license | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure |
| Alaska | No | Alaska has no state locksmith license. |
| Arizona | No | Arizona has no state locksmith license. |
| Arkansas | No | Arkansas has no state locksmith license. |
| California | Yes | Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (California Department of Consumer Affairs) |
| Colorado | No | Colorado has no state locksmith license. |
| Connecticut | Yes | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection |
| Delaware | No | Delaware has no state locksmith license. |
| District of Columbia | No | The District of Columbia has no locksmith license. |
| Florida | No | Florida has no state locksmith license, and Florida law reserves the licensing of occupations to the state. |
| Georgia | No | Georgia has no state locksmith license. |
| Hawaii | No | Hawaii has no state locksmith license. |
| Idaho | No | Idaho has no state locksmith license. |
| Illinois | Yes | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation |
| Indiana | No | Indiana has no state locksmith license. |
| Iowa | No | Iowa has no state locksmith license. |
| Kansas | No | Kansas has no state locksmith license. |
| Kentucky | No | Kentucky has no state locksmith license. |
| Louisiana | Yes | Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal |
| Maine | No | Maine has no state locksmith license. |
| Maryland | Yes | Maryland Department of Labor (Locksmith Licensing Program) |
| Massachusetts | No | Massachusetts has no state locksmith license. |
| Michigan | No | Michigan has no state locksmith license. |
| Minnesota | No | Minnesota has no state locksmith license: a search of the Minnesota Statutes and the 2025-2026 session laws for locksmith finds nothing. |
| Mississippi | No | Mississippi has no state locksmith license. |
| Missouri | No | Missouri has no state locksmith license. |
| Montana | No | Montana has no state locksmith license. |
| Nebraska | No | Nebraska dropped its locksmith registration in 2021, and the state has no locksmith license. |
| Nevada | Yes | County sheriff (permit under NRS 655.070) |
| New Hampshire | No | New Hampshire has no state locksmith license. |
| New Jersey | Yes | Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith Advisory Committee (NJ Division of Consumer Affairs) |
| New Mexico | No | New Mexico has no state locksmith license. |
| New York | No | New York has no state locksmith license, but New York City and Nassau County license locksmiths themselves. |
| North Carolina | Yes | North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board |
| North Dakota | No | North Dakota has no state locksmith license. |
| Ohio | No | Ohio has no state locksmith license. |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Oklahoma Department of Labor (Alarm, Locksmith and Fire Sprinkler program) |
| Oregon | Yes | Oregon Construction Contractors Board |
| Pennsylvania | No | Pennsylvania has no state locksmith license. |
| Rhode Island | No | Rhode Island has no state locksmith license, and its businesses and professions law, Title 5, has no locksmith chapter. |
| South Carolina | No | South Carolina has no state locksmith license. |
| South Dakota | No | South Dakota has no state locksmith license. |
| Tennessee | No | Tennessee repealed its locksmith license in 2021. |
| Texas | Yes | Texas Department of Public Safety (Private Security Program) |
| Utah | No | Utah has no state locksmith license, but Provo City requires its own locksmith license. |
| Vermont | No | Vermont has no state locksmith license. |
| Virginia | Yes | Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (Private Security Services) |
| Washington | No | Washington has no state locksmith license, but a 2015 law sets advertising rules for locksmith businesses. |
| West Virginia | No | West Virginia has no state locksmith license. |
| Wisconsin | No | Wisconsin has no state locksmith license. |
| Wyoming | No | Wyoming has no state locksmith license. |
Cities and counties that license locksmiths
A local license is separate from any state license.
Clark County · NV
Clark County licenses locksmiths outside its incorporated cities: $150 a year plus a one-time $45 application fee, and $25 a year for each employee's permit. Applicants are fingerprinted and investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and a shop needs at least 300 square feet with safes and security hardware for sale.
Lacey · WA
Lacey requires an occupational permit from the Lacey Police Department to work as a locksmith in the city. Applicants are fingerprinted for state and nationwide background checks, permits run for the calendar year, and Lacey honors locksmith permits from Olympia, Tumwater and Yelm. Working without one can be a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.
Mountlake Terrace · WA
Mountlake Terrace requires a city license to work as a locksmith or keymaker, separate from the business license. Applicants get a full police record check, including fingerprints, and breaking the rules can mean a fine of up to $100.
Nassau County · NY
Nassau County requires anyone performing locksmith services in the county to hold a county locksmith license from its Office of Consumer Affairs, with fingerprinting and liability insurance. Employees and apprentices of a licensed locksmith are exempt.
New York City · NY
New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection licenses locksmiths and locksmith apprentices. A new city law replaces these licenses on May 31, 2027 with a locksmith business license, and applications for it open in February 2027.
Olympia · WA
Olympia requires a city business license to work as a locksmith or run a locksmith business, and every locksmith and locksmith-business employee must also carry an occupational permit from the Olympia Police Department. Applicants are fingerprinted for state and nationwide background checks, permits run for the calendar year, and Olympia honors locksmith permits from Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm.
Provo City · UT
Provo City requires its own license to do locksmith work in the city, and the license is personal, so each employee of a locksmith firm needs one. Applicants file fingerprints with the Provo Police Department, a felony conviction means denial, and a $1,000 bond is required before the license is issued.
Tumwater · WA
Tumwater requires an occupational permit to work as a locksmith in the city. Applications go to the Finance Department and the Police Department takes the fingerprints, permits run for the calendar year, and Tumwater honors locksmith permits from Lacey and Olympia. Working without one can be a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.
Washoe County · NV
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office issues locksmith work permits under NRS 655.070 and Washoe County Code Chapter 25. Applicants are fingerprinted for state and national records checks, owners must show a current Washoe County business license, and permits last five years.
Locksmith license questions
Which states require a locksmith license?
13 states license locksmiths statewide: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Virginia. Some cities and counties license locksmiths themselves, including Clark County, Lacey, Mountlake Terrace, Nassau County, New York City, Olympia, Provo City, Tumwater and Washoe County.
Do I need a license in a state that does not license locksmiths?
There is no state license to get, but a city or county may license locksmiths itself. The list on this page names the ones we found in official sources; check with the city or county where you work.
Where do these facts come from?
Only official sources: the state licensing agency, the statute on the legislature’s site, the administrative code, or the city or county code. Each fact on a state page quotes the page it comes from and shows the date we checked it.
This guide summarizes the official pages linked next to each fact. Rules and fees change, so check with the licensing agency before you apply or take work. This is not legal advice.
Sales tax rates and trade licensing boards by state: state facts.
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