Do you need a locksmith license in Florida?
No. Florida has no state locksmith license, and Florida law reserves the licensing of occupations to the state. Local occupational licenses that existed before 2021 expired on July 1, 2025, and Miami-Dade County stopped issuing locksmith licenses that day. A 2025 bill to license locksmith businesses, HB 1311, died in committee.
Last checked October 13, 2026 · 40 quoted facts from official pages
Florida at a glance
- State license
- No statewide license
- City and county rules
- See the notes below
City and county rules in Florida
Each entry is backed by the official sources quoted below.
Broward County
Broward County licensed locksmiths for about seven months in 2021: its Locksmith Act took effect in February and was repealed in September because Florida law reserves occupational licensing to the state. No county locksmith license exists today.
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County no longer issues, monitors or registers locksmith business licenses. It stopped issuing and renewing them on January 1, 2025, and every county license expired by June 1, 2025. Complaints about false advertising or deceptive practices by locksmiths still go to the county's Consumer & Veterans Services.
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County stopped issuing locksmith licenses on July 1, 2025, when Florida law ended local occupational licensing, and says it no longer has regulatory authority over locksmiths. The county code still prints the old locksmith ordinance.
Orange County
Orange County has no locksmith license. Its code mentions locksmiths only in zoning tables that list locksmith shops as a land use, and Florida law reserves the licensing of occupations to the state.
Pinellas County
We found no Pinellas County locksmith license. A search of the county code and its posted ordinances for locksmith finds nothing, and Florida law reserves the licensing of occupations to the state.
What the official sources say
Each line is a short quote from the official page it links to, with the date we read it.
A full-text search of the 2026 Florida Statutes on the Legislature's Online Sunshine site for 'locksmith' returns no results (same for 'locksmiths' and 'locksmithing').
“Search Results for: "locksmith" (0 returns)”
Source: leg.state.fl.us · checked October 13, 2026
Florida preempts occupational licensing to the state; local licensing of occupations is superseded except as listed (s. 163.211(2), 2026 Florida Statutes; history ch. 2021-214, 2023-271, 2024-212).
“The licensing of occupations is expressly preempted to the state, and this section supersedes any local government licensing requirement of occupations”
Source: leg.state.fl.us · checked October 13, 2026
Local occupational licensing that existed before January 1, 2021 expired on July 1, 2025 (s. 163.211(2)(a)).
“However, any such local government licensing of occupations expires on July 1, 2025.”
Source: leg.state.fl.us · checked October 13, 2026
Local occupational licensing not authorized by s. 163.211 or general law cannot be enforced (s. 163.211(4)).
“Local licensing of an occupation that is not authorized under this section or otherwise authorized by general law does not apply”
Source: leg.state.fl.us · checked October 13, 2026
2025 HB 1311 (Licensing and Regulating Locksmith Services Businesses) would have required DACS licensure of locksmith businesses; it died in committee (last action June 16, 2025).
“Died in Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee”
Source: flsenate.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The 2025 bill's title confirms it concerned locksmith licensing (HB 1311, by Yeager).
“HB 1311: Licensing and Regulating Locksmith Services Businesses”
Source: flsenate.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Miami-Dade County's Regulatory and Economic Resources department stopped issuing locksmith licenses effective July 1, 2025 under s. 163.211 (notice dated July 8, 2025).
“Effective July 1, the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER), Consumer Protection and Neighborhood Protection Division, is no longer issuing licenses for these occupations”
Source: miamidade.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The Miami-Dade notice lists locksmiths and locksmith services businesses among the preempted licenses.
“Locksmiths and locksmith services businesses”
Source: miamidade.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Show 32 more facts
Ordinance 2021-40 repealed the Broward County Locksmith Act, §§ 20-176.130 through 20-176.144 of the County Code.
“REPEALING THE "BROWARD COUNTY LOCKSMITH ACT," SECTIONS 20-176.130 THROUGH 20-176.144 OF THE BROWARD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
The repeal was enacted September 9, 2021 and took effect September 13, 2021.
“ENACTED September 9, 2021 FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE September 13, 2021 EFFECTIVE September 13, 2021”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
The County repealed the Act because it was enacted in 2021 and is preempted by § 163.211, Florida Statutes (recital in Ord. 2021-40).
“was enacted on February 9, 2021, and is preempted under Section 163.211, Florida Statutes”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
Ordinance 2021-08 had created the Act, providing for licensing of locksmiths and registration of locksmith businesses.
“PROVIDING FOR LICENSING OF LOCKSMITHS AND REGISTRATION OF LOCKSMITH BUSINESSES”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
Ordinance 2021-08 was enacted February 9, 2021 and took effect February 11, 2021, so the Act was in force for about seven months.
“ENACTED February 9, 2021 FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE February 11, 2021 EFFECTIVE February 11, 2021”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
Before that ordinance, Broward did not license locksmiths (recital in Ord. 2021-08), so there was no pre-2021 county license to grandfather.
“Broward County does not currently regulate or license local locksmiths”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
The Act was administered by the County's Environmental and Consumer Protection Division (ECPD) (former § 20-176.130 definitions).
“ECPD shall mean the Broward County Environmental and Consumer Protection Division, or successor agency.”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
Under the repealed Act, licenses and registrations ran for one year (historical; no license exists now).
“Each license and registration shall be effective for a period of one (1) year”
Source: mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us · checked October 13, 2026
The current code's Article VII, Division 8 (the slot the Locksmith Act occupied) is now the PACE Act; no locksmith division remains in Article VII.
“DIVISION 8. - BROWARD COUNTY PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY ("PACE") ACT”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
A Municode search of Broward's codes for 'locksmith' returned a single hit, an Administrative Code history-table entry for Resolution 2021-054 (Feb. 9, 2021) on locksmith license fees; no current code section mentions locksmiths.
“Fees for locksmith and apprentice locksmith licenses and locksmith business registration certificates”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The online Code of Ordinances is codified through Ord. 2026-26 (June 9, 2026), Supplement 72.
“Codified through Ordinance No. 2026-26, enacted June 9, 2026. (Supp. No. 72)”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The only grandfathering exception covered licenses a local government imposed before January 1, 2021 (§ 163.211(2)(a)); Broward's Act was enacted after that date.
“Any local government that imposed licenses on occupations before January 1, 2021.”
Source: flsenate.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Hillsborough County no longer issues, monitors or registers locksmith services business licenses.
“Hillsborough County Code Enforcement's Regulatory Compliance Section no longer issues, monitors, or registers Hillsborough County Locksmith Services Businesses licenses.”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The county says state law superseded local occupational licensing effective July 1, 2025.
“which supersedes any local occupational licensing requirements and became effective July 1, 2025.”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
No new county locksmith licenses were issued or renewed from January 1, 2025.
“Starting on Jan. 1, 2025, no new licenses were issued or renewed.”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
All existing county locksmith licenses expired on or before June 1, 2025.
“all those who held a valid local license expired on or before June 1, 2025.”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
False advertising and deceptive trade practice complaints about locksmiths are still handled by Consumer & Veterans Services.
“false advertising and deceptive trade practices will still be addressed by Hillsborough County Consumer & Veterans Services.”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The county's locksmith page was last modified February 12, 2026.
“Last Modified: 2/12/2026, 10:24:12 PM”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Contact for the former program: Code Enforcement Regulatory Compliance, (813) 274-6600.
“email Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Regulatory Compliance at RegComp@HCFL.gov or call (813) 274-6600”
Source: hcfl.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The county says it no longer has regulatory authority over these occupations.
“as Miami-Dade County no longer has regulatory authority over these occupations.”
Source: miamidade.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Under § 163.211, 'licensing' includes registration and certification, not just a license card.
““Licensing” means any training, education, test, certification, registration, or license that is required for a person to perform an occupation”
Source: flsenate.gov · checked October 13, 2026
The county code on Municode still contains Article XVII, the Miami-Dade County Locksmith Ordinance (business registration, individual locksmith license and apprentice permit sections).
“ARTICLE XVII. - MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LOCKSMITH ORDINANCE”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
Under the former ordinance, a licensed locksmith had to have served at least one year as an apprentice (§ 8A-350(d)).
“Licensed locksmith shall mean an individual who has been an apprentice locksmith for a minimum of one (1) year”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The county's consumer advice page still says locksmiths must register with the county, apparently not updated after the July 2025 change.
“closed circuit television systems must register with Miami-Dade County.”
Source: miamidade.gov · checked October 13, 2026
A full-text Municode search of the Orange County Code for 'locksmith' returned three results, all in Chapter 38 (Zoning) land-use tables that list locksmith shops as a use.
“Locksmiths, lawnmower repair, bicycle repair, camera repair, gunsmith, taxidermists,”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The six county ordinances on Municode that mention locksmiths (2009-2023) are likewise zoning use-table amendments, not licensing ordinances.
“7699 Locksmiths and repair services”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
Chapter 25 (Licenses, Taxation and Miscellaneous Business Regulations) covers the local business tax, garage sales, convenience stores, title loans and similar topics; none of its article titles is about locksmiths.
“ARTICLE III. - LOCAL BUSINESS TAXES”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The online code is codified through Ord. 2026-12 (July 14, 2026), Supplement 129.
“Codified through Ordinance No. 2026-12, enacted July 14, 2026. (Supp. No. 129)”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
A full-text Municode search of the Pinellas County Code for 'locksmith' returned no results.
“0 results”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
Chapter 42 (Consumer Protection) regulates trades such as movers, peddlers and health studios; none of its article titles is about locksmiths.
“ARTICLE VIII. - MOVING”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
County consumer protection is organized under the Department of Justice and Consumer Services (Chapter 42, Article II).
“ARTICLE II. - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSUMER SERVICES”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
The code checked was the current Municode version dated June 23, 2026.
“Online content updated on June 23, 2026”
Source: library.municode.com · checked October 13, 2026
Sales tax on locksmith work in Florida
Rates, local taxes and how Florida treats labor and repair charges: sales tax facts for Florida.
Running a locksmith business in Florida on IntelliDrive OS
What the software does today, nothing more. It does not apply for licenses, file returns or give legal or tax advice.
One tax rate per shop
Add your rates under Settings → Tax Rates, then choose each shop’s default rate under Settings → Outlets, so every shop charges its own local rate.
All featuresRecords kept digitally
Invoices, receipts, signatures and photos are kept digitally for your records, and you can send a receipt to the customer by email or text.
Payment-link evidencePayment links through your own account
Text or email a payment link through your own QuickBooks Payments, Square or Stripe account. On a payment-link sale the record keeps the customer’s signature, the terms they accepted, IP address and device, photos, and location when their browser shares it.
Payment processingStock by shop and van
Each shop, and each van you set up as its own location, keeps its own stock, with reorder points, counts and exact transfers between locations.
InventoryYour team, hours and commission
Time clock, timesheets, pay rates and per-technician commission reporting, with role permissions and staff limited to their own shop.
WorkforceQuickBooks Online, when you choose
Push sales and payments from IntelliDrive OS to QuickBooks Online. It is a one-way push that you start yourself.
QuickBooks integrationScheduling and dispatch (add-on)
Scheduling, dispatch, live GPS and ETA texts come with the GetTimePad add-on at $199/month. It is not part of the $79 plan.
SchedulingMore for locksmiths: IntelliDrive OS for locksmiths.
Florida locksmith license questions
Do you need a license to be a locksmith in Florida?
No. Florida has no state locksmith license, and Florida law reserves the licensing of occupations to the state. Local occupational licenses that existed before 2021 expired on July 1, 2025, and Miami-Dade County stopped issuing locksmith licenses that day. A 2025 bill to license locksmith businesses, HB 1311, died in committee.
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.
Last checked October 13, 2026.
Run your Florida locksmith business on IntelliDrive OS
$79/month per business, billed monthly, with unlimited users.
The first 30 days are free. A card is required at signup and the first charge is on day 31; cancel in Settings → Billing before then and you pay nothing.