Do you need a locksmith license in Pennsylvania?
No. Pennsylvania has no state locksmith license. Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs supports 29 licensing boards and commissions, and none is for locksmiths. Bills to license locksmiths were filed in 1975 and 1995, were sent to committee and never passed.
Last checked October 13, 2026 · 6 quoted facts from official pages
Pennsylvania at a glance
- State license
- No statewide license
- City and county rules
- See the notes below
City and county rules in Pennsylvania
Each entry is backed by the official sources quoted below.
Philadelphia
We found no Philadelphia locksmith license. Every business there needs an Activity License or a Commercial Activity License from the Department of Licenses and Inspections, and the city's trades licensing chapter covers plumbers, contractors and electricians, not locksmiths.
What the official sources say
Each line is a short quote from the official page it links to, with the date we read it.
Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs supports 29 licensing boards and commissions; the list (Accountancy through Veterinary Medicine) contains no locksmith board.
“Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs provides administrative and legal support to 29 professional and occupational licensing boards and commissions.”
Source: pa.gov · checked October 13, 2026
1995-96 Senate Bill 1170 would have created locksmith licensing by a State Board of Locksmiths; its last action was referral to committee on July 6, 1995 (not enacted).
“Last Action: Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, July 6, 1995”
Source: palegis.us · checked October 13, 2026
SB 1170's short title shows what it would have done.
“providing for the examination and licensure of locksmiths by a State Board of Locksmiths; and providing penalties.”
Source: palegis.us · checked October 13, 2026
1975-76 House Bill 1540 ('Locksmith License Act', State Board of Locksmith Examiners) was referred to committee on June 25, 1975 and not enacted.
“Last Action: Referred to PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, June 25, 1975”
Source: palegis.us · checked October 13, 2026
Every business operating in Philadelphia needs an Activity License or a Commercial Activity License from L&I; the business-license page lists no locksmith license type.
“All businesses that operate in the City need to: Register for an Activity License, or Get a Commercial Activity License.”
Source: phila.gov · checked October 13, 2026
Title 9's trades chapter (9-1000) licenses plumbers, contractors, fire suppression, electrical, demolition and excavation contractors, not locksmiths.
“§ 9-1009. Excavation Contractor License.”
Source: codelibrary.amlegal.com · checked October 13, 2026
Sales tax on locksmith work in Pennsylvania
Rates, local taxes and how Pennsylvania treats labor and repair charges: sales tax facts for Pennsylvania.
Running a locksmith business in Pennsylvania 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.
Pennsylvania locksmith license questions
Do you need a license to be a locksmith in Pennsylvania?
No. Pennsylvania has no state locksmith license. Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs supports 29 licensing boards and commissions, and none is for locksmiths. Bills to license locksmiths were filed in 1975 and 1995, were sent to committee and never passed.
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 Pennsylvania 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.