Not legal advice. California regulates locksmiths through the Locksmith Act (Business & Professions Code §6980 et seq.), related Penal and Vehicle Code sections, and BSIS regulations. Fees and forms change. Confirm with bsis.ca.gov, CSLB, your city, and an attorney before you apply, hire, or advertise.
The short version
California licenses the company and registers every tech. The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) issues a Locksmith Company License to the business, and every employee who performs locksmith work needs a BSIS employee registration. There’s no exam — but there is a DOJ/FBI background check, a 7-day deadline for new hires, and a work order rule on every lockout and car key that gets more locksmiths cited than anything else.
- Company license: $275 application + $275 license; $550 renewal every two years (current BSIS schedule)
- Employee registration: $60, submitted with Live Scan within 7 days of the tech’s first day; $44 renewal
- Work orders: lockouts and originated car keys require customer ID details, a signature, and two-year retention
- CSLB overlap: installation work can also require a C-28 contractor license
- Unlicensed work: misdemeanor, up to $10,000 and/or a year in county jail
Send this to anyone you’re about to hire — the 7-day clock starts on their first shift.
On this page
- If you only do three things
- Who needs a license
- Five myths about California locksmith licensing
- The Locksmith Company License
- Employee registration
- Credentials at a glance
- Work orders & records
- Automotive locksmiths
- When you also need CSLB
- Alarms & access control
- 1099 techs & AB 5
- Advertising, names & receipts
- Penalties
- Step-by-step: getting licensed
- California vs other states
- FAQ
California is the biggest locksmith market in the country, and one of the most scam-plagued. That combination is why the state regulates locksmiths the way it does: not with a skills exam, but with identity. Who owns the company, who’s standing at the door, and who asked for it to be opened.
If you’re starting a shop, hiring your first tech, adding car keys, or expanding into California from another state, this is the owner’s version of the rules — what BSIS actually requires in 2026, the paperwork that gets locksmiths cited, and where the Locksmith Act overlaps with CSLB, alarm licensing, and AB 5.
For the national picture, see our locksmith license requirements by state guide. For a big-state comparison, our NY & NJ locksmith guide and Texas locksmith startup guide cover the other big licensing systems.
If you only do three things this week
- Check every tech’s BSIS status today. Use BSIS’s Verify a License tool. A tech without a current registration or temporary registration shouldn’t take another call.
- Build a real work order template. Lockouts need address, signature, name, address, phone, date of birth, and ID number. Car keys originated by code need all of that plus the vehicle details and VIN. Missing fields are how audits turn into citations.
- Put your license in every van. BSIS requires the license and current renewal certificate to be displayed in each mobile service vehicle. It’s a free duplicate from the Bureau — ask for one per van.
Who needs a California locksmith license
Under the Locksmith Act, you’re a locksmith if, for any compensation, you do any of the following:
- Rekey, install, repair, open, or modify locks
- Originate keys (make a key without an existing key to copy)
- Electronically clone transponder keys
- Electronically program automotive key devices
That last two matter: mobile car-key programmers are locksmiths under California law, even if they never touch a pin tumbler.
What doesn’t make you a locksmith: duplicating a key from an existing key. That’s why hardware stores and key kiosks aren’t BSIS licensees.
Who’s exempt
Business & Professions Code §6980.12 exempts a short list of people, including:
- Manufacturers (and their agents) servicing locks on their own non-lock products
- In-house industrial or institutional locksmiths serving a single employer that doesn’t sell locksmith services to the public
- Tow truck drivers who only open vehicles and don’t originate keys
- Retail stores that rekey locks bought on their premises before the customer takes them — with tight limits: no automotive locks, no master key systems, limited tools, and no calling themselves locksmiths
- Law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel acting in their duties
If you’re a handyman who installs deadbolts for pay, you’re not on that list. See our guide to what a handyman can do without a license.
Five myths about California locksmith licensing
“You have to pass a locksmith exam in California”
No exam. The gate is your background, not your skills.
BSIS doesn’t require a written test for the company license or employee registration. It requires a DOJ and FBI criminal history check through Live Scan, photos, the application, and fees. A conviction substantially related to locksmith duties can get an application denied, though BSIS considers evidence of rehabilitation.
“My techs can work under my company license”
The company license covers the company. Every tech needs their own registration.
Each employee providing locksmith services needs a BSIS registration or temporary registration, and must carry it with a California driver’s license or ID while working. Owners, partners, and officers who work in the field carry a pocket ID card too.
“A California locksmith license costs about $500”
That’s the old fee schedule.
BSIS raised its locksmith fees. The current schedule is a $275 application fee plus a $275 original license fee, and a $550 renewal every two years. Employee registration is $60, with a $44 renewal. Plenty of guides — including some locksmith sites — still list the pre-increase numbers. Budget for Live Scan fees on top.
“My BSIS license covers any installation job”
BSIS says otherwise — on its own fact sheet.
BSIS materials state that a locksmith company also needs a CSLB contractor license when its work at a single site exceeds $500. That’s where the C-28 question comes in.
“Lock picks are illegal in California”
Possession isn’t the crime. Intent is.
Penal Code §466 targets people who carry picks, tension tools, bump keys, and similar instruments with intent to feloniously break in. A licensed locksmith with a BSIS card, a marked vehicle, and a signed work order has the paperwork that proves legitimate purpose. An unlicensed “locksmith” with a pick set and no work order has none of that.
The Locksmith Company License
The business — sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or corporation — holds the Locksmith Company License. To apply:
- Every owner, partner, or corporate officer goes through a DOJ and FBI background check via Live Scan. Per FBI guidelines, submit the application to BSIS before completing Live Scan, and keep a copy of the Live Scan form with the ATI number and operator signature.
- Two recent passport-quality photos.
- Fictitious business name: include a certified copy of the county filing. BSIS won’t issue a license under a name that sounds like a government or law enforcement agency, describes a business you don’t actually do, or is misleading.
- Fees: $275 application + $275 original license.
- Apply online through BreEZe — BSIS says online submissions skip the cashiering office and can cut processing by up to two weeks.
After you’re licensed:
- Renew every two years ($550).
- Each additional physical location needs a branch office registration ($275).
- Service vans don’t need branch registrations — but the license and current renewal certificate must be conspicuously displayed in every mobile service vehicle. BSIS will issue duplicates for this.
Source: BSIS Locksmith Fact Sheet
Employee registration: the 7-day rule
This is where growing shops get sloppy. Every person you employ to perform locksmith services needs a BSIS registration.
- Deadline: the completed application, the $60 fee, and proof of Live Scan must reach BSIS within seven days of the employee’s first day.
- Temporary registration: the employee can work while BSIS processes the application. The temporary registration is valid for 120 days.
- On every job: the tech carries the BSIS registration (or temporary registration) and a California driver’s license or ID.
- Renewal: $44.
Customers are told to check. BSIS’s consumer guides tell people to verify a locksmith’s license online before hiring, ask to see the card when the tech arrives, and stop the job if anything seems wrong. Your techs should expect to show their card at the door.
Credentials at a glance
| Credential | Who needs it | Current fees | Carry on the job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locksmith Company License | The business | $275 app + $275 license; $550 renewal / 2 yrs | Displayed at the office and in every service vehicle |
| Owner/officer pocket ID | Owners, partners, officers who work as locksmiths | Issued with license | Pocket card + photo ID |
| Branch office registration | Each additional physical location | $275 initial | Displayed at the branch |
| Employee registration | Every employee performing locksmith services | $60; $44 renewal | Registration card + CA driver’s license or ID |
| Temporary registration | New hires while BSIS processes | Part of the application | Temporary card + photo ID (valid 120 days) |
| CSLB C-28 or C-61/D-16 | Companies doing installation work above the threshold | Separate CSLB fees, exams, $25K bond | License number on contracts and ads |
Fees reflect BSIS’s current regulation schedule. Confirm on the BSIS site before you pay.
Work orders & records: the rules that get locksmiths cited
California’s locksmith law is built around records. The theory is simple: if someone opens a door or makes a key for the wrong person, there should be a paper trail showing exactly who asked. Here’s what each job type requires.
Lockouts: opening a home or business
B&P Code §6980.55
- Street address of the residence or business opened
- Signature of the person you opened it for
- That person’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, and driver’s license or ID number
Originating a house or business key on site
Penal Code §466.8, applied to licensees by B&P Code §6980.53
- A work order with the customer’s identifying information and signature
- Duplicating from an existing key is different — but keys stamped “Do Not Duplicate” with the originator’s identifying information are off-limits without authorization
Making a car key any way other than duplication
Penal Code §466.6
- Customer’s name, address, phone, date of birth, and ID number
- The vehicle’s registration or ID number, plate, year, make, model, color, and VIN
- Date the key was made and the customer’s signature
- Violations are a misdemeanor
Pulling key codes from the manufacturer
Vehicle Code §9954
- Visually verify the requester’s driver’s license and the vehicle registration
- Visually confirm the VIN on the car matches the registration
- Sign an affidavit that you verified all three, and file it with the work order
- After the job, give the key code to the owner and destroy the manufacturer information you accessed
For every one of these: keep the work order for two years, include the name and license number of the locksmith who did the work, and make it available to BSIS or any peace officer during business hours or on request.
Paper or app, the fields are the law. Digital work orders are fine as long as they capture every required field, the signature, and can be produced on request. A text thread with a photo of a license isn’t a work order.
Automotive locksmiths
Car keys are where California’s rules are strictest, and where the most new operators enter the trade:
- Programming and cloning are licensed activities. A mobile key programmer who never picks a lock still needs to work for a BSIS-licensed company.
- The tow-truck exemption is narrow. It covers opening vehicles only — not originating keys.
- Every non-duplicate key needs the Penal Code §466.6 work order, and pulling codes from the manufacturer adds the Vehicle Code §9954 verification and affidavit.
- Retail rekey exemptions don’t touch automotive. Stores that rekey locks they sell can’t work on automotive locks at all.
For pricing emergency and after-hours calls without getting labeled a scam, see how locksmiths price emergency service calls.
When you also need a CSLB contractor license
BSIS licenses the locksmith. CSLB licenses contracting — and installing hardware can be both.
- BSIS’s own fact sheet says a contractor license is also required when a locksmith company’s work at a single site exceeds $500, pointing to C-28 (Lock and Security Equipment) or the C-61/D-16 limited specialty (Hardware, Locks and Safes).
- CSLB’s general minor-work exemption was raised to under $1,000 by AB 2622 — but that exemption doesn’t apply to anyone who employs help or to permit-required work.
The practical read: a solo locksmith doing small hardware swaps is in different territory from a company sending employee crews to replace commercial door hardware across a building. If you’re the second, talk to CSLB about C-28 before you bid. A CSLB license brings exams, experience requirements, a $25,000 bond, and workers’ comp rules of its own. Source: cslb.ca.gov
Alarms & access control: a separate BSIS license
A Locksmith Company License doesn’t cover alarm systems. Installing, servicing, or monitoring alarm systems in California falls under BSIS’s Alarm Company Operator license — a different license with its own requirements. The law does let registered alarm company employees perform incidental locksmithing that’s secondary to their main duties, but the reverse doesn’t work: a locksmith company doesn’t get alarm authority for free.
Keypads, mag locks, and access control live right on that line. Read Keypads, Mag Locks, and the License Line Locksmiths Cross by Accident and our alarm installer licensing guide before you quote smart-lock and access jobs.
1099 techs & AB 5: the double trap
A lot of locksmith companies nationwide run on subcontracted techs. In California, that model runs into two laws at once:
- BSIS registration is for employees of a licensed company. A tech doing locksmith work for pay as their own business generally needs their own Locksmith Company License. Putting an unlicensed independent tech in a van with your logo doesn’t make them licensed.
- AB 5’s employment test governs whether that tech is really an independent contractor at all. If they work your calls, under your brand, on your schedule, they’re likely an employee — which means payroll, workers’ comp, and BSIS employee registration.
Our California AB 5 guide for trades walks through the ABC test. Get this wrong and you’ve got a licensing problem and a misclassification problem from the same hire.
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Advertising, business names & receipts
California’s locksmith rules are partly a response to lead-generation scams — fake local listings, low teaser prices, and unlicensed techs who show up and triple the bill. The compliance side:
- Advertise under your real identity. The 2009 Locksmith Act revisions tied advertising to the business name, contact details, and license number as they appear in BSIS records. Ads that don’t match your license are a red flag to regulators and to Google.
- Pick a clean business name. BSIS won’t license names that sound like government or law enforcement agencies, describe services you don’t provide, or mislead.
- Itemize every receipt. BSIS tells consumers to expect a receipt with the company name, license number, local address, and phone number, showing the cost of parts, services, and the total charged.
Honest listings rank better long-term, too — see locksmith SEO: the long game, and if your site or Google profile needs cleanup, Vortech Sites & SEO builds locksmith sites with license details in the right places.
Penalties
- Unlicensed locksmith activity is a misdemeanor: a fine up to $10,000, up to one year in county jail, or both.
- A conviction blocks licensing: no license for one year after a first conviction, and five years after a second.
- Work order violations under Penal Code §466.6 are misdemeanors on their own.
- Administrative citations and discipline from BSIS can hit licensed companies for record-keeping, display, and registration failures.
Insurance and the local layer
BSIS’s locksmith fact sheet doesn’t list insurance as a licensing requirement. Your customers, property managers, and any CSLB license you add will — and one damaged door or wrong-person lockout can outrun a small shop’s bank account. Our locksmith insurance guide covers what to carry.
Locally, expect a city business license or registration (San Francisco and Los Angeles both require one), and a CDTFA seller’s permit if you sell locks, safes, or hardware.
Step-by-step: getting licensed in California
- Form the business and file any fictitious business name with your county.
- Apply for the Locksmith Company License on BreEZe, with photos and the $275 application + $275 license fees.
- Complete Live Scan for every owner, partner, and officer after the application is submitted.
- Get your city business license and, if you sell hardware, a CDTFA seller’s permit.
- Decide on CSLB. If you’ll send crews to install hardware on projects above the threshold, start the C-28 process.
- Set up compliant work orders for lockouts, originated keys, and car keys before your first call.
- Register every hire within 7 days, keep temporary registrations current, and verify each tech on BSIS’s lookup.
- Put the license in every van and the license number on every receipt.
California vs other big locksmith states
| State | How it works | Deep dive |
|---|---|---|
| California | BSIS company license + employee registration; no exam; strict work orders | You’re reading it |
| Texas | DPS Private Security licensing for companies and individuals | Texas locksmith startup guide |
| New York & New Jersey | NYC, Nassau, and state-level rules that differ by market | NY & NJ locksmith guide |
| Florida | Local locksmith licensing changes | Florida locksmith license repeal |
| All 50 states | Licensed, local-only, and unlicensed states | Locksmith license map |
Ongoing compliance checklist
- Verify every tech’s BSIS status monthly — temporary registrations expire at 120 days.
- Audit a sample of work orders for missing fields, signatures, and license numbers.
- Store work orders for two years in a way you can produce on request.
- Diary the company license renewal and every employee renewal.
- Confirm the license and renewal certificate are displayed in every van.
- Check that ads, Google profiles, and receipts match your BSIS name, contact details, and license number.
- Review any 1099 relationships against BSIS and AB 5.
- Re-check CSLB needs before bidding larger installation work.
The bottom line
California doesn’t test whether you can pick a lock. It tests who you are, who works for you, and whether you can prove who asked you to open that door. The Locksmith Company License and employee registrations are the entry fee; work orders, van displays, and clean advertising are how you keep it.
The shops that get cited aren’t usually the scammers — those rarely get licensed in the first place. It’s the legitimate company that hired a tech on Monday and forgot the 7-day deadline, or closed a lockout without a date of birth on the work order. Fix the paperwork and California is a very good market to own.
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FAQ
Do you need a license to be a locksmith in California?
Yes. Anyone who, for pay, rekeys, installs, repairs, opens, or modifies locks, originates keys, clones transponder keys, or programs automotive key devices must work for a BSIS-licensed Locksmith Company, and every employee doing that work must be registered with BSIS. Duplicating from an existing key alone isn’t locksmithing, and a few groups like tow drivers who only open vehicles are exempt.
Is there a test to get a California locksmith license?
No. BSIS requires an application, fees, photos, and a DOJ/FBI Live Scan background check — no written exam. A CSLB contractor license, if you also need one for installation work, does require exams and experience.
How much does a California locksmith license cost?
Under BSIS’s current schedule: $275 application plus $275 original license for the company, $550 renewal every two years, $275 per branch office, and $60 for employee registration with a $44 renewal. Live Scan fees are extra. Older guides often list pre-increase fees — confirm on BSIS before applying.
How soon must a new locksmith employee register with BSIS?
Within seven days of starting work, BSIS must receive the completed application, fee, and proof of Live Scan. The employee can work under a temporary registration, valid for 120 days, carried with a photo ID.
What records must a California locksmith keep?
Lockouts require the address, customer signature, name, address, phone, date of birth, and ID number. Car keys made any way other than duplication require customer identity plus plate, registration, year, make, model, color, and VIN. Keep work orders two years with the locksmith’s name and license number, available to BSIS or police.
Does a California locksmith company also need a CSLB contractor license?
Sometimes. BSIS says a contractor license (C-28 or C-61/D-16) is required when a locksmith company’s work at a single site exceeds $500. CSLB’s general minor-work exemption is under $1,000 but doesn’t apply to permit work or anyone who employs help. Companies doing installation with employees should confirm with CSLB.
Can a California locksmith use 1099 technicians?
Be careful. BSIS employee registration is for employees of a licensed company; an independent tech doing locksmith work for pay generally needs their own company license. AB 5’s employment test also applies. Unlicensed 1099 techs under your brand create licensing and misclassification exposure at once.
What is the penalty for unlicensed locksmithing in California?
It’s a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $10,000, up to one year in county jail, or both. A conviction bars licensing for one year after a first offense and five years after a second.
Is this legal advice?
No. Educational commentary based on the California Locksmith Act, related Penal and Vehicle Code sections, and BSIS publications researched for 2026. Confirm with BSIS, CSLB, your city, and an attorney.
