Washington has no locksmith license, exam, or locksmith background check. But a Washington locksmith business still needs a state business license (UBI), usually city endorsements, sales tax and B&O registration for most lock work, and L&I electrical licensing if it installs access control. Cross into Oregon and you need Oregon locksmith certification.
Not legal or tax advice. Based on Washington Department of Revenue, L&I, statute, and Oregon Construction Contractors Board sources researched for 2026. Confirm your situation with DOR, L&I, your city, and a tax professional or attorney.
The short version
“No license required” is where most Washington pages stop — and it’s where most compliance problems start. What actually applies to a Washington locksmith business:
- State business license (UBI) once you hit any Department of Revenue trigger — $12,000 in gross income, taxable services, city endorsements, or employees.
- City endorsements where you’re based and in cities you travel into to work.
- Sales tax + B&O tax — Washington treats installing, repairing, and altering property as taxable retail services, which covers most lock work.
- L&I limited energy (06) electrical licensing for access control: keypads, electric strikes, mag locks.
- L&I contractor registration if you install doors and hardware as construction work.
- Oregon locksmith certification if you serve Portland from Vancouver.
On this page
- If you only do three things
- What applies at a glance
- Business license & city endorsements
- Sales tax & B&O on lock work
- The access-control trap
- When L&I contractor registration applies
- Employees & workers’ comp
- Crossing into Oregon or Idaho
- Automotive locksmiths
- Earning trust with no license to show
- Step-by-step: start legally
- FAQ
Search “Washington locksmith license” and you’ll get the same one-line answer everywhere: no license required. It’s true. It’s also the reason Washington locksmiths get surprised by a Department of Revenue letter, an L&I electrical citation, or an Oregon job they weren’t allowed to take.
This is the full picture for owners: what Washington does require of a locksmith business, the one type of job that pulls you into electrical licensing, and what changes when you drive across the Columbia. For the national map, see our locksmith license requirements by state.
If you only do three things this week
- Run the Business Licensing Wizard on the Department of Revenue site for your home city and every city you work in. It lists the state license and each city endorsement you need.
- Set up sales tax on your invoices. If you’ve been charging a flat price for rekeys and installs without collecting sales tax, talk to a tax pro now. It’s cheaper to fix going forward than in an audit.
- Stop quoting access control until you’ve checked with L&I. Keypads, electric strikes, and mag locks are where lock work turns into licensed electrical work.
What applies to a Washington locksmith, at a glance
| Requirement | Applies? | Who handles it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| State locksmith license | No | — | No license, exam, or locksmith background check |
| State business license (UBI) | Almost always | Dept. of Revenue (Business Licensing Service) | Triggered by $12,000+ income, taxable services, endorsements, employees |
| City endorsements | Usually | Your city, mostly through DOR’s Business Licensing Service | Where you’re based and where you travel to work |
| Sales tax + B&O tax | Usually | Dept. of Revenue | Installing, repairing, altering property is a taxable retail service |
| L&I electrical (06 limited energy) | For access control | L&I Electrical Program | Certified electricians + specialty contractor license |
| L&I contractor registration | For installation work | L&I | Construction work; small casual jobs under $500 exempt |
| Workers’ comp | If you have employees | L&I state fund | No private workers’ comp in Washington |
| Oregon locksmith certification | If you work in Oregon | Oregon CCB | Exam plus a CCB-licensed business |
Business license & city endorsements
Washington’s Department of Revenue requires a state business license if any of these apply to you:
- Your gross income is $12,000 or more per year
- You sell a product or service that requires collecting sales tax — which most lock work does (see below)
- Your business needs city, county, or state endorsements
- You plan to hire employees
- You operate under a name other than your legal name
When approved, you get a nine-digit Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number. LLCs and corporations file with the Secretary of State first, then bring that UBI to the Business Licensing Service. Source: dor.wa.gov
City endorsements: the part mobile locksmiths miss
Over 200 Washington cities issue their business endorsements through the state’s Business Licensing Service, so you add them to the same application. The catch for a mobile business: many cities require an endorsement if you travel into them to work, not just if you’re based there. A locksmith based in Kent who runs lockouts in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma may need an endorsement for each. Licenses with endorsements renew annually.
Sales tax & B&O tax on lock work
This is the biggest hidden obligation in “no license” Washington. The Department of Revenue treats installing, repairing, cleaning, or altering tangible personal property for consumers as a taxable retail service. State law also treats installing items in buildings as a retail sale. For a locksmith, that typically covers:
- Rekeying and repinning cylinders
- Lock repairs and replacements
- Installing deadbolts and door hardware
- Selling locks, keys, and hardware
On taxable jobs, sales tax generally applies to the whole charge, parts and labor. You also owe Washington’s B&O tax on gross receipts. How a pure lockout is classified can differ, so confirm each service type with DOR. Source: dor.wa.gov — retail sales tax
Quote with tax in mind. Customers compare your number to the other guy’s. Decide whether your quotes include sales tax, say so in writing, and itemize parts and labor on every invoice. Our free estimate generator and invoice generator make that easy.
The access-control trap: when lock work becomes electrical work
Washington regulates low-voltage work through L&I’s electrical program, and access control is listed under the limited energy (06) specialty. That means the moment a job involves powered hardware — keypads, card readers, electric strikes, mag locks, intercom-controlled entry — you may be doing licensed electrical work.
What L&I licensing involves:
- The person doing the work needs a 06 limited energy electrician certificate (or trainee status under supervision). Journey-level certification takes about 4,000 hours of documented experience.
- The business needs a specialty electrical contractor license with a designated administrator, a $4,000 electrical contractor bond, and liability insurance — plus regular L&I contractor registration.
- Permits may apply to the installation.
The practical choice: stay mechanical (locks, cylinders, hardware, safes), partner with a licensed 06 contractor for the powered part of the job, or get licensed yourself. What you shouldn’t do is quote the whole job and hope nobody asks. Our guide to keypads, mag locks, and the license line walks through where the line usually falls.
When L&I contractor registration applies
Washington requires construction contractors to register with L&I under RCW 18.27. The narrow exemption covers casual, minor work under $500 per project that isn’t part of a larger job.
Routine locksmithing — lockouts, rekeys, lock repairs — isn’t usually treated as construction. But these can be:
- Replacing or hanging doors and frames
- Installing hardware as part of a remodel or new build
- Commercial door hardware packages on construction projects
Registration means a surety bond ($15,000 for specialty contractors since July 2024) and liability insurance ($200,000/$50,000 or a $250,000 combined single limit). If your work drifts into installation, call L&I before you bid. Our handyman licensing guide covers Washington’s $500 exemption and handyman registration in detail.
Employees & workers’ comp
Washington is a monopolistic workers’ comp state: employers buy coverage through the state fund run by L&I, not from private insurers. The day you hire your first tech, set up your L&I account. For general liability and other coverage, see our locksmith insurance guide.
Crossing into Oregon or Idaho
The Columbia River is a licensing border. Oregon requires locksmith certification through its Construction Contractors Board for anyone who installs, repairs, rebuilds, rekeys, repins, or adjusts locks, hardware peripheral to locks, safes, vaults, or security systems.
- Applicants must pass a competency exam.
- The certification must be tied to a CCB-licensed business, and a locksmith business needs an owner or employee who is certified.
- It renews every two years.
So a Vancouver locksmith who takes calls in Portland needs Oregon certification and a CCB license — even though Washington requires neither. Source: Oregon License Directory
Going east, Idaho doesn’t license locksmiths at the state level, so Spokane-area shops working in Coeur d’Alene mainly need to sort out Idaho business registration and local rules.
Automotive locksmiths
Washington has no car-key-specific locksmith license. Nationally, though, access to manufacturer key codes and security information runs through the NASTF Vehicle Security Professional (VSP) Registry, which requires a background check. Treat VSP registration as part of the job if you cut and program car keys. Your business license, sales tax, and insurance obligations are the same as any other locksmith.
Earning trust when there’s no license to show
In a no-license state, customers can’t verify you with a license number — which is exactly why scam “locksmiths” target states like Washington. Give customers what they can check:
- Your UBI number on invoices, your website, and your van
- Proof of liability insurance on request
- Written quotes before work starts and itemized invoices after
- Voluntary certification such as ALOA’s
- Job records: who asked for the lockout, their ID, and photos. Washington doesn’t mandate work orders the way California does, but they protect you in disputes
On tools: Washington’s burglar tools law (RCW 9A.52.060) targets possession under circumstances showing intent to commit burglary. A registered business with ID, a marked vehicle, and job records is the opposite of that picture. Deceptive pricing, like bait-and-switch lockout quotes, falls under the state’s Consumer Protection Act.
For how a state with mandatory records does it, compare our California locksmith guide.
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Step-by-step: starting a locksmith business legally in Washington
- Pick your structure. If you’re forming an LLC or corporation, file with the Secretary of State first.
- Apply for your state business license through DOR’s Business Licensing Service and add city endorsements for every city you’ll work in.
- Register for sales tax and B&O tax as part of that application, and set up tax on your invoices.
- Decide your scope. Mechanical only, or access control? If access control, plan for L&I 06 licensing or a licensed partner.
- If you’ll do installation work, confirm with L&I whether contractor registration applies.
- Get liability insurance and, before your first hire, an L&I workers’ comp account.
- If you’ll serve Oregon, get Oregon locksmith certification and a CCB license first.
- Put your UBI and insurance info on your site, invoices, and truck.
Washington vs. other states
| State | State locksmith license? | Deep dive |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | No (but business, tax, and L&I rules apply) | You’re reading it |
| Oregon | Yes — CCB certification with exam | Covered above |
| California | Yes — BSIS company license + employee registration | California guide |
| Texas | Yes — DPS licensing | Texas startup guide |
| New York & New Jersey | Varies by market | NY & NJ guide |
| All 50 states | — | National map |
The bottom line
Washington won’t ask for a locksmith license. It will ask for a business license, city endorsements, sales and B&O tax, and — the moment you touch powered access control — L&I electrical licensing. And Oregon will ask for certification the moment you cross the bridge.
None of it is hard. It’s just not what the one-line answer tells you. Get the business license and tax setup right from day one, draw a clear line around access control, and put your UBI where customers can see it. In a state where anyone can call themselves a locksmith, being the one who’s clearly legitimate is the whole advantage.
FAQ
Do you need a license to be a locksmith in Washington State?
No. Washington has no state locksmith license, exam, or locksmith-specific background check. But a locksmith business still needs a state business license (UBI) if it meets any DOR trigger, like $12,000+ in gross income, taxable services, city endorsements, or employees. Access control and some installation work can also require L&I licensing or registration.
Do Washington locksmiths need a business license?
Almost always. DOR requires one if your gross income is $12,000+, you sell services that require collecting sales tax, you need city or state endorsements, you plan to hire, or you use a name other than your legal name. Since most lock work is a taxable retail service, most locksmiths trigger it.
Do Washington locksmiths charge sales tax?
Usually. Washington taxes installing, repairing, and altering tangible personal property for consumers, and installing items in buildings — which covers most rekeys, repairs, and installs. Businesses also pay B&O tax on gross receipts. Confirm how each of your services is classified with DOR.
Do I need an electrical license to install access control in Washington?
Often, yes. L&I’s limited energy (06) specialty covers low-voltage systems including access control. The work requires a certified 06 electrician or trainee, and the business needs a specialty electrical contractor license with an administrator, a $4,000 bond, and liability insurance. Confirm with L&I or partner with a licensed 06 contractor.
Do Washington locksmiths need L&I contractor registration?
Sometimes. Construction contractors must register under RCW 18.27, with an exemption for casual, minor work under $500. Lockouts and rekeys usually aren’t construction; installing doors, frames, or hardware as part of remodeling or construction can be. Registration requires a surety bond ($15,000 for specialty contractors) and liability insurance.
Can a Washington locksmith work in Oregon?
Only with Oregon locksmith certification. Oregon’s CCB certifies anyone who installs, repairs, rekeys, repins, or adjusts locks, safes, vaults, or security systems, with an exam, and the business needs a CCB license with a certified owner or employee.
Is it illegal to carry lock picks in Washington?
Not by itself. Washington’s burglar tools law, RCW 9A.52.060, focuses on possessing tools like lock picks under circumstances showing intent to commit burglary. Business ID, a registered business, and job records help show legitimate purpose.
Do Washington locksmith employees need workers’ comp?
Yes, if you have employees. Washington is a monopolistic workers’ comp state, so employers buy coverage through L&I’s state fund, not private insurers.
Is this legal advice?
No. Educational commentary based on Washington DOR, L&I, statutory sources, and Oregon CCB materials researched for 2026. Confirm with DOR, L&I, your city, and a tax professional or attorney.
