Locksmith license in California

California licenses locksmith companies and registers every employee through BSIS, and requires job records for openings and car keys. Details and sources.

The short answer

Statewide license

Yes. California licenses locksmith companies and registers every locksmith employee through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. The law also requires a record of each home or business you open and each car key you make.

Issued by: Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (California Department of Consumer Affairs)
The law: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §6980 et seq. (Locksmith Act)
Who needs it: Locksmith companies (company license)
Branch offices (branch registration)
Every employee who does locksmith work (employee registration)
What the source says it takes: DOJ and FBI background check for owners, partners, officers and every employee
A named manager in charge of the business day to day
Fees from October 1, 2025: company $275 application plus $275 license; employee registration $60
The license displayed at the business, at each branch and in each service vehicle
Records of each opening and each car key made (name, date of birth, ID number, signature and more), kept for 2 years

What to do in California

Apply with BSIS before you take paid work, and keep the license current. The agency's own page has the forms, the fees and the latest rules, so start there rather than with a third-party summary, this one included.

Once you have a number, put it where customers and Google can see it: on invoices, estimates, the van and your Google Business Profile. Some customers ask for it, and it shows you're a real local shop.

Local rules

We didn't find a city or county locksmith license in California. Local rules change more often than state law, so ask your city or county clerk.

Every state: ID and proof on every lockout

Whatever the license rules, check a photo ID and proof that the caller lives there or owns the car before you open anything, and keep a record of it. Our lockout authorization form gives you a signed record for the file.

Sources

Last checked October 2026. This page is a summary to help you find the right agency, not legal advice. If something here is out of date, tell us through the contact page.

All 50 states and DC · Arkansas · Colorado

Questions

Do I need a locksmith license in California?

Yes. California licenses locksmith companies and registers every locksmith employee through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. The law also requires a record of each home or business you open and each car key you make.

Who issues locksmith licenses in California?

Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (California Department of Consumer Affairs), under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §6980 et seq. (Locksmith Act). Its website has the current forms and fees.

Are there city or county locksmith rules in California?

We didn't find a city or county locksmith license in California, but local rules change. Ask the clerk in each city or county where you work.

Do I still need to check ID and proof of ownership?

Yes, in every state. Check a photo ID and proof that the person lives there or owns the car before you open anything, and keep a record of it.

Keep the paperwork on every job

LockCommand saves the customer's ID, proof of ownership photos and signature with each job, next to the invoice and the call recording.

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