--- title: "Maryland locksmith license requirements · LockCommand" description: "Maryland licenses locksmith businesses under the Maryland Locksmiths Act: fingerprints for every employee, $300,000 insurance and 3 years of records." url: https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/maryland --- [Last checked October 2026](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license) # Maryland locksmith license requirements Maryland licenses locksmith businesses under the Maryland Locksmiths Act: fingerprints for every employee, $300,000 insurance and 3 years of records. ## The short answer Statewide license Yes. Maryland licenses locksmith businesses through the Department of Labor under the Maryland Locksmiths Act. The license is for the business, and every employee must apply for a fingerprint background check before starting work. **Issued by** [Maryland Department of Labor, Locksmith Licensing](https://labor.maryland.gov/license/locksmiths/) **The law** [Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 12.5 (Maryland Locksmiths Act)](https://labor.maryland.gov/License/law/locksmithlaw.shtml) **Who needs it** - The business (sole proprietor, partnership, corporation or LLC) - Employees aren't licensed themselves, but each one is reported to the state and background-checked **What the source says it takes** - State and FBI criminal history check with fingerprints for the owner, and for every employee, who must apply for it before starting work - General liability insurance of at least $300,000 - A fixed business address - A photo ID card for each employee showing the license number - Invoices and receipts kept for 3 years and shown to police or the Department on request - The license lasts 2 years ## What to do in Maryland Apply with Maryland Department of Labor 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 Maryland. 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](https://lockcommand.com/tools/lockout-authorization-form) gives you a signed record for the file. ### Sources - [Maryland Department of Labor: locksmiths](https://labor.maryland.gov/license/locksmiths/) - [Maryland Locksmiths Act](https://labor.maryland.gov/License/law/locksmithlaw.shtml) - [Maryland locksmith licensing FAQ](https://labor.maryland.gov/License/locksmiths/locklicfaqs.shtml) - [Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §12.5-203, employees](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gbr§ion=12.5-203&enactments=false) - [Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §12.5-205, insurance](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gbr§ion=12.5-205&enactments=false) 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](https://lockcommand.com/contact). [All 50 states and DC](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license) · [Maine](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/maine) · [Massachusetts](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/massachusetts) ## Questions ### Do I need a locksmith license in Maryland? Yes. Maryland licenses locksmith businesses through the Department of Labor under the Maryland Locksmiths Act. The license is for the business, and every employee must apply for a fingerprint background check before starting work. ### Who issues locksmith licenses in Maryland? Maryland Department of Labor, Locksmith Licensing, under Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 12.5 (Maryland Locksmiths Act). Its website has the current forms and fees. ### Who needs a locksmith license in Maryland? The business (sole proprietor, partnership, corporation or LLC). Employees aren't licensed themselves, but each one is reported to the state and background-checked. ### What does it take to get a locksmith license in Maryland? What the source states: State and FBI criminal history check with fingerprints for the owner, and for every employee, who must apply for it before starting work; general liability insurance of at least $300,000; a fixed business address; a photo ID card for each employee showing the license number; invoices and receipts kept for 3 years and shown to police or the Department on request; the license lasts 2 years. ### Are there city or county locksmith rules in Maryland? We didn't find a city or county locksmith license in Maryland, 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. ## More for your shop - [Locksmith license by state Which states license locksmiths, who issues the license, and local rules, with sources.](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license) - [Lockout authorization form Make a printable lockout authorization form in English or Spanish, with ID, proof of ownership and signature lines, with your shop's details.](https://lockcommand.com/tools/lockout-authorization-form) - [Phone script builder Questions to ask on every kind of locksmith call, in English and Spanish, with your greeting.](https://lockcommand.com/tools/phone-script-builder) - [Google verification checklist Step by step: Google Business Profile, Local Services Ads advanced verification and suspension appeals.](https://lockcommand.com/tools/google-verification-checklist) - [ID & proof ID and proof of ownership photos, a customer signature and before and after photos on every job.](https://lockcommand.com/features/id-and-proof) ## 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. [Create your account](https://app.lockcommand.com/sign-up?from=tool-locksmith-license) [See pricing](https://lockcommand.com/pricing) Already have an account? [Log in](https://app.lockcommand.com/sign-in). Questions first? Email [support@lockcommand.com](mailto:support@lockcommand.com) .