--- title: "New Jersey locksmith license requirements · LockCommand" description: "New Jersey licenses locksmiths and locksmith businesses: exam, 3 years of experience, 10 training hours, fingerprints, insurance and a bond. Sources inside." url: https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/new-jersey --- [Last checked October 2026](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license) # New Jersey locksmith license requirements New Jersey licenses locksmiths and locksmith businesses: exam, 3 years of experience, 10 training hours, fingerprints, insurance and a bond. Sources inside. ## The short answer Statewide license Yes. New Jersey licenses individual locksmiths and locksmith businesses through the Division of Consumer Affairs, with an exam, experience, training hours and fingerprints. **Issued by** [NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm, and Locksmith Advisory Committee](https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/fbl/) **The law** N.J.S.A. 45:5A-23 et seq.; rules N.J.A.C. 13:31A **Who needs it** - Individual locksmiths - Locksmith businesses, which report each employee doing locksmith work within 30 days **What the source says it takes** - At least 18 years old - No first, second or third degree crime conviction in the 10 years before applying - A high school diploma or equivalent - Pass the locksmithing exam - 3 years of hands-on experience (at least 5,040 hours), or a 2-year U.S. Department of Labor locksmith apprenticeship - 10 hours of training in the 3 years before applying (codes, ADA, safety, and New Jersey's alarm and locksmith law) - Fingerprints for a criminal history check - Business: $500,000 general liability insurance plus a $10,000 surety bond or insurance payable to the State ## What to do in New Jersey Apply with NJ Division of Consumer Affairs 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 New Jersey. 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 - [N.J.A.C. 13:31A-2.1, qualifications](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-31A-2-1) - [N.J.A.C. 13:31A-2.5](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-31A-2-5) - [N.J.A.C. 13:31A-2.6, business insurance and bond](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-jersey/N-J-A-C-13-31A-2-6) - [NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: alarm and locksmith licensing](https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/fbl/) 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) · [New Hampshire](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/new-hampshire) · [New Mexico](https://lockcommand.com/tools/locksmith-license/new-mexico) ## Questions ### Do I need a locksmith license in New Jersey? Yes. New Jersey licenses individual locksmiths and locksmith businesses through the Division of Consumer Affairs, with an exam, experience, training hours and fingerprints. ### Who issues locksmith licenses in New Jersey? NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm, and Locksmith Advisory Committee, under N.J.S.A. 45:5A-23 et seq.; rules N.J.A.C. 13:31A. Its website has the current forms and fees. ### Who needs a locksmith license in New Jersey? Individual locksmiths. Locksmith businesses, which report each employee doing locksmith work within 30 days. ### What does it take to get a locksmith license in New Jersey? What the source states: At least 18 years old; no first, second or third degree crime conviction in the 10 years before applying; a high school diploma or equivalent; pass the locksmithing exam; 3 years of hands-on experience (at least 5,040 hours), or a 2-year U.S. Department of Labor locksmith apprenticeship; 10 hours of training in the 3 years before applying (codes, ADA, safety, and New Jersey's alarm and locksmith law); fingerprints for a criminal history check; business: $500,000 general liability insurance plus a $10,000 surety bond or insurance payable to the State. ### Are there city or county locksmith rules in New Jersey? We didn't find a city or county locksmith license in New Jersey, 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) .