Locksmith license in Texas
The short answer
Statewide licenseYes. Texas licenses locksmith companies and individual locksmiths through the Private Security Program of the Department of Public Safety. Before opening a property, a locksmith must check ID and get a signed statement that the customer owns it or may legally enter. Cities and counties can't add their own locksmith license on top.
- Who needs it
- Locksmith companies (a security services contractor company license); any business that installs or services locks or advertises as a locksmith counts
- Individual locksmiths, who must work for a licensed company
- Owners of 51% or more of a licensed company, who also need an individual license
- What the source says it takes
- At least 18 years old
- Fingerprints and a criminal history check; some charges and convictions disqualify
- Company applicants pass an exam on state law and rules
- Company liability insurance: $100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, $50,000 per occurrence for personal injury, $200,000 aggregate
- Before opening a property: see government ID and get a signed statement of ownership or right to enter, unless there's an imminent threat
What to do in Texas
Apply with Texas DPS Private Security 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 Texas. 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
- Texas DPS: Private Security Program
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.1056, locksmith company
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.221, individual licenses
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.113, qualifications
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.124, insurance
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.134, no local licenses
- Tex. Occ. Code §1702.2865, ID before entry
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.
Questions
Do I need a locksmith license in Texas?
Who issues locksmith licenses in Texas?
Are there city or county locksmith rules in Texas?
Do I still need to check ID and proof of ownership?
More for your shop
- Locksmith license by stateWhich states license locksmiths, who issues the license, and local rules, with sources.
- Lockout authorization formMake a printable authorization form with ID, proof of ownership and signature lines, with your shop's details.
- Phone script builderQuestions to ask on every kind of locksmith call, in English and Spanish, with your greeting.
- Google verification checklistStep by step: Google Business Profile, Local Services Ads advanced verification and suspension appeals.
- ID & proofID and proof of ownership photos, a customer signature and before and after photos on every job.
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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