Are Locksmiths Licensed? Not in Colorado

It may surprise you, as it does me, that only 15 states license locksmiths, and Colorado isn’t one of them.  I learned this from a recent email about locksmith scams which I received from the owner of Mr. Rekey, which is based in Texas, a state which does license locksmiths.

I find it interesting that real estate agents must be licensed and fingerprinted and even barbers must be licensed, but a person choosing to advertise himself as a locksmith — perhaps a person who recently graduated from one of our largest learning institutions, prison — does not have to obtain a license from the state of Colorado.

 

Knowing this, perhaps you’d like to know what Mr. Rekey said about avoiding locksmith scams. Their first suggestion is to identify a trustworthy locksmith before you need one. You don’t want to frantically Google “locksmith” or look in the Yellow Pages when you’re locked out of your home or car and just hope you reach a trustworthy locksmith.

 

Other tips from Mr. Rekey: 1) Ask for the locksmith’s company name. If he can’t give one, don’t use him. 2) Look at his vehicle. If it’s a private car or unbranded vehicle, don’t use him.  3) If he says he needs to drill out the lock, he’s not a professional. A real locksmith should be able to pick the lock. 4) Only use him if he takes a credit card payment — you’ll have recourse through your credit card company.  5) Ask for a business card and check for credentials. A reputable locksmith will be accredited by a trade association.  6) Be skeptical of low charges such as $10 or $20.