Do you want to learn how to become a locksmith in Florida? Each state in the US have different rules and legal requirements of working as a qualified locksmith.
Let’s discuss about how you can get locksmith training in Florida, and also the license and legal requirements for working as a Florida locksmith.
Locksmithing is a respectable occupation that can help you get employed, either working with any locksmith company or starting your own lockshop or a mobile locksmith business. One needs to know how to get a locksmith license and a locksmith agency license (for business) if you want to work as a locksmith anywhere in Florida, including Miami.
How to Become a Locksmith in Florida?
Unlike many US states, Florida does not require locksmiths to be licensed. There is no requirement for any formal training or work experience either. However, Miami-Dade County & Hillsborough County in Florida are exceptions, and the locksmith trade is regulated in these counties. You might need to get licensed by the state to legally work as a locksmith. If you provide electrical work such as installing and maintaining surveillance systems, you need an electrical contractors license by Florida.
- At least 18 years of age
- Pass a licensing exam for electrical contractors (such as alarm systems), if required
- Pass criminal background history check (Miami-Dade County & Hillsborough County only)
- Require 1-year experience for new locksmith license (Miami-Dade County only), no experience required for an apprentice locksmith permit
- Pay the required fees
All locksmiths in Miami and the rest of Miami-Dade County need to be licensed. You also need to be licensed in Hillsborough County, which includes the city of Tampa.
There is no need to attend any school, but you do need to take an examination. The examination study material / reference course is available with Associated Locksmiths of America,Inc. (ALOA), 3003, LiveOak Street, Dallas, TX 75204 | Phone: 800-532-2562 | FAX: 214-827-1701 | Website: www.aloa.org . You can buy the study material on their website too.
How to Find Locksmith School in Florida?
Anyone looking to work as a locksmith in Florida (or anywhere for that matter) should acquire knowledge of the trade.
Start by trying to find a local locksmith school in your city in Florida. Check local phone directories, yellow pages and online directories for locksmith training courses near you. You can also seek guidance from your local friendly locksmith.
Locksmith schools are few in numbers, and not present in every city. Don’t get disheartened if you don’t find one in your city. Expand your search and try to find a good trade school near you within or outside Florida. You can also search for a locksmith school anywhere in the US that provides online courses.
Locksmith certificate and diploma courses are available through community colleges, vocational schools, and locksmith trade associations.
As an alternative to locksmith training, an aspiring locksmith can also work as an apprenticeship under an experienced locksmith. Even if you learn the trade as an apprentice, you should consider obtaining locksmith certification from recognized entities.
How to get Locksmith License in Florida?
Except for Miami-Dade County & Hillsborough County, you do not need any locksmith license to work as a locksmith (as in December 2023).
Most cities in Florida is open for locksmith work without any license requirement. For instance, you can start working as a locksmith in Orlando (which is a city in Orange County, FL) without worrying about any license requirement. Of course, there are business requirements that you need to fulfill like any other establishment.
If you want to work as a modern locksmith, you will need to work with alarm systems, access control systems and electrical wiring too. If you work with alarm systems, surveillance systems, CCTV, etc, you will need an alarm system contractor license and/or a electrical contractor license from the state of Florida.
Do You Need a License to be a Locksmith in Florida?
Except Hillsborough County & Miami-Dade County, the locksmith trade is largely unregulated in Florida. In most parts of Florida, there is no legal requirement of any licensing for locksmiths.
In Miami-Dade County & Hillsborough County, locksmiths need a valid license to ply the trade. Each locksmith business must have at least one licensed locksmith employed with it in Miami-Dade County.
Hillsborough County & Miami-Dade County regulate the locksmith profession. All locksmiths working in these counties must be licensed by the respective counties. Details on how to get a locksmith license in Miami-Dade & Hillsborough counties can be found below. So keep reading.
If you also handle electrical work (digital locks, surveillance systems, etc) as part of your locksmith services, you will need a County or State contractor license for working in Florida.
How to get Locksmith License in Miami-Dade County?
To work as a locksmith in Miami-Dade County, you need a valid license issued by the county. Any existing locksmith business license should be renewed at least 30 days prior to the expiration of current registration.
The county (Miami-Dade, Florida) defines a locksmith as any person who installs, repairs, rebuilds, rekeys, repins, recodes, services, adjusts, opens or modifies locks, mechanical and electronic security locking devices and peripherals, safes, vaults, safe deposit boxes, and closed circuit television systems.
It is illegal to operate as a locksmith without a valid license anywhere in Miami-Dade County, including the municipalities of Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Biscayne Park, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Doral, El Portal, Florida City, Golden Beach, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Homestead, Indian Creek, Key Biscayne, Medley, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Miami Shores, Miami Springs, North Bay Village, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-locka, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, Sweetwater, Virginia Gardens and West Miami.
Individuals applying for locksmith license in Miami-Dade County have to submit fingerprints and undergo a criminal back-ground check.
For a locksmith license in Miami-Dade County, you will have to submit your fingerprints and have a criminal background check conducted. If you have certain criminal backgrounds, your locksmith business will be ineligibility for registration.
All individuals who start working as a locksmith in Miami-Dade County must work as an apprentice locksmith for at least one year, and hold the locksmith apprentice permit during this period.
If you are an experienced locksmith, you will have to documentary proof of being actively engaged as a locksmith or a locksmith supervisor for at least one year in the last 10 years at the time of applying for a locksmith license.
Verification of employment, experience or both, shall be completed by the supervisor or the business owner where the individual was employed. Alternatively, you can submit three (or more) affidavits from persons affiliated with the locksmith industry, attesting to at least one-year of locksmith experience in the past 10 years from the application date.
Individuals with an apprentice locksmith permit can work for a registered locksmith business, under the supervision of a licensed locksmith. One has to work under direct supervision is required for the initial 120 days of employment.
Locksmith Experience Affidavit: When applying for a Miami-Dade County locksmith license for the first time, you need to provide documentary proof of at least 1-year experience as a locksmith in the last ten years.
All those who apply for locksmith license must complete a criminal background check and have photos taken by the Office of Consumer Protection. Fingerprints and a criminal background check is conducted, and the applicant must not have serious criminal past.
On qualifying for the locksmith license, each locksmith will be issued a Locksmith ID card. All locksmiths in Miami-Dade County need to carry and display their locksmith ID card at all times when working, whether at their own locksmith shop or other premises.
- Apprentice Locksmith Permit fee: $32
- Late fee for renewal: $16
- Replacement of registration: $9
- Certified Locksmith fee: $42
- Late fee for renewal: $21
- Replacement of registration: $9
- Background check fee: $25
Cash is not accepted. The fees are non-refundable. A late fee has to be paid for renewal when the current license has expired. Checks or money orders should be made payable to Miami-Dade County / CP. You can also pay using credit/debit cards when applying online and in person.
How to get Locksmith Business License in Miami-Dade County?
Any person or corporate entity that wants to start a locksmith business in Miami and the rest of Miami-Dade County can apply online, in person or by mail.
If you want to operate under a fictitious name (business name that does not include your name), you will have to apply for the same with Florida ‘s Division of Corporations. Check here for an available fictitious name for your business in Florida.
Each locksmith business must employ at least one licensed locksmith, for which a separate Individual locksmith application is required. If you don’t have a locksmith license (or an employee with a Miami-Dade locksmith license), you need to get an individual license before applying for the business license.
When applying for a new locksmith business license (or renewal) in Miami-Dade, you will need the following:
- Completed New/Renewal Locksmith Business Registration Application
- Locksmith Experience Affidavit
- Copy of current Miami-Dade County local business tax or valid municipal business tax receipt
- Articles of incorporation/fictitious name registration
- Certificate of insurance with a minimum of $25,000 combined liability
- Individual locksmith licenses issued by the Office of Consumer Protection
- Workers’ Compensation Certificate or affirmation
- Copy of owner’s driver’s license
For a locksmith license, you need verification of employment and/or experience by the individual’s employer / supervisor. Alternatively, you can submit at least three affidavits from persons affiliated with the locksmith industry, attesting that you have at least one year of locksmith experience.
Here are the fees required for business licenses:
- Locksmith Business fee: $407
- Late fee for renewal: $203.50 (in addition to renewal fee)
- Replacement of registration: $19
If there is a change in ownership of a locksmith business, you will need to apply afresh along with the requisite fee.
How to get Locksmith License in Hillsborough County?
Locksmith businesses in Hillsborough County must have a license prior before starting work in the county. The Locksmith Services Businesses Ordinance applies to locksmith businesses that operate in unincorporated Hillsborough County, and the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City.
The locksmith business owner and all its employees who perform locksmith services must undergo a background check. Those owners/employees not local to the area but in the State of Florida must submit fingerprints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In order for Regulatory Compliance to receive the results, the Regulatory Compliance ORI number must be provided at the time of submission. Out of state owners must submit a copy of a criminal history from their state of residence.
A locksmith businesses must always have a valid commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per incident for loss or damages resulting from the negligence of the locksmith business or it employees or agents.
The business owner is required to submit a notarized affidavit attesting to the accuracy of the information provided in the license application.
Each biennial locksmith license application for Hillsborough County Locksmith Business Services License requires a fee determined by the number of employees employed by the business applying for the license.
| Bi-Annually License | Fee | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Locksmith Application (1-5 employees) | $500 | Fee is non-refundable and includes associated background check, inspection and placard |
| Locksmith Application (6-10 employees) | $750 | Fee is non-refundable and includes associated background check, inspection and placard |
| Locksmith Application (11 or more employees) | $1,000 | Fee is non-refundable and includes associated background check, inspection and placard |
Each locksmith companies are required to issue a photo identification card to its employees who perform locksmith services on its behalf. These ID cards must include the name and photograph of the person as well as the name and license number of the locksmith company. All locksmiths are required to display the ID card on his or her person at all times while performing locksmith services.
You can check further details and application procedure from Hillsborough County website.
Florida Electrical / Alarm System Contractor License
According to the definition of Florida, an “alarm system contractor” is a person in the business of execution of contracts requiring the experience and skill to lay out, fabricate, install, maintain, alter, repair, monitor, inspect, replace, or service any electrical device, signaling device or combination of electrical devices used to signal or detect a burglary, fire, robbery, or medical emergency.
You may have to get Alarm System Contractor I or Registered Alarm System Contractor I license, and Registered Residential Alarm System Contractor (489.537) license if working with burglar alarms. You can check what licenses do you need by checking the Know Your Scope link on the DBPR (Department of Business and Professional Regulation) website.
For an electrical contractor license, you will need to pass a qualifying exam or produce valid endorsement exam certificate or license from another state that is recognized by the Florida Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board. If your state of license is not recognized for endorsement, you can apply for license by taking and passing the Florida electrical contractors examination.
You can apply for a registered contractor license, which is limited to certain local jurisdictions. A registered license only allows you to work in the cities or counties where you have a competency card.
For statewide validity, you can apply for a certified contractor license. A certified contractor license allows you to work as a contractor anywhere in Florida.
Here is a list of approved courses and education providers for various fire and burglar alarm systems in Florida.
Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board also requires that you meet the continuing education requirements for the licenses that you hold.
The examination for electrical and alarm system contractor licenses are online, or in the computer-based testing (CBT) format. The exam is conducted by the department’s examination vendor (Pearson VUE, as in June 2022). When approved to take the qualifying exam for your licenses, you can contact the examination vendor and schedule your exam at your preferred exam center and time.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Candidate Information Booklet (CIB) provides additional information required for those looking to take the Florida licensing exam for electrical/alarm contractors. You can also find the list of approved reference study materials that you can use during the examinations, which are Open Book exams. No other references are allowed at the examination site.
For further information on the electrical contractor license in Florida, you may contact the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board.
Division of Professions
Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board
2601 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0791
Telephone: 850.487.1395
Facsimile: 850.488.8040