How to Become a (Licensed) Locksmith in Illinois?

Learn how to become a locksmith in Illinois. One needs to know how to get a locksmith licenses and a locksmith agency license (for business) if you want to work as a locksmith anywhere in Illinois, including Chicago.

How to Become a Locksmith in Illinois?

Illinois require locksmiths to be licensed and bonded (as in November 2023). However, there is no requirement for any formal training or work experience.

How to Find Locksmith School in Illinois?

Anyone looking to work as a locksmith in Illinois should acquire knowledge of the trade. Locksmith certificate and diploma courses are available through community colleges, vocational schools, and locksmith trade associations.

Try to find a local locksmith school in your city in Illinois. 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. You should expand your search and try to find a good trade school near you in Illinois. If you cannot find a locksmith training program in Illinois, expand your search to include nearby states or enroll in an online locksmith course.

As an alternative to locksmith training, an aspiring locksmith can also work as an apprenticeship under an experienced locksmith.

Do You Need a Locksmith License in Illinois?

Yes, you need a license to work as a locksmith in Illinois, including cities such as Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Naperville, Rockford, Springville, Elgin, and Peoria.

A qualifying examination is required to be passed for obtaining a locksmith license. The Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) course examination, which includes Mandatory, Code and Electricity sections, is valid if taken within 3 years of applying for the locksmith license. You can complete an approved 20-hour basic locksmith training course.

The Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 is scheduled to be repealed on 1 January 2029 (according to the Act in November 2023) through an amendment in The Regulatory Sunset Act. After the repeal, the locksmith trade will not be regulated in Illinois and anyone can work as a locksmith without any need for licensing. Until the law is repealed, locksmiths must obtain a valid license to work as an individual locksmith or operate a locksmith business.

How to get Locksmith License in Illinois?

To work as a locksmith in Illinois, you need a valid locksmith license (issued to an individual). An individual locksmith license is good enough to get employed as a locksmith with a business and even operate your own business as an individual.

An individual licensed as a locksmith operating under a business name other than the licensed locksmith’s own name shall not be required to obtain a locksmith agency license if that licensed locksmith does not employ any persons to engage in the practice of locksmithing and registers under the Assumed Business Name Act. (Source)

When you want to operate your own locksmith business with employees, you will need a locksmith agency registration (business license). You need to register your locksmith business irrespective of the structure of your business – sole proprietorship, partnership, professional LLC, or corporation.

In Illinois, you can apply for the locksmith license with IDFPR. You can visit their website for application and other references.

Individual Locksmith License

In Illinois, you can apply for a locksmith license (individual) if you are 18 years or older. There’s not educational entry barrier. You do not need any course or certification to apply for a license. However, to qualify for a locksmith license, you need to pass a qualifying examination.

Here’s the general eligibility for locksmith license application.

• Attained 18 years of age
• Good moral character
• No alcohol, substance-abuse or narcotic addiction
• Not convicted of any felony anywhere or at least 10 years have lapsed since the time of full discharge from a sentence imposed for a felony conviction
• Not dishonorably discharged from the armed forces
• Pass the locksmith proficiency examination

Illinois locksmith examination: The State of Illinois Locksmith License Examination consists of 305 questions in multiple choice and true/false format. The 4-hour examination is conducted in March and September each year. Individuals seeking licensure by examination as a locksmith must apply at least 60 days prior to the examination.

The state allows the ALOA examination scores if the course (20-hour basic locksmith training) includes the Mandatory, Code and Electricity sections. The ALOA exam scores can be used for obtaining a license if the exam was taken within 3 years of the license application. If applying for locksmith license utilizing the ALOA scores, the fee is $500 (as on Novemebr 2023).

Individuals applying for locksmith license have to submit fingerprints and undergo a criminal back-ground check. The fingerprint processing can be done from a fingerprint vendor licensed by the Department. Fingerprints must be taken within 60 days from the date that the application is submitted to the Department or the Department’s testing vendor.

Insurance: All locksmiths must be covered by a general liability insurance of $1,000,000. You need to submit the certificate of insurance after passing the license examination. A locksmith employed by a licensed locksmith agency or employed by a private concern may provide proof that his or her actions as a locksmith are covered by the liability insurance of his or her employer.

When you apply for the license, you can opt out of locksmith exam if you have passed the locksmith proficiency exam from ALOA. However, you need to submit your ALOA examination results and the associated fees.

License has to be renewed every three years.

The locksmith license application fees is $174 (as in November 2023). In addition, you have to pay the examination fees ($50).

Locksmith Company License

To get employed as a locksmith or to operate as an individual locksmith (even under an assumed name or DBA) without hiring anyone, you need a locksmith license only. However, to operate a locksmith company, you will also need to get a locksmith agency registration. Any additional branch of the business will also have to be registered.

To operate a locksmith business, you need to get your locksmith agency registered with the state of Illinois. A physical address (and not a PO Box) is required as the locksmith business address.

A licensed locksmith, who is the owner or a full-time employee of the locksmith company, must be designated as the licensee-in-charge. No locksmith may be the licensee in-charge for more than one locksmith agency.

If the business is to be operated under a fictitious name or assumed name, it must be registered with the county as “doing business as” where the business is located. For a partnership business, all the partners must be licensed locksmiths to be eligible for a locksmith agency registration.

Insurance: All locksmith businesses must also obtain a general liability insurance of $1,000,000. You need to submit the certificate of insurance in the prescribed format, available with the application kit.

In addition to these, you must also follow the laws stipulated for operating a business in your county / state.

For additional information, contact the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation:
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Chicago Office: 555 West Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661
Springfield Office: 320 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Springfield, IL 62786
Phone: +1 (888) 473-4858

Update: (225 ILCS 447/) The Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 is scheduled to be repealed on 1 January 2029. When the locksmith Act is repealed, the locksmith trade will no longer be regulated in Illinois. The Act was previously proposed to be repealed from 1 January 2024.