How to Verify a Locksmith Before You Hire

The locksmith trade is one of the most scam-prone home-service categories — the Better Business Bureau and the FTC both warn about fake “local” listings, bait-and-switch pricing, and unnecessary drilling. The good news: a few quick checks tell you whether a locksmith is legitimate. Here is exactly what to do, for any locksmith you call.

How to verify a locksmith: step by step

1. Confirm the company name and get a quote by phone. Ask the exact business name and get a firm price range before anyone is dispatched. A legitimate locksmith gives a quote up front; a $15-style teaser that balloons on arrival is the classic bait-and-switch.
2. Verify the license. In states that license locksmiths, ask for the license number and verify it. In California you can look up our Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) license and CSLB contractor license through the state’s public license-verification tools.
3. Expect identification on arrival. A professional locksmith identifies the company they are arriving from and provides identification. Confirm the company that shows up matches the one you called.
4. Insist on a written, itemized price before work begins. You should receive a clear price covering labor, any parts, and any after-hours or holiday charge before the work starts — not a surprise total afterward.
5. Understand when drilling is and isn’t necessary. Most standard residential lockouts do not require drilling your lock. A trustworthy locksmith attempts non-destructive entry first and explains clearly if a lock genuinely must be drilled and replaced.
6. Pay by a traceable method and get a receipt. Be cautious of cash-only demands. Reputable locksmiths accept cards and provide an itemized receipt.

Red flags of a locksmith scam

• An advertised price far below everyone else (e.g., “$15 service call”) that changes on arrival.
• No company name on the phone, or a different name than the vehicle/technician.
• Unmarked vehicle, no identification, cash-only demands.
• Immediately insisting your lock “must be drilled” on a standard residential lockout.
• No verifiable license where the state requires one, and no written quote.

How we hold ourselves to this

Low Rate Locksmith is licensed (CSLB 5938-9), California BSIS 5938, and bonded (5938-956-65897). We give a firm quote before we dispatch, attempt non-destructive entry first, explain any part that must be replaced before we proceed, and provide an itemized receipt. See how our pricing works, our guarantee, and who we are.