Illinois locksmith licensing: agencies, insurance, PERC cards and license numbers in ads

What 225 ILCS 447 requires of Illinois locksmiths and agencies: qualifications, insurance, training, advertising, exemptions and discipline.

Illinois licenses locksmiths and locksmith businesses through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 (225 ILCS 447). The Act sets qualifications, insurance, employee registration, training and advertising rules. Here is what they mean for anyone hiring a locksmith in Illinois.

License required

Section 10-5(a) makes it unlawful for a person to act as or provide the functions of a locksmith, to advertise as one, or to use any title implying locksmith work unless licensed by IDFPR. Under section 10-5(b), a business may not act as or advertise as a locksmith agency unless licensed as an agency, and section 10-5(c) requires a separate branch office license for each additional location. A sole proprietor with no employees may operate under an assumed name registered with IDFPR without a separate agency license. This site lists Illinois locksmith agency and branch office licenses; individually licensed locksmiths are not listed.

Qualifications

Section 30-10 requires a licensed locksmith to be at least 18, to have no felony conviction within the last 10 years (measured from full discharge of the sentence), to be of good moral character, to pass an IDFPR examination, and to submit fingerprints. Good moral character is a continuing requirement, and a registered sex offender cannot be licensed.

Insurance

Section 30-10(b) requires each applicant to obtain general liability insurance in an amount set by rule and to give IDFPR evidence of it before a license is issued. "Failure to maintain general liability insurance and to provide the Department with written proof of the insurance shall result in cancellation of the license without hearing." Proof of continued coverage is also a condition of renewal (section 35-20). IDFPR's public file doesn't show the policy, so ask for a certificate of insurance before commercial work.

Employees and training

Employees of a licensed agency, other than those exempted, must apply for a permanent employee registration card (PERC) under section 35-30, and must give the agency a verified statement of their work history for the previous five years. Section 30-20 requires registered employees of a locksmith agency to complete at least 20 hours of training from a qualified instructor within 30 days of employment, certified by the employer on an IDFPR form.

License numbers in every ad, and on the wall

Section 35-15(a) says no licensee "may knowingly advertise those services without including the licensee's license number in the advertisement", and each day a non-compliant ad is published is a separate offense. Using someone else's license number, or letting another business use yours, is also prohibited. Section 35-5 requires each licensee to display its license prominently at every place where business is conducted. When you search for a locksmith online, an Illinois ad without a license number is a reason to keep looking.

Assumed names and branch offices

Many Illinois locksmiths trade under a name different from their legal name. A business licensed as an agency may hold a "doing business as" name, which IDFPR's file records and which appears on the listing here, and a sole proprietor working alone may use an assumed name registered with IDFPR (section 10-5(a)). If the name in an ad doesn't match the license you find, ask why. Agencies with more than one location need a branch office license for each (section 10-5(c)); our listings link branch offices to the agency license with the same name, so you can see which office will serve you.

Who is exempt

Section 30-5 lists people who may do some lock work without a locksmith license, provided they don't hold themselves out as locksmiths, including automobile service dealers working on car locks, police officers, firefighters and municipal employees opening a lock in an emergency, retail merchants selling locks, duplicating keys or servicing electronic garage door devices, building tradespeople installing or removing complete locks in new construction or remodeling, employees of towing, repossession, roadside assistance or auto club services opening car locks, students in approved programs and manufacturers doing warranty service on their own products.

Discipline

Discipline is how the license system protects customers after the fact. Under section 40-10, IDFPR may reprimand, place on probation, suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a license and impose a fine of up to $10,000 per violation for grounds including fraud in obtaining a license, professional incompetence "as manifested by poor standards of service", dishonorable or unprofessional conduct likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public, certain convictions and grossly negligent services. IDFPR's licensing file records disciplinary entries; each Illinois listing on this site shows them exactly as published, with case number, action, dates and reason. An entry is history, not necessarily a current restriction.

How to check an Illinois locksmith

1. Find the agency here by city or name and read its license number, first-licensed date, expiry and any discipline on record.
2. Confirm the license on IDFPR License Look-Up.
3. Check that the license number in the ad matches the business that shows up.
4. Ask the technician for their PERC card, and get the price in writing before work begins.

IDFPR's public file lists city, ZIP and county only, so Illinois listings show no street address or phone. Use the form on a listing and we will pass your message on. If you have a problem with an Illinois locksmith, file a complaint with IDFPR; complaints are how discipline starts, and discipline becomes part of the public license record.

Updated 2026-10-16.

General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Licensed Locksmith Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.