- New Jersey requires both individuals and businesses to be licensed to provide locksmith services, through the Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith Advisory Committee in the Division of Consumer Affairs.
- You must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or equivalent, or ask for a waiver based on experience in the business.
- Pay runs from about $22.22 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of locksmiths to $38.35 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to shrink 13% from 2022 to 2032, against -11.5% growth nationally.
The path in New Jersey, step by step
New Jersey licenses locksmith work at the state level through the New Jersey Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith Advisory Committee. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Meet the age, character and education requirements.
- Get fingerprinted for a criminal history background check.
- Apply to the Advisory Committee for your locksmith license, and a business license for your company.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: locksmith license in New Jersey.
Finding an apprenticeship in New Jersey
New Jersey has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency, so the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers and oversees programs there through a state field office. Apprenticeship.gov lists the New Jersey Apprenticeship Office as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. O*NET lists locksmith apprenticeship titles that are vetted by industry and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for Registered Apprenticeship programs.
License levels and exams in New Jersey
The license to aim for: Locksmith license, plus a business license with a licensed business qualifier.
What locksmiths earn in New Jersey
The median locksmith in New Jersey earned $27.41 an hour in May 2025, 14th of 48 states, with 480 on payrolls. The national median was $24.68.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of locksmiths in New Jersey earned under $22.79 an hour and a tenth under $22.22. At the top, a quarter earned over $33.44 and a tenth over $38.35.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.22 | $46,220 |
| 25th percentile | $22.79 | $47,400 |
| Median | $27.41 | $57,000 |
| 75th percentile | $33.44 | $69,550 |
| 90th percentile | $38.35 | $79,770 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: locksmith salary in New Jersey.
Jobs ahead in New Jersey
New Jersey's labor market office projects jobs for locksmiths shrinking from 460 in 2022 to 400 in 2032, a change of -13%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 40 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to shrink 13% from 2022 to 2032, against -11.5% growth nationally, ranking 44th of the 49 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group locksmiths and safe repairers.
Starting your own locksmith business in New Jersey
To contract on your own in New Jersey, the license is the Locksmith license, plus a business license with a licensed business qualifier.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the New Jersey median of $27.41 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $118.72 per billable hour. Try your own in the labor rate calculator.
The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is New Jersey's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- Advisory Committee FAQ (checked 2026-10-09)
- Hold a license to perform alarm and locksmith services (PDF) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-9094
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- O*NET OnLine, Locksmiths and Safe Repairers (49-9094.00) (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a locksmith.