- North Carolina law says no one may perform or offer locksmith services without a license from the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $13.95 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of locksmiths to $34.16 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to shrink 4.3% from 2022 to 2032, against -11.5% growth nationally.
The path in North Carolina, step by step
North Carolina licenses locksmith work at the state level through the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Apply online or on paper to the Locksmith Licensing Board.
- Study for and pass the licensing exam.
- Get your license before you offer locksmith services.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: locksmith license in North Carolina.
Finding an apprenticeship in North Carolina
North Carolina runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the North Carolina State Apprenticeship Agency 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 North Carolina
The license to aim for: Locksmith license.
Trade exam. Yes, a licensing exam. The board sells a study guide for $45.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Apprentice | An apprenticeship designation from the board while you learn. |
What the North Carolina license costs
The fees the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Exam study guide (optional) | $45 |
What locksmiths earn in North Carolina
The median locksmith in North Carolina earned $22.07 an hour in May 2025, 39th of 48 states, with 480 on payrolls. The national median was $24.68.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of locksmiths in North Carolina earned under $16.00 an hour and a tenth under $13.95. At the top, a quarter earned over $27.97 and a tenth over $34.16.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.95 | $29,020 |
| 25th percentile | $16.00 | $33,270 |
| Median | $22.07 | $45,900 |
| 75th percentile | $27.97 | $58,180 |
| 90th percentile | $34.16 | $71,040 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: locksmith salary in North Carolina.
Jobs ahead in North Carolina
North Carolina's labor market office projects jobs for locksmiths shrinking from 470 in 2022 to 450 in 2032, a change of -4.3%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 50 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to shrink 4.3% from 2022 to 2032, against -11.5% growth nationally, ranking 23rd 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 North Carolina
To contract on your own in North Carolina, the license is the Locksmith license.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the North Carolina median of $22.07 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $109.35 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 North Carolina'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.
- NC Locksmith Licensing Board (checked 2026-10-09)
- N.C.G.S. Chapter 74F (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.