How to Become a Locksmith in Texas: Steps, License and Pay

How to become a locksmith in Texas

Texas licenses locksmith companies through the Department of Public Safety's Private Security Program, under the Class B Security Contractor Company License. Locksmiths there earned a median $21.09 an hour ($43,860 a year) in May 2025, 15% below the national median of $24.68. The state projects about 200 openings a year through 2032.

$21.09Median hourly pay

200Openings a year to 2032

YesState license

U.S. Labor Dept.Registers apprenticeships

The short version for Texas

Texas licenses locksmith companies through the Department of Public Safety's Private Security Program, under the Class B Security Contractor Company License.
Pay runs from about $8.77 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of locksmiths to $28.50 for the top tenth.
Jobs are projected to grow 4.5% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the -11.5% projected nationally.

The path in Texas, step by step

Texas licenses locksmith work at the state level through the Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Program. These are the steps it lays out, in order.

Apply to DPS Private Security for a Class B Security Contractor Company License that includes locksmith services.

The full license guide, with every fee and form: locksmith license in Texas.

Finding an apprenticeship in Texas

Texas 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 Texas Office of Apprenticeship 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 Texas

The license to aim for: Class B Security Contractor Company License (locksmith).

What locksmiths earn in Texas

The median locksmith in Texas earned $21.09 an hour in May 2025, 42nd of 48 states, with 1,420 on payrolls. The national median was $24.68.

At the bottom of the range, a quarter of locksmiths in Texas earned under $17.46 an hour and a tenth under $8.77. At the top, a quarter earned over $24.07 and a tenth over $28.50.

Pay level	Hourly	Yearly
10th percentile	$8.77	$18,230
25th percentile	$17.46	$36,320
Median	$21.09	$43,860
75th percentile	$24.07	$50,070
90th percentile	$28.50	$59,280

Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: locksmith salary in Texas.

Jobs ahead in Texas

Texas's labor market office projects jobs for locksmiths growing from 1,760 in 2022 to 1,840 in 2032, a change of 4.5%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 200 openings a year.

Jobs are projected to grow 4.5% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the -11.5% projected nationally, ranking 7th 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 Texas

To contract on your own in Texas, the license is the Class B Security Contractor Company License (locksmith).

Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Texas median of $21.09 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $107.63 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 Texas'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.

Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a locksmith.

FAQ

How do you become a locksmith in Texas?

Apply to DPS Private Security for a Class B Security Contractor Company License that includes locksmith services.

Do you need a locksmith license in Texas?

Yes. Texas licenses locksmith companies through the Department of Public Safety's Private Security Program, under the Class B Security Contractor Company License.

How much do locksmiths make in Texas?

The median was $21.09 an hour, or $43,860 a year, in May 2025, from the BLS wage survey. The national median was $24.68.

Who runs apprenticeships in Texas?

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs in Texas, since the state has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Programs themselves are sponsored by employers, unions and trade groups.