- A licensed locksmith working alone under a business name does not need an agency license if they register the assumed name.
Do you need a state license in Illinois?
Illinois licenses locksmith work at the state level through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
A licensed locksmith working alone under a business name does not need an agency license if they register the assumed name.
The Illinois license for this work
There is one license to aim for here.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC) | For employees of a licensed agency, with 20 hours of basic training |
Steps to get licensed in Illinois
- Get your individual locksmith license from IDFPR.
- If you will employ others, apply for a locksmith agency license with yourself as licensee in charge.
- Register employees with PERC cards and the 20 hour basic training.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Locksmith license, plus a locksmith agency license if you employ others.
Illinois locksmith exams
Trade exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Illinois
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Illinois
- A locksmith can be licensee in charge for only one agency.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a locksmith near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.