- 18 hours of entry level locksmith training, then 4 hours of in-service training.
Do you need a state license in Virginia?
Virginia licenses locksmith work at the state level through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Private Security Services. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in Virginia
- Work for, or set up, a private security services business licensed by DCJS for locksmith services.
- Submit fingerprints by your hire date.
- Complete the 18 hour entry level locksmith training.
- Keep up the 4 hour in-service training.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. 18 hours of entry level locksmith training, then 4 hours of in-service training.
The license to apply for. Locksmith registration, with a DCJS licensed private security services business.
Virginia 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 Virginia
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Private Security Services.
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 Virginia
- New hires can work up to 90 days while finishing training, if fingerprints went in by the hire date and they carry the employer's authorization and a photo ID.
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 Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Private Security Services and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.