A locksmith is one of those people you really don’t give much thought to, unless you are faced with an emergency situation. Unfortunately, if you wait until a crisis, you could end up paying through the nose. Avoid this and other locksmith catastrophes by reading the following helpful tips and tricks.


Research anyone you plan to hire. You need to be sure that the person you hire has your best interests in mind. Some scammers will make duplicates without your permission.

In most states, locksmiths are required to have insurance. Ask to see proof of any policies before they start doing any work. You want to make sure that you are covered in case they do a shoddy job and someone gains unauthorized access to your home. Do not allow a low price to make you overlook this.

Get a receipt for the services rendered. Even though the majority of locksmiths are legitimate, there are always people out there looking to scam you. Get proof that you paid for the service before the locksmith leaves. Put the receipt in a safe place in case a question about the payment arises later on.

The locksmith should ask you for identification. Any reputable locksmith will want to ensure that you are the actual owner of the property. This may seem like an inconvenience, but you need to realize that a locksmith that asks for indentification is only trying to protect the community from theft.

Verify a locksmith’s identification before allowing them to work. Ask prior to their arrival and explain to them that you would like to see proper ID at the door. Professionals will come with a uniform and proper identification.

Do not use a locksmith who charges more than you expected. There are many other options, and you are never stuck with someone that is being dishonest with you.


Program the number of your locksmith into your cell phone so you can have it with you at all times. You don’t want to end up stuck away from home with no way to access a good locksmith. Make sure you talk to them about whether or not the rates will be different if you are stuck on the road.

Most locksmiths are aware of how to pick a lock and help you gain access to your home. If you are told that the entire lock needs to be replaced, you should see this as a warning sign. This costs significantly more than picking the lock, which is the reason some locksmiths will say it is necessary.

If you live in a very large city, it may be extremely difficult to choose between all of the locksmiths available in your area. Call several locksmiths and arrange in-person meetings in order to secure quotes. Choose the locksmith that offers the best rate quote and has the insurance and experience to back it up.

When the locksmith arrives on-site, make sure that the price matches the price you received on the phone. If the two prices do not match, do not let them work on your car or home. There are a variety of reasons the two prices do not match, most of them are not good.

Once you have hired a locksmith to come out and help you with home locks, ask them if they can give you a safety assessment. Most locksmiths do not mind walking around your property and letting you know what, if any, security measures need to be made to keep your home secure.

Find out if the company you want to hire has done business under any other names. If they refuse to answer or hedge the question, strike them off your list. If they do give you other names, be wary as they may be changing their name to avoid bad reviews.

Do not try to be a DIY locksmith. You can easily damage your doors or locks by working on them yourself. Locksmiths are trained professionals who know how to safely work on your locks and doors. It’s well worth the cost of hiring a locksmith to avoid potential damage to your property. So, when you find yourself locked out or needing a spare key or any sort of help with your locks, contact an established and professional locksmith.

Compare the invoice presented to you with the person’s business card, license and even signage on their vehicle. If they all match, you’re good to go. If the invoice has no company name, be wary. Unless they operate as an independent contractor under their own name, you might be facing a scam.

When you get a quote from a locksmith, be sure to ask about other costs. Does the quoted price have taxes included? Are there any promotions that they are offering? Are there additional fees which will be tacked on like mileage or urgent service fees? Find out the total before agreeing to anything.

Request that your given a receipt for all the work your locksmith has done. You want some sort of proof of the work that’s been completed just in case there’s an issue with the lock in the future. Also, make sure that the receipt is itemized, right down to the parts purchased and the labor cost.

While a license isn’t mandatory in all states, it is still a sign that your locksmith truly cares about the quality of his work. If he doesn’t have one, you might be better off hiring someone who does. The more proof of their quality available, the better your chances are that they’re good.

Make sure that the price you were quoted on the phone closely matches the price you are being given on site. There are a lot of scams out there, and this bait and switch is one of them. It’s best to vet locksmiths before an emergency even happens just to make sure you don’t get into this scenario.

Ask your locksmith to bring a written estimate with them. In order for it to be accurate, give them all the details you can think of. Tell them if you are locked out with a deadbolt or a knob lock, or how many windows you would like locks installed on. Be exacting!

When you look for a lawyer, you should find the situation to be anxiety-free and fruitful. You should end up with a professional on side who will truly cater to your needs. As long as you make use of all the tips provided here, you should have no problem locating a locksmith today.