Los Angeles locksmith and door lock rules
Source: California Locksmith Help (californialocksmithhelp.com), part of the Local Help Stations network (localhelpstations.com). Last updated November 3, 2026.
Door and lock rules in Los Angeles
When exterior doors are replaced in Los Angeles under the LADBS door replacement rules, the active leaf of a pair of doors must have a dead bolt and deadlocking latch, key operated from outside and opened from inside with no key, special knowledge or special effort. (source: City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety)
- Dead bolts must have hardened inserts; a straight dead bolt needs at least a 1 inch throw and 5/8 inch embedment.
- Strike plates in wood construction are screwed to the jamb and wall framing with screws at least 2 1/2 inches long.
- Cylinder guards are required when a cylinder sticks out from the door face.
- Sliding doors need locking devices and a device in the upper channel so the panel cannot be lifted out.
(source: City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety)
Replacing doors with the same size, type and location can get a LADBS e-Permit. LADBS Customer Call Center: 888-LA4BUILD (888-524-2845) inside Los Angeles County. (source: City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety)
Statewide rules that apply here
BSIS licenses locksmiths in California. A locksmith operates a business that installs, repairs, opens or modifies locks, or that makes original keys for locks. Someone who only duplicates existing keys is not a locksmith and does not need a BSIS license. (source: Bureau of Security and Investigative Services) (source: Bureau of Security and Investigative Services)
No one may do locksmith work in California without a valid locksmith license or registration unless they are exempt. Pretending to be licensed, or falsely claiming to work for a licensee, is a misdemeanor punishable by a $10,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both (B&P 6980.10). (source: California Legislature)
A locksmith who opens a home or business for someone after an on site look at the door must get the street address and the customer's signature on a work order, plus the customer's name, address, phone number, date of birth and driver license or ID number. The work order is kept for two years and is open to police and BSIS (B&P 6980.55). (source: California Legislature)
Landlords must install and maintain a working dead bolt on each main swinging entry door of a rental unit. Locked, the bolt must extend at least 13/16 of an inch past the strike edge into the doorjamb; existing dead bolts of at least half an inch still count (Civil Code 1941.3). (source: California Legislature)
See how to check a locksmith, what a locksmith must ask for at a lockout and landlord lock rules.
Other cities: Los Angeles · San Diego · San Jose · San Francisco · Sacramento · Sacramento County · Long Beach · Oakland
On this site: California locksmith license rules (BSIS) · California locksmith employee registration · California locksmith license fees · What a California locksmith must ask for at a lockout · California key duplication rules · Who does not need a California locksmith license · California landlord dead bolt and window lock rules · Lock changes for California tenants facing abuse or violence · How to check a California locksmith and complain · When a California locksmith also needs a contractor license · Door replacement permits in California cities · Cities · FAQ · Sources
Sources
- City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS): Replace Door(s) (LADBS e-Permit system) (checked November 3, 2026)
- Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS): Locksmith Company and Locksmith Employee Fact Sheet (revised July 2020) (checked November 3, 2026)
- Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS): Frequently Asked Questions: Locksmith Company (LCO) (checked November 3, 2026)
- California Legislature (California Legislative Information): Business and Professions Code 6980.10 (locksmith license required) (checked November 3, 2026)
- California Legislature (California Legislative Information): Business and Professions Code 6980.53 to 6980.69 (locksmith conduct of business) (checked November 3, 2026)
- California Legislature (California Legislative Information): Civil Code 1941.3 (landlord dead bolt and window lock duties) (checked November 3, 2026)
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