Locksmiths in Philadelphia: city licenses, historic doors and renters
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What does Philadelphia require of a locksmith?
Less than for most building trades. Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issues trade licenses for electricians, plumbers, fire suppression workers, sheet metal technicians and general contractors, among others, and none for locksmiths. What a locksmith working in the city does need:
- A Commercial Activity License. The city says anyone doing business in Philadelphia needs one, including businesses based outside the city. It is free and does not need renewing, so a locksmith from the suburbs working in the city should have one too.
- State registration for home work. The city says contractors who work only on existing one- or two-family homes, and are not plumbers, electricians, fire suppression or demolition contractors, must register as home improvement contractors with the Pennsylvania Attorney General. The Attorney General names locksmiths among the businesses that must register when they do repairs, replacements or installations on homes, within the law's limits for small jobs.
You can check a state registration in the Attorney General's contractor search, filtered to Philadelphia, and L&I's own lookup tool lists actively licensed contractors and their violations. For questions the city says to call 311, or (215) 686-8686 from outside Philadelphia.
Does replacing a door or lock need a permit?
Usually not, unless the house is historic. The city says that as long as a property is not on the Philadelphia Historic Registry, replacing doors and windows in a one- or two-family dwelling often needs no building permit, and neither do repairs that are part of regular maintenance.
Historic properties are different. If your house is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission must approve the installation, repair or replacement of doors, storm doors and security doors, among other exterior features. The commission's page does not mention locks or lock hardware, so whether a new deadbolt or a smart lock on a historic front door needs review is not stated. Ask the commission's staff, on (215) 686-7660 or preservation@phila.gov, before work that changes how the door looks.
Why does the age of Philadelphia's housing matter?
Because so much of it is old. In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates, 39.9 percent of Philadelphia's housing was first built in 1939 or earlier, about four in ten homes, against 25.0 percent across Pennsylvania. ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, says older houses tend to have locks of different types and quality installed over the years, and that whether they can be rekeyed or must be replaced depends on their condition. It also says replacing a lock is easiest in newer houses with standard-size holes, and suggests a locksmith for older ones.
A sticking lock in an old house may be a door problem. ALOA says poor door alignment causes most so-called lock problems, and that humidity, temperature and direct sun can make a door and lock work at some times of day and not others.
What should Philadelphia renters know?
That the landlord's rules come first. Renters occupy 48.2 percent of the city's occupied homes, nearly half, and more than a third of all housing units, 35.5 percent, are in buildings with two or more apartments. ALOA advises tenants who want new locks to check the rental office's lock change policy first, because the landlord may require new locks to fit a master key system or may need a working key. It says a renter should insist the locks be changed, or get in writing why the owner will not. That is the association's advice; no city or state rule on the point was found for this guide.
Many households are new to their homes: 5.2 percent of Philadelphia householders moved in since 2023, against 3.7 percent statewide. For owners, ALOA's advice is to rekey as soon as possible after taking possession, because keys are rarely all handed over.
Where do you complain about a Philadelphia locksmith?
To the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, which takes complaints online or by mail. Unlicensed work or a contractor working without a required permit can be reported to the city, which publishes a page for that and a list of contractors whose licenses were revoked or suspended. The Pennsylvania rules guide explains the state law, the cost guide gives national price ranges, and businesses that serve the city are on the Philadelphia locksmiths page.
Sources
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- Trade licenses, City of Philadelphia
- Get a Commercial Activity License, City of Philadelphia
- Find a licensed contractor and contractor information, City of Philadelphia
- Get a Building Permit, City of Philadelphia
- Get approval for work to a historic property, City of Philadelphia
- Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Should I Change My Locks When I Move Into a House?, ALOA Security Professionals Association
- Common Lock Issues: Advice and Info, ALOA Security Professionals Association
- Submit a Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General