Proof of Ownership for a Locksmith: What to Show

When the papers are inside

Papers locked inside are the usual case with a lockout. The ID is in a purse on the kitchen table, or the registration is in the glove box of the locked car. We open the door, you get the papers, and you show them to us before we leave. If the papers do not match the place or the car, we close it up and leave it as we found it.

When your name is not on the papers

Many people live in a home or drive a car that is in someone else's name. A partner who is not on the lease, an adult child who drives a parent's car, an employee who drives a company truck. In those cases we need the person whose name is on the papers to confirm, by a text, a call, or a short letter. A spouse with a different last name can show a document that links the two names, or have the other spouse confirm.

If you just moved and nothing has your new address yet, the closing papers, a signed lease, or a moving confirmation with the address usually solve it.

Car keys need a little more

A new car key does more than open a door: it starts the engine. That is why automakers set their own rules for it. When a locksmith uses key codes or immobilizer data from an automaker, the request goes through the Vehicle Security Professional registry run by NASTF, the National Automotive Service Task Force. Its rules require the locksmith to verify ownership or the owner's authority before any security work, and to be present with the customer and the vehicle when the data is used. Many automakers also ask for a signed customer authorization form for each car.

In practice, that means we ask for a photo ID and the title or the registration, and we may ask you to sign an authorization form on the spot. Our page on dealer vs locksmith car keys explains where key data comes from.

Renters and landlords

A tenant who is locked out of their own unit shows a photo ID and a lease or a bill with the unit number, and we open the unit door. A shared front door or a lobby door belongs to the whole building, so we open it only with the owner's or the manager's okay. A lock change or a rekey in a rental also needs the landlord's okay, because the landlord owns the lock. Our page on being locked out of an apartment covers the rest of the rental side.

Landlords and property managers who call for their own buildings show a photo ID and something that ties them to the property, such as a management agreement or a letter from the owner. For regular work in the same buildings, we keep that on file.

Businesses

A business lockout or rekey needs someone with authority over the space: the owner, a manager the owner names, or the property manager. A photo ID and a business license, a lease, or a letter from the owner works. If you are a manager and the owner is not reachable, a call or a text from the owner during the visit is usually enough. Our page on business lockouts explains how that visit goes.

Safes

A safe opening is the job where we ask the most questions, because what is inside is often worth more than the door. A home safe at your address, with your ID, is usually enough. For a business safe, we need the owner or a manager the owner names. For a safe that came with a house you bought, the closing papers show the safe is now yours. Our page on safe opening explains the work itself.

A house lockout starts at $69, a car lockout at $69, a business lockout at $89, and a safe opening without drilling at $149. A trip fee may apply at some times and places, and we tell you the total before we start.