How to Check a Locksmith in Broward County (Miramar Edition)
Updated: November 2026
There's no license to look up: Broward County's locksmith license and registration ended on July 1, 2021 — the start date of Florida's HB 735 (Broward County), Miami-Dade stopped issuing locksmith licenses in July 2025 (Miami-Dade County), and Florida has never had a statewide one. So a "Florida license number" on a website proves nothing. Here's what to check instead.
- Licensed & insured
- 6-month workmanship warranty
- About 20 min to you
Why license numbers still show up
Florida isn't one of the states that license locksmiths at state level (Locksmith Ledger), and HB 735 moved occupational licensing away from counties and cities (Florida Senate). Numbers you still see on websites are often old Miami-Dade-style numbers, or a company's registration with the state — not a locksmith license. Some sites claim to be "licensed by the State of Florida." That license doesn't exist.
Five checks that actually work
- The total, before they drive. Ask for the full amount for a standard lock, trip included. "Service call only" quotes are where overcharges start.
- One business name everywhere — the same on the phone, the website, the vehicle and the invoice.
- ID at your door, and a vehicle that matches what you were told.
- Insurance and a Business Tax Receipt. Miramar requires a Business Tax Receipt for anyone running a business in the city, home-based ones included, with renewal due every September 30 (City of Miramar). Ask to see it. That page has no public lookup, so to confirm a receipt, write to businesstax@miramarfl.gov or call 954-602-HELP (4357), Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Local roots — one city and a named person, not a page for every town in three counties with no address.
Questions consumer offices suggest
Two questions worth borrowing from Palm Beach County's consumer office: do employees pass a background check, and does the company carry workers' compensation? (Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs). Good answers come quickly; dodging is an answer too.
How the bait-price script goes
- The ad: a $19 rekey or a $29 lockout.
- At the door: extra charges for "labor," "high-security" or "after hours," sometimes a one-hour minimum.
- The damage: a lock drilled that could have been picked, then a pricey replacement.
- The pressure: cash only, or a trip to an ATM. One Florida driver was told seventy dollars on the phone and billed about three hundred (Motor1). Miami-Dade advises getting the estimate in writing and an itemized bill (Miami-Dade County).
Be careful with keys and fobs
In 2023 a car thief in Broward posed as a locksmith to get hold of key fobs (Local10). A real locksmith asks for your ID and proof of ownership before opening a car or making a key — be wary of one who doesn't.
After a hurricane
Broward's hurricane guide tells residents to get everything in writing, avoid paying cash, and avoid anyone demanding large payments up front; it also lists a price-gouging hotline, 1-866-966-7226 (Broward County). The same rules work for locksmiths any time of year.
Miramar's free home security survey
Miramar Police offer a free security survey of your home or business by appointment through their Community Affairs Unit (Miramar Police). It's an independent second opinion before you spend money on locks.
If you were overcharged
- Ask for an itemized invoice with the business name on it.
- If you paid by card, dispute the charge with your card issuer.
- File a complaint with Broward County's consumer protection office or the Florida Attorney General. Miramar's emergency-management hotline list gives 954-357-5350 for Broward Consumer Affairs and 1-800-646-0444 for the Attorney General (City of Miramar).
- Felt threatened, or think it was a fake locksmith? The Miramar Police non-emergency number, 954-764-4357, is the one to use (Miramar Police).
- Leave an honest review that names the business, so the next person sees it.
How we answer the same checks
Licensed & insured: we hold Miramar's city Business Tax Receipt and a commercial general liability policy, certificate on request. A public price list with the trip included, a Miramar lead technician you'll know by name, Ben C., with photo ID and a business card in hand, and the price agreed before we start. Payment only when the job works and you've checked it — no deposits, no ATM.
Quick answers
Does Broward require locksmiths to be licensed?
No. No county or state locksmith license exists in Broward today, since HB 735 took effect in 2021. What a business can show is a city Business Tax Receipt — Miramar requires one from every business operating in the city — plus proof of insurance.
Is a "Florida locksmith license number" real?
No such state license exists, so treat that claim as a warning sign.