JobBase Blog
Running a locksmith business by the numbers: pricing, contractor payouts, ad ROI, licensing — no fluff, written by the vendor, openly.
17 guides
Dispatch team: the dispatcher books, the tech closes, you keep the books
Your dispatcher doesn't have to be a salesperson, and you don't have to reconcile orders at night. A flat-rate hire books the jobs, the tech closes them with a signed invoice, and the numbers add up on their own.
Technician account: closes the job on-site, never sees your margin
You hired techs and became the cashier and the lawyer: bills get lowered out of kindness, and unsigned receipts lose chargebacks. Here's how the technician account takes that off you.
A dispatcher account with no access to your money
The trust paradox of hiring a dispatcher: it's time to scale, but you don't want a stranger seeing your margin. Here's how JobBase Dispatching solves it — quoting real prices without ever opening your books.
Printed Receipts and the Average Ticket: The Psychology of an Official Invoice
A price spoken out loud sounds like an invitation to bargain. The same total in an official invoice or on a printed receipt reads to the customer as a fact. Let's break down the psychology and how to use it honestly.
Best Locksmith Software 2026
We compare four systems for the locksmith business: Workiz, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, and JobBase. Pricing, specialization, broker jobs, and how to choose for your team size.
Auto Key Programming as a Separate Specialty
Programming transponder and smart key systems is a separate specialty within the locksmith business: it requires a key programmer, a stock of transponder chips and key blanks, a subscription to…
Your First Hire: How to Bring On Your First Contractor Technician
When job requests outgrow one pair of hands: how to bring on your first contractor technician — 1099 vs W-2, the W-9, a written agreement, and vetting before you hand over the keys.
How to Get Locksmith Jobs
A breakdown of the six channels US locksmiths actually get jobs from: LSA, a Maps profile, a website, Google Ads, dispatch networks, and word of mouth — and how to tell which one feeds you.
Locksmith Insurance: What You Need and What It Costs
Of all the policies out there, general liability is the one that's required almost everywhere. Without it, it's hard to sign on with a franchise, a property management company, or a marketplace for…
Does a locksmith need a license in the US: state map, NASTF and ALOA
There is no single federal locksmith license in the US: the rules are set by the state, and sometimes the city or county. A state license is required in 13 states, while individual cities and…
LLC or Sole Proprietorship: What to Choose for Your Locksmith Business
A sole proprietorship is the default status with no registration required: simple, free, but your personal assets aren't protected from lawsuits after a disputed job. An LLC creates a separate legal…
How much does a locksmith earn and how to calculate your real income
There's no universal answer to "how much does a locksmith earn": income is determined by specialization, region, work model and overhead costs, not by a single per-call rate. Specialization has the…
How to Collect Reviews After Every Job — Without Fearing the Bad Ones
The cheapest trust channel for a locksmith isn't advertising — it's reviews from jobs you've already closed: at the moment of a lockout, a customer picks who to call in seconds, often straight off…
Self-Employment Taxes for Locksmiths: How Much to Set Aside and What to Deduct
If you work as a 1099 contractor or a solo sole proprietor, self-employment tax gets added on top of regular income tax — roughly 15.3% of your net profit on Schedule C. The IRS expects quarterly…
How to start a locksmith business: a short one-page plan
A locksmith business really can be launched solo with a small set of tools, but choose your niche first and sort out the licensing and insurance for your state and city. Put together a basic price…
What Equipment a Locksmith Needs to Get Started
A locksmith's starter kit falls into two budget tiers: a basic kit for lockout and rekey work on residential and commercial locks runs roughly a few hundred dollars, while equipment for automotive…
ZIP Code Strategy: How to Choose Your Service Areas
A locksmith is a hyper-local business: a customer's ZIP code affects your bottom line more than it looks at first glance. Drive time between jobs costs more than gas money — every long drive means missed calls, and…