Check the license first
Maryland requires locksmiths to hold a license from the Maryland Department of Labor. Ask for the number and look it up. A legitimate locksmith gives it without hesitating.
Ours is License #474. Search it on the state site.
What to ask on the phone
A two-minute call tells you most of what you need to know.
- What is your company’s name, and where are you based?
- What is the total price, including the service call and any after-hours charge?
- Will you try to open it without drilling?
- Will you check my ID before opening the lock? (The right answer is yes.)
- How soon can you realistically be here?
Red flags
Locksmith scams usually follow the same script.
- The phone is answered with a generic "locksmith services" rather than a company name
- A suspiciously low quote, like a $19 service call, with no total price
- An unmarked car and no ID or license on arrival
- Drilling first, before trying anything else
- A bill several times the quote, often demanding cash
DIY or call a pro?
Some lock jobs are fine to do yourself: swapping a knob set with the same backset, changing a keypad battery, lubricating a sticky cylinder with graphite or a lock-specific lubricant.
Call a locksmith for lockouts, rekeying, broken keys, car keys, anything involving a safe, master key systems, and any door that has shifted so the lock no longer lines up. Those jobs need tools and parts most people do not own, and a mistake can cost a door.
Why people call MD Local Locksmith
We are licensed (#474), bonded, and insured, with more than ten years in the trade. We quote on the phone, check ID before opening anything, and try the non-destructive way first. We cover Baltimore City and Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Anne Arundel, and Carroll counties, and you can reach us directly at 443-264-4509.
Updated September 2026 by MD Local Locksmith, Maryland Locksmith License #474.