locksmithing license

[acestor]

Raccoon,

Physicians had the same problem when states started to issue licenses in the early 20th century. Those who did not have formal schooling were simply "grandfathered" in. On the other hand, licensing could be the death of this hobby. Currently if you are a "hobby physician", it is called practicing medicine without a license and you go to jail. Be careful what you wish for.

[acestor]

Raccoon,

Physicians had the same problem when states started to issue licenses in the early 20th century. Those who did not have formal schooling were simply "grandfathered" in. On the other hand, licensing could be the death of this hobby. Currently if you are a "hobby physician", it is called practicing medicine without a license and you go to jail. Be careful what you wish for.

[globallockytoo]

Licensing will come in whether we like it or not. It is up to locksmiths to get involved in the legislative process because you can guarantee that electricians, alarm installers and security consultants are busy trying to muscle in on the locksmiths territory and trying to force locksmiths out of areas that are traditionally in their scope.

Ignore the realities and your business opportunities will be limited by others from outside the industry.

Act now to protect our profession and you guarantee a future for locksmiths....similarly to the way that doctors guaranteed themselves a future...in the early 20th century.

paying exhorbitant rates to a regulatory body is totally a farce too, I agree...but not paying something to protect the industry and being forced out of business by competing industries will be worse.

example: OK just passed new legislation. You need a license to practise locksmithing...separate one for safes...separate one for access control...separate one for alarms...separate one for cctv.

separate one for business...so a business has one license and all employees have at least one license.....this sis rediculous....and will happen when locksmiths relinquish self regulation to outsiders.

Jump on the licensing bandwagon while you still can and you still have a business.

The one casualty of licensing, unfortunately may be the hobbyist community.....but how many hobbyist doctors would you go to?

[acestor]

Separate licenses for separate skills would not be needed, nor are they desirable. As far as I know, there is only one license each for CPA's, doctors, and nurses. For instance, for physicians, the state grants you one license: with that you can be a surgeon, pediatrician, deliver a baby, set a broken bone, and do anything else coming under the term "medical practice". There is not a separate license for surgeons that is different from one given to obstetricians. Separate licenses are too confining, too regulatory, and most importantly too confusing for the state legislatures who ultimately need to vote.

Call it a locksmith and security license. Organize at the state level under the auspices of a national organization. Determine standards, training, prerequisites. At the state level, form a committee to investigate those states that already give licenses, evaluate those, modify if necessary, use them as examples to petition the state legislature (it helps if you know someone in the state house), make it a "cause" so that your state representative can get on TV and explain how he is protecting his constitutes from the evils of bumping, thieves, and evil doers by regulating the locksmith and security industry. And above all, contribute to their campaigns!

[acestor]

Incidentally, although a license is honored and required by a state, the state does not actually issue a license. For instance, in medicine, usually it is the medical board or equivalent, composed of physicians within the state that grants licenses to other physicians. In a sense then, it is the industry regulating itself. By the way, it varies from state to state but a medical license costs about $200/year.

[acestor]

Incidentally, although a license is honored and required by a state, the state does not actually issue a license. For instance, in medicine, usually it is the medical board or equivalent, composed of physicians within the state that grants licenses to other physicians. In a sense then, it is the industry regulating itself. By the way, it varies from state to state but a medical license costs about $200/year.

[globallockytoo]

ALOA is already way ahead on virtually all that you describe and has already made example legislation in proposal format as well as a complete guide on how and who to approach in each state.

The resources are phenomenal and the professionalism is second to none. Most of what you have described is already included in ALOA's Legislative Action Network guide.