So, my state just bumped up licensing requirement this July

[WOT]

Anyone operating as a service personnel is required to have a generic contractor's license, however specialty trades require specific license, such as electrician and plumber.

Well,effective July this year, my state just added locksmith to that list...

Thoughts??

[Squelchtone]

Well,effective July this year, my state just added locksmith to that list...

Thoughts??

what state are you from? your profile doesn't say.

=)

Squelchtone

[WOT]

I don't put it in profile, but that's not relevant.

Until then, all that was needed is standard contractor's license, but now locksmith specific license is required. I was soliciting thoughts on the concept of it

[thelockpickkid]

Oregon? I have problems with this as well, the licensing isn't hard, nor that expensive, but they require you to have a ccb license or the locksmith certification isn't valid. The ccb part is the expensive part and I don't find it to be necessary just a revenue maker for the state.

[Raymond]

I believe that most licensing states justify the license concept by promising the public locksmiths that: have insurance, pass a criminal background check, are technically up to date with continuing education, and are generally ethical.
Check out Parkinsons Law. A beauracracy's primary purpose is to make itself bigger. They had to hire more people and enlarge the govt. overhead to provide this public service.
However, they reap a lot of license and processing fees, sell a lot of insurance, and financially assist a lot of training organizations in providing continuing education that is mostly a waste of time. Some even charge the instructors to meet the same licensing and fee requirements even if they are from out of state.
Maybe it cuts down on the fly-by-nighters but not much.

[maintenanceguy]

Trade licensing accomplishes two things:

(1) it increases revenue for the state.

(2) it discourages people from entering the trade. This is usually done as a favor to labor unions to reduce competition and increase labor rates.

If it's easy to get a license (just pass a test or just register) than it's reason 1. If the requirements are difficult (5 year apprenticeship), it's reason #2.

[WOT]

Oregon? I have problems with this as well, the licensing isn't hard, nor that expensive, but they require you to have a ccb license or the locksmith certification isn't valid. The ccb part is the expensive part and I don't find it to be necessary just a revenue maker for the state.

Well, you must have liability insurance and bond. This is not just for locksmith, but every trade. I think most customers prefer that they have the solvency to cover for damage they cause.

You don't want fly by the night one man lockie accidentally drilling a hole through a water pipe, but not have the asset or insurance to pay for damage.

[thelockpickkid]

Oregon? I have problems with this as well, the licensing isn't hard, nor that expensive, but they require you to have a ccb license or the locksmith certification isn't valid. The ccb part is the expensive part and I don't find it to be necessary just a revenue maker for the state.

Well, you must have liability insurance and bond. This is not just for locksmith, but every trade. I think most customers prefer that they have the solvency to cover for damage they cause.

You don't want fly by the night one man lockie accidentally drilling a hole through a water pipe, but not have the asset or insurance to pay for damage.

The hangup I have is that if somebody is locked out of there house, if I pick the lock, they want me to have a ccb license and a locksmith license. If I go to there house and take the doorknob off to rekey it, then they want me to have a ccb and locksmith license. I think it is crap. I have a 15,000 dollar bond that would cover anything that I may break. It's not like I am installing a door and drilling the holes for the knob. That I can understand having a ccb license for. But simply rekeying or picking, thats is crap. Thats my opinion. I would bet money on most locksmiths in the area near me not having a ccb license, and I bet the other half still don't have the locksmith license either. Not trying to make you mad as you have a valid point, I just think the government is regulating hard working honest people out of work.