Search "locksmith near me" from anywhere in Atlanta and you get a stack of ads, map pins, and directory listings. Some of them are local shops. Others are call centers that take your call and pass the job to whoever is free. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that some locksmiths who advertise locally "may not be local at all."
A few questions on the phone sort them out quickly. These are the ones we would ask if we were the ones standing outside a locked door.
First, know this: Georgia does not license locksmiths
Some states require locksmiths to hold a state license. Georgia does not. When an ad here says "licensed," it usually means a business license from a city or county (Atlanta calls it an occupational tax certificate), not a trade license issued by the state.
So the questions below do the checking a license would. You are finding out whether a real, registered business is on the other end of the line and whether it will stand behind the work.
The 8 questions to ask on the phone
1. What is your company's name, and where are you based?
A real business answers with its name and an address you can check. Look the name up on the Georgia Secretary of State's business search and read its Google reviews. If the phone was answered with a generic "locksmith service," ask which company you are talking to. Ours is Locksmith on Wheels, a family-owned shop with an office at 5825 Glenridge Drive in Sandy Springs.
2. How much will this cost, and what could change the price?
A starting price is normal, because the exact job depends on the lock or the car. What you want to hear is a real number and the things that move it: the key type, the make and year, or whether any key still works. Our starting prices are published on our pricing page, so you can compare before you call anyone.
3. How long until you get here?
Ask for a time, not "soon." In most of metro Atlanta we arrive 15 to 30 minutes after the call, and we tell you which end of that range to expect based on where you are and the traffic.
4. Will the technician arrive in a marked vehicle?
The company name should be on the vehicle and on the technician's shirt. You should know who is walking up to your door before they get there. Our vans carry our name, logo, and phone number on the side, and every technician works in a Locksmith on Wheels uniform.
5. Are your technicians background-checked and insured?
Both answers should be yes. A locksmith is about to open your car or your home, and if something gets damaged along the way, insurance is what pays for it. Our technicians pass a background check, and the business is insured.
6. What will you need from me to prove it is mine?
A careful locksmith asks for proof before opening anything. For a car, that means a photo ID plus the registration, an insurance card, the title, or a bill of sale. For a home, it means a photo ID showing that address. A locksmith who needs nothing from you would open the same door for a stranger.
7. Can you do the whole job on-site?
For most car keys, the answer should be yes: cut the key, program it to the car, and test it where the car is parked. If a locksmith wants to tow the car or take your key away, ask why. Our vans carry cutting and programming equipment for most makes on the road, and you can check yours on our brands page.
8. How will you open it, and will you need to drill?
Most lockouts open without damage to the lock or the door. A locksmith who wants to drill the lock or replace it before trying anything else is worth a second opinion. For cars, we open the door with tools that work with its own mechanism, and car lockouts start at $89.
Save a locksmith's number before you need it
The FTC's best advice is also the simplest: research a locksmith before you are locked out, the way you would pick a plumber or an electrician, then save the number in your phone. Doing that on a calm afternoon is a lot easier than doing it in a dark parking lot.
Save our number
Locksmith on Wheels answers at (470) 668-2196, Tuesday through Sunday from 7 AM to 7 PM (Wednesday until 5 PM). We cover Atlanta and more than 20 surrounding cities, from car keys and lockouts to home and business locks, and we take calls in Spanish too. Before you save the number, you can read what customers say on our reviews page.