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Locksmith License Fees - California

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chieflittlehorse

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Post Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:21 pm

Locksmith License Fees - California

I can't believe the increase in our locksmith license in the State of California.

It's going to jump up to $500 just to renew your Locksmith Company license, this is ridiculous.

http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/newfees.pdf

I work for a locksmith company but I like to retain my own company license which I don't make that much per year on my own because of my situation.

I'm going to have to start doing my own side jobs and start charging more for my work.

If there's another way around this I'm listening.

Maybe if I get a State Contracting's license and use it for locksmithing, that might work, but I'm just guessing.

Maybe I'll just be a handyman that specializes in locks to get around this fee.

Talk about being in a greedy state.

I think all locksmith fees will start going up.

CLH!
You leave my GRAPHITE alone!!!
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mastersmith

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Post Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:32 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

What did you guys do to them? No other trades got the treatment locksmiths did, tho a couple came close.
"All ye who come this art to see / to handle anything must cautious be...." Benjamin Franklin
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chieflittlehorse

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Post Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:47 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

I think the BSIS being stupid as they are, think that the fees the scammer locksmiths are charging, that we should pay more money to them.

One of the BSIS people must of had a bad experience and got charges $900 for rekeying a few locks or something, so now are taking it out on the locksmith trade.

But it's straight out greed because the state doesn't know how to raise money except by taxing the small business owner.

Yet, I bet the state is doing a whole lot of wasteful spending and that's their justification for the higher fees.

Death and taxes. I'm sure if I die they'll still tax the people who bury or cremate me.

CLH!
You leave my GRAPHITE alone!!!
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mastersmith

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Post Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:25 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

Chief, do you have to pass some sort of certification in Cali? I'm wondering what they offer you for this fee. Riyame suggested that maybe they are using this as a deterrent to the scammers(?).
"All ye who come this art to see / to handle anything must cautious be...." Benjamin Franklin
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MartinHewitt

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Post Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:39 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

Or maybe they want to participate in the scammers' earnings? I guess these make good money and have no problem affording 500 bucks.
In case you wonder ... Martin Hewitt is a fictional detective in stories by Arthur Morrison:
Martin Hewitt, Investigator Chronicles of Martin Hewitt
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MrPharmer2012

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Post Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:40 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

chieflittlehorse wrote:I can't believe the increase in our locksmith license in the State of California.

It's going to jump up to $500 just to renew your Locksmith Company license, this is ridiculous.

http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/newfees.pdf

I work for a locksmith company but I like to retain my own company license which I don't make that much per year on my own because of my situation.

I'm going to have to start doing my own side jobs and start charging more for my work.

If there's another way around this I'm listening.

Maybe if I get a State Contracting's license and use it for locksmithing, that might work, but I'm just guessing.

Maybe I'll just be a handyman that specializes in locks to get around this fee.

Talk about being in a greedy state.

I think all locksmith fees will start going up.

CLH!


That is climbing for sure california this year added an extra fee for me as an advanced practice but my standard fee is every 2 years so the locksmith license is more than my professional one that is crazy
Pharmacist (biennial) $372.00** 186 per year
Advanced Practice Pharmacy $300.00

so yearly i am at 486
I was thinking about applying for a locksmith license so I can legally carry around my tools etc but with that new price prob gonna hold off
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chieflittlehorse

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Post Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:53 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

I found out about the price change by accident as I want my brother to get a locksmith license as I told him it might be harder to get one in the future as in showing that you worked for a locksmith.

But instead of proving you have locksmith skills to BSIS, they just want you to prove that you can pay $500 without questions.

The BSIS does nothing for the locksmith nor the consumer as it's too easy for anyone to get a locksmith license unless you have criminal convictions such as maybe burglary and such.

A BSIS field officer came to our shop where I used to work at telling us we need to be licensed. I told them I have a company license and the lady said I must get a locksmith employee license also if I'm working for someone.

You see how easy it is for them to say you need this and that so they can get our hard earned money.

I mean really, do watch repair people need to get licensed? How about construction workers? Auto mechanics get ASE certified so maybe we should just go thru ALOA for certification and somehow sue the state to abolish the State's Locksmith Act.

If I'm paying $500, they should do something like go after the locksmith scammers but I know they won't. Once they get paid they forget how to do their job.

CLH!
You leave my GRAPHITE alone!!!
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jharveee

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Post Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:26 am

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

I guess the cost of operating will be passed along to the end consumer and a good CPA may help offset the higher Fees. The rate change came as a surprise. My inner child wanted to throw a fit and move out of state. It's just so nice and sunny here. So when will it return to normal?, or is this the new normal?
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mdc5150

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Post Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:33 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

chieflittlehorse wrote:I found out about the price change by accident as I want my brother to get a locksmith license as I told him it might be harder to get one in the future as in showing that you worked for a locksmith.

But instead of proving you have locksmith skills to BSIS, they just want you to prove that you can pay $500 without questions.

The BSIS does nothing for the locksmith nor the consumer as it's too easy for anyone to get a locksmith license unless you have criminal convictions such as maybe burglary and such.

A BSIS field officer came to our shop where I used to work at telling us we need to be licensed. I told them I have a company license and the lady said I must get a locksmith employee license also if I'm working for someone.

You see how easy it is for them to say you need this and that so they can get our hard earned money.

I mean really, do watch repair people need to get licensed? How about construction workers? Auto mechanics get ASE certified so maybe we should just go thru ALOA for certification and somehow sue the state to abolish the State's Locksmith Act.

If I'm paying $500, they should do something like go after the locksmith scammers but I know they won't. Once they get paid they forget how to do their job.

CLH!


ALOA won't do anything to help. In fact they might lobby the state to require you to take their tests they charge $250 for so you can prove you studied their books you have to buy to take the tests. But to actually do something to help locksmiths? Doesn't seem to be what they do.
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chieflittlehorse

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Location: Los Angeles, CA

Post Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:43 am

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

Here's the BSIS's BS reasoning for the fee increase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaUWB_hjWlw
Agenda Notes: http://www.bsis.ca.gov/about_us/agendas ... agenda.pdf
You leave my GRAPHITE alone!!!
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bitbuster

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Post Sat Jun 23, 2018 2:36 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

B as in B, S as in S. Sounds like a lot of bureauocratic mumbo-jumbo. Much words spewing from her mouth but nothing sensible.
'Gunter glieben glauten globen' Def Leppard, Rock of Ages, 1983
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MartinHewitt

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Post Sat Jun 23, 2018 3:40 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

We have in Germany the chamber of industry and commerce where every company must pay a fee depending on earnings. From the information on the web site under "customer service" I assume we pay about 2000 Euro per year. I have never seen any benefit from this. Why should an organization likes this only exist in Germany?
In case you wonder ... Martin Hewitt is a fictional detective in stories by Arthur Morrison:
Martin Hewitt, Investigator Chronicles of Martin Hewitt
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Visitor

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Post Sun Jun 24, 2018 5:19 am

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

$500 for 12months isn't bad, it's a running cost of being a locksmith and is factored in on your charges.
It's a lot less than some of us pay for simular things. The mla in the UK has astronomical prices, your $500 wouldn't even scratch the surface.
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chieflittlehorse

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Location: Los Angeles, CA

Post Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:39 am

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

Well I actually took the time to listen to the whole video by the BSIS. At first they were talking about their online renewal system called BREEZE.

After they talked about the company that did the audit who then determined that the licensees should pay more. I won't give their name as I forgot already but it's in the BSIS about page, so they say, didn't check.

But the locksmith license is renewed every two years so basically it's paying $250 a year but they make you pay $500 a year. So you can keep that $500 in a high interest account so at least it can make you some money before it's gone.

The last bit on news I heard from listening to them was about the consumer and what the consumer should be looking for in hiring someone who is licensed by none other than the BSIS.

I mean I can warn the consumer's myself by putting out my own pamphlet that just because someone has a locksmith licensed from the BSIS doesn't make them a qualified locksmith.

I'm learning automotive locksmithing right now but before I would never take an automotive locksmithing job unless I knew what I was doing. But their might be some licensed people who will work on let's say a Honda Ignition and drilled it to crap as they didn't know what they were doing.

So if I was going to inform the consumer I would tell the consumer to ask more questions or get some referrals, in other words, do your research ahead of time and not later.

CLH!
You leave my GRAPHITE alone!!!
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mastersmith

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Post Mon Jun 25, 2018 6:23 pm

Re: Locksmith License Fees - California

mdc, anyone working actively as a locksmith can skate through the ALOA first level test. You shouldn't have to buy any books. I didn't stumble until the Master level, because the electives I had left were things I hadn't worked with. It's hard to pass "Detention Hardware" when the whole test is basically part numbers, unless you work with them. But the RL testing is very common knowledge, something you should have if you are working in the trade. A hobbiest may find it a bit more challenging. Their experience base will be much narrower.
"All ye who come this art to see / to handle anything must cautious be...." Benjamin Franklin
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