Our verified badge isn’t a participation trophy. It’s a claim that we have checked specific, verifiable things about a business — and that we keep checking. This page walks you through exactly what we verify, how we do it, and what the green shield on a listing actually guarantees.
Step 1 — Google Business Profile baseline
Before a locksmith even appears in our directory, they have already cleared a first hurdle: a real Google Business Profile, a rating of 4.0 stars or better, and at least ten authentic customer reviews. This alone filters out most of the fly-by-night operators who spin up fake listings for a few weeks and disappear. Our starting pool of 5,000+ locksmiths is already the top slice of every U.S. market.
Step 2 — Phone verification
When a locksmith claims their listing, we send a verification code to the exact phone number on their Google Business Profile. This sounds simple, but it’s a key step. Scam locksmiths often use phone numbers that forward to a dispatch service in another state. A real, local locksmith can receive a text at the number on their public profile. If they can’t, the claim doesn’t go through.
Step 3 — State license review
For our Verified and Featured tiers, locksmiths submit a copy of their current state locksmith license along with their license number. A human on our team opens the document, reads it, and checks that:
- The license is current (not expired)
- The name on the license matches the business name
- The license number is in the correct format for the state
- The license has not been listed as suspended or revoked
For states that do not require a locksmith license, we review the relevant alternate credential — typically a general business license combined with a surety bond.
Step 4 — Proof of insurance
We also require a current certificate of insurance showing general liability coverage. This protects you, the customer. If a locksmith damages your door, your frame, or your property, proper insurance means there is a real claims process. It also weeds out businesses that are too small or too informal to carry professional coverage.
Step 5 — Address confirmation
The address on a verified listing is a real business address that appears on the license and insurance documents and matches the Google Business Profile. Mismatches — where the website says one city, the invoice says another, and the license says a third — are the single most common warning sign in this industry. We don’t verify a listing until these line up.
Ongoing review
Verification is not a one-time badge. If a business has its license suspended, lets its insurance lapse, or collects a meaningful number of negative reports through our Report a Bad Experience page, we reopen the file. A Verified listing that stops being verifiable loses the badge until the issue is resolved.
What the badge does NOT guarantee
We believe in being straight with consumers. A verified badge means a locksmith is licensed, insured, has a real address, and has passed our phone verification. It does not guarantee any specific outcome on any specific service call — pricing varies, response times vary, and individual technicians have off days like anyone else. If you ever have a problem with a verified locksmith, tell us. We use that information to re-review listings and protect the next consumer.