ARTICLE 3. Application of Chapter [6980.10. - 6980.15.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 3.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6980.10. Section 6980.10.

(a) No person shall engage within this state in the activities of a locksmith as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 6980, unless the person holds a valid locksmith license, is registered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, or is exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (b) Any person who does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment: (1) Acts as or represents himself or herself to be a licensee under this chapter when that person is not a licensee under this chapter. (2) Falsely represents that he or she is employed by a licensee under this chapter when he or she is not employed by a licensee under this chapter. (3) Carries a badge, identification card, or business card, indicating that he or she is a licensee under this chapter when he or she is not a licensee under this chapter. (4) Uses a letterhead or other written or electronically generated materials indicating that he or she is a licensee under this chapter when he or she is not a licensee under this chapter. (5) Advertises that he or she is a licensee under this chapter when he or she is not a licensee under this chapter. (c) A proceeding to impose the fine specified in subdivision (b) may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General or by any district attorney or city attorney, or with the consent of the district attorney, the city prosecutor in any city or city and county having a full-time city prosecutor for the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred. If the action is brought by the district attorney, the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment is entered. If the action is brought by a city attorney or city prosecutor, one-half of the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the city in which the judgment was entered and one-half to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment was entered. If the action is brought by the Attorney General, all of the penalty collected shall be deposited in the Private Security Services Fund.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6980.12. Section 6980.12.

This chapter does not apply to the following persons: (a) A person, or his or her agent or employee, who is the manufacturer of a product, other than locks and keys, and who installs, repairs, opens, or modifies locks or who makes keys for the locks of that product as a normal incident to its marketing. (b) An employee who is an industrial or institutional locksmith, provided that the employee provides locksmith services only to a single employer that does not provide locksmith services for hire to the public for any consideration or compensation whatsoever. (c) A tow truck driver who does not originate keys for locks and whose locksmith services are limited to opening motor vehicles. (d) A person employed exclusively and regularly by a state correctional institution, or other state or federal agency, and who does not provide locksmith services for hire to the public for any consideration or compensation whatsoever. (e) (1) A person registered with the bureau pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 7500) if the duties of that person’s position that constitute locksmithing are ancillary to the primary duties and functions of that person’s position. (2) A person licensed, certified, or registered pursuant to Chapter 11.6 (commencing with Section 7590) if the duties of that person’s position that constitute locksmithing are performed in combination with the installation, maintenance, moving, repairing, replacing, servicing, or reconfiguration of an alarm system, as defined in Section 7590.1, and limited to work on electronic locks or access control devices that are controlled by an alarm system control device, including the removal of existing hardware. (f) An agent or employee of a retail establishment that has a primary business other than providing locksmith services, providing all of the following criteria are met: (1) The services provided by the retail establishment are limited to rekeying and recombination of locks. (2) All rekeying, recombination, and installation of locks must take place on the premises of the retail establishment. (3) All rekeying, recombination, and installation services provided by the retail establishment subject to this chapter are limited to locks purchased on the retail establishment’s premises and are conducted prior to purchasers taking possession of the locks. (4) An unlicensed agent or employee of the retail establishment shall not advertise or represent himself or herself to be licensed under this chapter, and an agent or employee of the retail establishment shall not advertise or represent himself or herself to be a locksmith. (5) An agent or employee of the retail establishment shall not design or implement a master key system, as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 6980. (6) An agent or employee of the retail establishment shall not rekey, change the combination of, alter, or install any automotive locks. (7) The retail establishment shall not have on its premises any locksmith tool, as defined in subdivision (s) of Section 6980, other than the following: (A) Standard key duplication machines. (B) Key blanks. (C) Pin kits. (g) A law enforcement officer employed by any city, county, city and county, state, or federal law enforcement agency, if all services are performed during the course of the officer’s professional duties. (h) A firefighter or emergency medical person employed by any city, county, city and county, district, or state agency, if all services are performed during the course of duties as a firefighter or emergency medical person. (i) A new motor vehicle dealer, as defined in Section 426 of the Vehicle Code, and an employee of a new motor vehicle dealer acting within the scope of employment at a dealership.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6980.13. Section 6980.13.

(a) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter, or who conspires with another person to violate any provision of this chapter, or who knowingly engages a nonexempt or unlicensed locksmith after being notified in writing by the bureau of the individual’s unlicensed status with the bureau, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b) A proceeding to impose the fine specified in subdivision (a) may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General or by any district attorney or city attorney, or with the consent of the district attorney, the city prosecutor in any city or city and county having a full-time city prosecutor for the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred. If the action is brought by the district attorney, the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment is entered. If the action is brought by a city attorney or city prosecutor, one-half of the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the city in which the judgment was entered and one-half to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment was entered. If the action is brought by the Attorney General, all of the penalty collected shall be deposited in the Private Security Services Fund. (c) Any person who is convicted of a violation of this section or Section 6980.10 shall not be issued a license for a period of one year following a first conviction and shall not be issued a license for a period of five years following a second or subsequent conviction of this section or Section 6980.10 or any combination of those sections. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the prosecuting officer of any county or city shall prosecute all violations of this chapter occurring within his or her jurisdiction.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6980.14. Section 6980.14.

(a) The superior court in and for the county where any person has engaged or is about to engage in any act that constitutes a violation of this chapter, or where any person engages in the business of a locksmith after the revocation or expiration of any license or during the period of suspension of any license, may, upon application of the chief or any person licensed under these provisions or any association representing those licensees or any member of the general public, issue an injunction or other appropriate order restraining this conduct and may impose civil fines not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000). The proceedings under this section shall be governed by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 525) of Title 7 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, except that there shall be no requirement to allege facts necessary to show or tending to show lack of adequate remedy at law or irreparable injury. (b) During the period of revocation, expiration, or suspension, any business telephone number used to conduct, direct, operate, dispatch, manage, or utilize an illegal, nonexempt, or unlicensed locksmith business, locksmith service, service provider, or related activity, may be disconnected by ruling of the chief. (c) The superior court for the county in which any person has engaged in any act that constitutes a violation of this chapter may, upon a petition filed by the chief with the approval of the director, order this person to make restitution to persons injured as a result of the violation. (d) The court may order a person subject to an injunction or restraining order, provided for in subdivision (a), or subject to an order requiring restitution pursuant to subdivision (c), to reimburse the bureau for expenses incurred by the bureau in its investigation related to its petition. (e) A proceeding to impose the fine specified in subdivision (a) and enjoin the unlicensed operation may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General or by any district attorney or city attorney, or with the consent of the district attorney, the city prosecutor in any city or city and county having a full-time city prosecutor for the jurisdiction in which the violation occurred. If the action is brought by the district attorney, the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment is entered. If the action is brought by a city attorney or city prosecutor, one-half of the penalty collected shall be paid to the treasurer of the city in which the judgment was entered and one-half to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment was entered. If the action is brought by the Attorney General, all of the penalty collected shall be deposited in the Private Security Services Fund. (f) The remedy provided for by this section shall be in addition to any other remedy provided for in this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6980.15. Section 6980.15.

No person engaged in performing any service requiring a license under this chapter may bring or maintain any action in any court of this state for the collection of compensation for the performance of any act or agreement, without alleging and proving, that the person was duly licensed at all times during the performance of the act or agreement.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026