Does Colorado license locksmiths?

The answer, with the detail

No, and Denver has no city license for it either. The Colorado Legislative Council lists more than 100 jobs that need a state license or registration, most of them overseen by DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations, and locksmith isn't on the list. That leaves the company itself to vet. Look up its legal or trade name in the Secretary of State's business search, get the full price in writing before the work, and keep an itemized invoice carrying that same name.

A two-minute check you can run on the phone

1. Get the legal name. Ask outright. A genuine shop answers with its name; a lead-selling call center answers "locksmith service."
2. Search it. The Colorado Secretary of State's business search shows whether the entity or trade name is registered and whether it's in good standing.
3. Get one number in writing. The whole job, travel included, before the van rolls. A text message is fine.
4. Trade IDs. They should ask for yours, and you're entitled to ask for theirs.
5. Keep the invoice. Itemized, with that same business name at the top.

How many real shops are there?

The Census counted 41 locksmith businesses across the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro in 2023, and every one had fewer than 20 employees (County Business Patterns). Bureau of Labor Statistics figures count about 200 locksmith jobs in the metro. So the real work is done by a few dozen small outfits, while many of the names in search results are lead sellers. We're one of those: Denver Key Line is a referral service, and every page says so.

When a job goes wrong

Hold on to the invoice and every text. File a complaint with the Colorado Attorney General's consumer protection section (Stop Fraud Colorado, 1-800-222-4444). Theft or threats go to the police.