Reviewed by the Master Locksmith team · Updated November 11, 2026
What counts
Any valid government-issued photo ID, such as:
- a driver’s license,
- a state ID card,
- a passport,
- a military ID.
When we ask for it
- Before opening a house, apartment, business, car, trunk, safe or storage unit. See house lockout and car lockout.
- Before making or programming a car key. See car key replacement.
Why we ask
A locksmith can open almost any door, so the check matters. Anyone could call and say a car or a house is theirs. Checking ID keeps us from opening it for the wrong person, and it is one of the signs of a legitimate locksmith: see how to check a locksmith is legitimate in Maryland.
