Proof of ownership, ID and a signature before the door opens
A locksmith's most important paperwork happens on a doorstep at night: the person asking you to open the door says they live there, and you need a record that they said so, who they are, and that they signed. SignMaster turns that lockout authorization into a form on your phone, with fields for the ID details, a photo of the license and a signature, and keeps the signed copy with a time and IP address.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 4 min read
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Documents a locksmith gets signed
- Lockout authorizationProof of ownership or residency for a house, apartment or business: the requester's name, address, phone, date of birth and ID number, and their signature stating they're entitled to enter.
- Vehicle key and lockout formFor opening a car or cutting a key to a VIN: the requester's ID, the vehicle's plate or VIN, and proof they own it, like the registration or title.
- Destructive entry releaseWhen picking won't work and you have to drill, the customer accepts that the lock is destroyed and approves the replacement price before you start.
- Rekey or lock change authorizationWho authorized the change at a rental or business. A tenant asking for new locks may need the owner's or manager's sign-off first.
- Key control authorizationFor restricted and master key systems: the people allowed to order keys for a building, signed by the owner, so you can refuse anyone not on the list.
- Commercial service agreementHardware, access control and panic devices for a property: rates, response times and after-hours charges. Start from the service agreement.
When the law asks for a work order
Some states spell out what you must record, and California's locksmith law is a detailed example. Under Business and Professions Code section 6980.55, a locksmith who opens a residence or commercial establishment for someone after an on-site inspection of the door must get the street address and the signature of the person it was opened for on a work order, along with that person's name, address, phone number, date of birth and driver's license or ID number. A similar work order is required for making keys that open a vehicle, with its registration or identification number. Copies are kept for two years, show the locksmith's name and license number, and are open to inspection by peace officers and the state bureau.
Other states and cities have their own licensing and record rules, and many have none. A signed authorization with ID details is good practice anywhere: if a neighbor calls the police while you're working, you have the paper.
A lockout, start to finish
- 1
Open the lockout template
Your company name and license number are already printed on it. Fill in the address and your price while the customer waits.
- 2
Hand over the phone
Choose Sign in person. The customer types their name, phone and date of birth, enters their license number in a Driver's license field, which prints it in capitals, and signs the statement that they're entitled to enter.
- 3
Picture the ID
A required Photo field opens the camera so the customer can photograph their license, and the picture prints inside the signed PDF. Compare it with the person in front of you; SignMaster stores the image, checking it is your job.
- 4
Open the door, keep the record
The signed PDF arrives by email with its certificate of completion: the time, the IP address and the device it was signed on. Download it from the envelope whenever you need it.
An ID photo travels with the PDF
Everyone who gets the signed copy sees the license photo. Keep CC lists on lockout forms short, and don't add anyone who has no reason to see a customer's license.
Commercial clients and key control
Restricted key systems only work if you know who may order keys. Send the building owner a key control authorization by link, listing the people allowed to request keys. When a key order comes in, send a short approval to the owner's side with a signer group, so whichever of the listed managers is around can approve it. The envelope's history shows who did, and when.
Property managers with dozens of units can approve rekeys from their desk, and the tenant can be a CC who gets the signed copy. Each send is an envelope, SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers.
Plans
A mobile locksmith working alone fits Solo at $15 a month, with unlimited envelopes, so every 2 a.m. lockout gets its own signed form. A shop with techs on the road fits Crew at $49 a month for 5 people. Free has 3 envelopes a month to try it. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. See every plan.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't verify IDs or check them against a database. It records what the customer gives you.
- It doesn't take payment for the call.
- It doesn't know your state's locksmith rules. Check with your licensing agency what your work order must include.
- It doesn't sign offline. Scanning in the app works without a signal; signing needs a data connection.
Questions? Answers.
What should a locksmith lockout authorization form include?
At least the requester's name, address, phone and ID number, the property being opened, the date and their signature stating they're entitled to enter. California, for example, requires the address, the requester's details including date of birth, and their signature on a work order kept for two years.
Can a customer sign the lockout form on my phone?
Yes. Fill the template, choose Sign in person and hand over the phone. The customer doesn't need an account or an app.
Can I photograph the customer's ID with the form?
Yes. Add a Photo field to the template. The customer takes the picture during signing and it prints inside the signed PDF. Keep the list of people who receive that PDF short.
How long should I keep lockout records?
As long as your state requires. California requires locksmiths to keep these work orders for two years. You can download any signed PDF from its envelope.
Sources
- California Business and Professions Code § 6980.55 · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services: Consumer guide to locksmith companies · bsis.ca.gov