CA Bus & Prof Code § 6980.12 (2021)
2021 California Code|Business and Professions Code - BPC|DIVISION 3 - PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS GENERALLY|CHAPTER 8.5 - Locksmiths|ARTICLE 3 - Application of Chapter|Section 6980.12.

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.(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 406, Sec. 1. (SB 904) Effective January 1, 2019.)