Lockpick Laws by State / Lock Pick Laws by State 2024

What is a Lockpick?

Lock picking is the act of unlocking a lock without using a key, but instead using tools and techniques to manipulate the internal components of the lock. Lockpicks are typically long, thin pieces of metal with differently curved and bent tips. These are designed to move, or "pick" the pins in cylinder locks.

Lock picking is often associated with criminal activity, such as breaking into homes during burglaries or breaking into a vehicle with intent to steal it. However, lock picking is also an essential skill for those in the locksmith profession, and can help people who have been locked out of their own vehicles. Law-abiding citizens may also learn the skill for legal, strictly recreational use: "locksport" is a sport/hobby that centers around defeating lock systems.

Is Lock Picking Legal?

Public ownership of lockpicks and other lock-picking tools is illegal in some countries, such as Japan. However, in many other countries, lock-picking tools are legal and available for purchase by everyday citizens as long as the buyer has no intent to use the items for criminal purposes.

Lock-picking tools are available and legal in the United States. In the majority of U.S. states and the District of Columbia, lock picking is declared legal by specific legal statutes. Even in these states, however, the person lock picking must show benign intent.

A handful of states have no specific laws regarding lock picking. Therefore, lock picking is legal by lack of statute. These states are:

• Arkansas

• Indiana
• North Carolina
• North Dakota

• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

In Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia, lock picking is legal but further caution is merited. In these states, the person may have to counter prima facie evidence regarding the intent of their possessing lock-picking tools. This means that they would need to prove that the first impression of possessing these tools for criminal purposes is incorrect.