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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Pop-A-Lock Franchise

Pop-A-Lock is one of North America’s largest locksmith franchises, founded in 1991 by a group of law enforcement officers and franchised under SystemForward America, Inc. The brand built its name on fast, damage-free emergency lockout work and has grown into a full-service locksmith network operating across the United States, Canada and Australia.

Franchisees deliver automotive, residential and commercial locksmith services, including car-door unlocking, smart-key duplication and programming, ignition and key extraction, rekeying, lock repair and installation, electronic locks, roadside assistance and 24/7 emergency response. The model is mobile and territory-based, serving drivers, homeowners and business clients, with national dispatch through the 1-800-POPALOCK line feeding local operators.

Two features set the brand apart: its PALSavesKids program, which frees children locked in vehicles at no charge, and Pop-A-Lock Smart Track, a service-management system offering technician identification, GPS tracking, digital receipts and customer surveys at participating locations.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Pop-A-Lock Franchise?

Buying a Pop-A-Lock franchise means stepping into an established, widely recognised brand in a service category built on everyday, non-discretionary demand. Locks fail, keys are lost and people get locked out regardless of the wider economy, giving the model a resilient stream of call-outs across automotive, home and commercial work.

The franchise offers a mobile, lower-overhead structure with proprietary equipment, group buying power and a national dispatch number that routes leads to local operators. No prior locksmith experience is required, and owners gain marketing support, an established operating system and the goodwill of the PALSavesKids community program, which builds local trust that independent locksmiths rarely match.

Pop-A-Lock Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1991

    • Franchising Since

      1994

    • New Startup Cost

      $117,566 – $190,611

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $23,000 – $63,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $11,500

    • Royalty Fee

      7%

      of Total Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      316

    • New Units Opened *

      1

    • Units Transferred *

      12

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Pop-A-Lock – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Pop-A-Lock provides incoming owners with structured initial training of roughly 59 hours of classroom instruction plus 7 hours on the job, along with proprietary equipment, so no prior locksmith experience is needed. Ongoing support includes a dedicated marketing and advertising department, digital and social-media consultants, the national 1-800-POPALOCK dispatch line and the Pop-A-Lock Smart Track service-management platform. Resale buyers should confirm with the franchisor what transfer training and Smart Track system access carry over to a new owner and any existing technicians.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Pop-A-Lock suits hands-on local operators comfortable building a mobile service business rather than working a desk. The model rewards owners who can recruit and manage reliable technicians, coordinate scheduling and dispatch, and maintain fast, dependable service in time-sensitive lockout situations. Strong local marketing instincts and an interest in community safety help, given the brand's PALSavesKids focus. No locksmith background is required, as training and proprietary tools are provided, making it a fit for service-minded operators and managers.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Pop-A-Lock is consistently ranked #1 in its category in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, placing #162 overall on the 2025 list, and holds a 4-Star Franchisee Satisfaction rating from Franchise Business Review alongside a place among the Top 100 fastest-growing franchises. The brand is Better Business Bureau accredited and active in the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA). For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reviews, referral sources and community reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US locksmith services market is worth roughly $3 billion a year and remains highly fragmented, spread across nearly 30,000 mostly independent operators (IBISWorld). That fragmentation favours organised, branded networks that can win customer trust at scale. Demand is steady and largely recession-resistant, as lockouts, lost keys and security needs arise regardless of economic conditions, while growth in keyless and electronic systems is expanding the smart-key and programming work available to skilled technicians. For resale buyers, local call volume and account mix matter more than national figures.

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