Locksmith Services in Columbia, SC

Historic neighborhoods and mill villages

Columbia has 15 historic district zoning overlays. Elmwood Park mixes Queen Anne, Four-Square, Colonial Revival and Craftsman-influenced bungalows, many built between 1900 and 1940. Cottontown/Bellevue, named for the cotton warehouses that once stood there, was built mostly between the early 1900s and 1945.

Two districts preserve mill villages. Granby Mill Village is dominated by saltbox houses built from 1897 to 1899, and most buildings in the Whaley Street district date from the 1910s and 1920s.

Elmwood Park, Granby, Cottontown/Bellevue, Wales Garden, Melrose Heights/Oak Lawn, Oakwood Court and the University neighborhood are architectural conservation districts. There the city generally reviews all exterior work and typically requires materials to match the original, so ask the city's preservation staff before replacing an original entry door. In protection areas such as Earlewood, review mostly covers additions, new construction, demolition and site work such as fences and driveways. Lock rekeying changes the keys and leaves the exterior as it is.

The University neighborhood near USC has always been home to many faculty members and students and contains some of the city's earliest apartment buildings; if you live in one, say whether the building has a shared street entrance.

The Vista and business keys

The West Gervais Street Historic Commercial District, in the Vista, holds commercial and industrial buildings from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, many shaped by the railroad lines nearby. In a building like these, say which door is involved: storefront, rear or loading. See commercial locksmith.

For newly constructed business locations, the city's Business Licensing division suggests updating contact information with the 911 division. The Columbia-Richland 911 business emergency contact form lists up to four people, called in order, plus the alarm company, and can be reused whenever details change. After a rekey, or when keyholders change, update the form so the 911 center's emergency access details stay accurate.

Parking while you wait

City Parking Services enforces parking from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, citywide, and on Saturdays in the Five Points and Bull Street districts. On the city's approved public holidays there is no on-street enforcement and parking deck gates are raised.

At a meter, give the block and nearest cross street; in a city deck, give the deck name, level and space. For children or pets locked in a car, call 911 first. See car lockout.

City rules for rentals

Under Ordinance 2015-099, effective July 1, 2016, every residential rental unit in the city must have a Residential Rental Permit, required by City Code Sec. 5-326, before it is occupied as a rental.

Rentals of less than 30 consecutive days are governed by Chapter 5, Article IX of the City Code, added by Ordinance 2023-037 and effective May 4, 2023. Sec. 5-403 requires a separate short-term rental permit for each dwelling unit and allows permits only for an owner or responsible local representative with a residence or business office within 45 miles of the property. Sec. 5-402 requires a business license and a house manual that gives guests emergency contact numbers and the owner's or representative's contact information. If guests will enter with a code rather than a key, a keypad or smart lock lets the code change between stays. This is general information, not legal advice.

Requesting service in Columbia

South Carolina Locksmith Pros takes service requests from homes, businesses and drivers in Columbia. Include the neighborhood or nearest cross streets and say whether it is a house, an apartment, a storefront or a car. More on South Carolina.