Locksmiths in the UK do not need a licence to trade. The locksmithing industry is not regulated by the UK Government, meaning anybody can buy the tools and start working on your home security. Because there is no legal requirement to hold a qualification or pass a criminal record check, vetting the person who turns up at your door is entirely up to you.
Is a locksmith licence required in the UK
You might expect a trade that deals with the keys to your home to be strictly controlled by law. The reality is that the government judged that there is no need to regulate the locksmith industry. This means no government licence is required to drill a lock, replace a euro cylinder or cut spare keys.
According to the Master Locksmiths Association, the locksmithing industry is NOT Regulated by the UK Government. Anybody can trade as a locksmith irrespective of their competence, background or motive.
Without set prices, locksmiths can set their own prices for every job. The Master Locksmiths Association estimates there are around 6,500 unlicensed locksmiths trading in the UK. This is the trade body's own estimate rather than an independent figure, but it highlights how many unvetted people are operating across the country.
Why that matters when you hire
When you are locked out on the doorstep or your door will not lock at night, you are usually stressed and in a hurry. You are inviting a stranger to work on your front door and trusting them to secure your home. Because anybody can trade as a locksmith, the person arriving might be a highly trained expert or they might have no relevant training at all.
An unskilled worker may cause unnecessary damage to your property. They might drill a mortice deadlock or a sashlock that could have been opened using non-destructive entry. Non-destructive entry means picking or bypassing the lock without breaking it, which saves you the cost of buying replacement parts.
Poor training also leads to bad advice and overpriced repairs. A rogue trader might tell you that your whole multipoint locking mechanism needs replacing when only the central gearbox has failed. The multipoint locking mechanism is the strip of hooks and bolts worked by lifting the door handle, and replacing the whole strip is far more expensive than changing the gearbox alone.
You also risk having cheap parts fitted while paying premium prices. If you need a new euro cylinder, which is the barrel on uPVC and composite doors, an unskilled worker might fit a basic lock that does not resist lock snapping. This leaves your home vulnerable to break-ins while you believe it is secure.
What MLA approved actually checks
Because there is no government licence, the Master Locksmiths Association runs its own voluntary scheme to maintain standards. The MLA is the main trade association for the industry. Its approved companies are vetted before they can use the association's logo or claim membership.
Approved companies are vetted and inspected regularly to ensure their work meets a high standard. These routine inspections can include reviewing completed jobs, having keys cut and checking the company's audit trails. This gives customers more reassurance than a firm that no one checks.
The vetting process also looks at the people doing the work. The scheme requires approved companies to have criminal record checked locksmiths. Standard level DBS checks recently became possible for the MLA, giving customers a clearer picture of who is turning up at their home.
To gain approval, a company must employ a locksmith who has passed the MLA Qualification. The MLA estimates there are 340+ MLA Approved Locksmiths in the UK, against its estimate of around 6,500 unlicensed ones. Like the other figure, this is the trade body's own estimate, not an independent one.
MLA approval is a voluntary choice
The MLA scheme is a voluntary trade body approval, not a legal requirement or a government licence. A locksmith can be highly skilled, experienced and completely honest without ever joining the association.
An MLA firm is not guaranteed to be perfect, and a non-member is not automatically bad. Some non-members may be excellent tradespeople. A night latch or rim lock is the surface mounted latch often called a Yale lock, and fitting one correctly requires skill whether the locksmith is in a trade body or not.
This means you should always look at customer reviews over time, regardless of whether a company claims to be approved. Reading reviews from people in your area will tell you if the locksmith turns up on time, works cleanly and charges the price they quoted. You must always ask for a total price first, including parts and labour, before letting anyone start work on your door.
How to check a locksmith step by step
If a company tells you they are part of the trade association, you need to verify their claim before you hire them. The MLA credentials page explains exactly how to confirm you are dealing with a vetted professional.
Follow these steps to check their background:
- Use the Find a Locksmith search on the MLA's own website to look up the company name or your postcode.
- Do not rely on claims or logos printed on the locksmith's website alone, as these alone are not proof of approval.
- Check the business address is real by looking it up on a map, as many fake locksmiths use false addresses.
- Look closely at the map results to spot fake locksmiths listed in unlikely places, such as a road's central reservation.
- Ask the locksmith for proof of ID and an up to date MLA ID card when they arrive at your home.
- Ask them directly how long they have been in the trade and what experience, training and vetting they have.
An employee of an approved company with an up to date MLA ID card has met the MLA's vetting criteria. If the person at your door cannot produce this card, or makes excuses about leaving it in the van, you should question whether they are genuinely approved.
Claims and logos you cannot trust
The lack of regulation means you have to watch out for deceptive advertising. Some national call centres advertise heavily online, pretending to be a small local locksmith based just down the road. When you call, they pass the job to whoever is nearest.
These national call centres often quote a very low price on the phone to win your business. The MLA warns that advertised prices of £39, £49 or £59 are a common bait and switch tactic. Once the worker is standing on your doorstep, that low starting price multiplies rapidly as they add on labour rates, call-out fees and expensive parts.
You must also ignore any company claiming to have special police backing. There is no such thing as being a Police Approved Locksmith. If you see a website using police logos or claiming official police endorsement for their business, they are misleading you and you should look for someone else.
Another common scam involves demanding cash only and refusing to provide a written invoice. A legitimate business will always have a clear paper trail, a company name and a registered address. If the person arrives in an unmarked vehicle, has no uniform and refuses to give a price before starting, you are looking at the warning signs of a rogue locksmith.
Questions to ask when they arrive
Jobs are usually priced as labour plus parts, either by the hour or as a fixed price per job. Many locksmiths charge no separate call-out fee but some do, and VAT may or may not be included, so you must ask. Most single lock changes and lockouts take well under an hour, so you should not be paying for multiple hours of labour for a basic job.
Ask these questions to get a clear picture of the costs:
- What is the total price for labour, parts and VAT?
- Is there a separate call-out fee on top of the labour rate?
- How much extra do you charge for evening or weekend work?
- How will entry be gained and is drilling likely?
- What security standard will the replacement parts meet?
Prices are heavily driven by the time of day and your location. Evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays cost more than a standard weekday afternoon, while jobs in London and the South East cost more than in other areas. Getting a total price before work starts is the best way to protect yourself from inflated bills.
If they need to fit new parts, ask what standard the new lock meets. For timber doors, you want a mortice lock that meets BS3621, which is the British Standard shown by a Kitemark on the lock faceplate. For uPVC doors, ask for a snap-resistant euro cylinder that meets the TS007 three-star standard or Sold Secure SS312 Diamond.
When MLA approval is not an option
You will not always find an approved company available when you need one. If you suffer a break-in at two in the morning and need your door boarding up, you might have to use whichever local firm is answering the phone. Boarding up involves securing a broken door or window with timber until permanent repairs can be made.
When you have to use an unvetted company, rely on your own common sense checks. Look for a business that has a real local address and a steady stream of reviews going back several years. Ask them to confirm their call-out fee and hourly rate on the phone so there are no surprises when they arrive.
You are still protected by UK law even if the locksmith has no formal qualifications. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If they damage your door through incompetence, you have a right to have the poor work put right or get your money back.
The law also states that the work must be done at a reasonable price if no fixed price was agreed beforehand, and within a reasonable time. Knowing these rights helps you stand your ground if a tradesperson tries to overcharge you for a simple job. If you want to know more about finding a reliable worker, read the guide on how to find a local locksmith.
Report a false claim
Some companies claim MLA membership or use the MLA logo without being members. If a company claims MLA membership or uses the MLA logo without being a member, the MLA asks for a report so it can investigate.
You can report false claims directly through the trade association's website. The MLA says it will investigate reports of false claims.
Taking a few minutes to verify an approval claim protects the reputation of genuine local tradespeople. Always do your own research rather than taking a logo on a van or a website at face value.
Common questions
Do auto locksmiths need a licence?
Auto locksmiths are a separate specialism covering vehicle entry, key cutting, and transponder and remote programming. The locksmithing trade is not regulated by the government, so no licence is needed. You must check their reviews and agree a firm price before letting them work on your car.
Can my landlord change the locks without telling me?
A landlord who changes the locks to keep a tenant out without a court order commits illegal eviction, which is a criminal offence. Tenants should check their tenancy agreement and get the landlord's agreement before changing locks themselves. For disputes about property access, you should speak to Citizens Advice or Shelter for guidance on your specific situation.
Do I get a cooling-off period for locksmith work?
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, there is normally a 14-day cancellation period for work arranged at home or by phone. This does not apply where you specifically asked for a visit for urgent repairs. Extra work sold to you during that visit is not covered by the exception, so you retain your cancellation rights for those additional items.
Are locksmiths DBS checked by law?
There is no legal requirement for a locksmith to have a criminal record check. MLA approved companies do have criminal record checked locksmiths, but for non-members you will need to ask them directly if they have been vetted. Anyone can trade as a locksmith irrespective of their background.
What to do next
Before you hire a locksmith, take a few minutes to protect yourself and your property by following these checks.
- Search for the company on the MLA website to see if their approval claim is genuine.
- Look up their business address on a map to check it is a real building and not a central reservation.
- Read their customer reviews over several years to spot consistent good work.
- Ask for a total price, including parts, VAT and any out-of-hours charge, before work begins.
- Ask how entry will be gained and whether they plan to drill your lock.
- Ask to see their ID and ask about their vetting and experience when they arrive.
Taking the time to ask these questions will help you avoid overpaying and ensure your door is secured properly by someone who knows what they are doing. When you are ready to get a clear quote and have your locks sorted, you can find a locksmith near you to get the job done right.
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