Locksmith
Fit, repair and open locks, safes and security systems – a problem-solving trade for calm, trustworthy people.
- Salary£23,000 – £30,000
- Hours42 to 44 hours a week; evenings, weekends and bank holidays as customers need (National Careers Service)
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is common
What the job is like
Locksmiths install, repair and service locks on homes, businesses and vehicles, cut keys, fit safes and advise people on security. Much of the work comes from call-outs – someone locked out, or a break-in that needs making secure – so every day brings a different puzzle.
The National Careers Service does not list an apprenticeship route for this trade; people usually train with a locksmith company or take courses with private providers or a professional body. Because you are trusted with people's security, background checks are part of getting in.
What you'll do
- Assess jobs and give quotes
- Remove broken locks and fit new ones to doors and windows
- Cut keys
- Fit combination locks and timers to safes
- Service and repair locks and other security devices
- Repair vehicle locks
- Attend call-outs for lock-outs and after break-ins
- Advise customers on home and business security
Where you'll work
- In customers' homes
- Outdoors
- On the road
- Indoors
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become a locksmith
Direct application
Approach local locksmith companies to ask about trainee roles; practical experience in carpentry, mechanics or electronics helps.
Other ways in
Training courses with private providers or a professional body such as the Master Locksmiths Association, from beginner to advanced level. Research any course carefully before paying.
Qualifications, licences and cards
- Full driving licence – listed as a requirement by the National Careers Service
- Background (criminal record) checks
- Optional industry qualifications, such as those recognised by the Master Locksmiths Association
Where it can lead
- Work for a national locksmith company
- Specialise in domestic, commercial or vehicle security, or safes and electronic systems
- Set up your own business
Good to know
- The Master Locksmiths Association reports that Ofqual confirmed there are no plans for compulsory qualifications to trade as a locksmith – which makes choosing reputable training all the more important.
- Think early about the kind of locksmith you want to be: automotive, domestic or commercial, or safes and electronic security.
- Call-outs happen at all hours, and you will travel in all weathers.
Courses and training
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Trade training
Locksmith training – Master Locksmiths Association
Training courses from the locksmiths' trade association. There is no compulsory qualification to trade as a locksmith, so research any course carefully before paying.
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Locksmith nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/locksmith
- How to become a locksmith (Master Locksmiths Association) locksmiths.co.uk/faq/how-to-become-a-locksmith/
- locksmiths.co.uk locksmiths.co.uk/faq/qualification-to-trade-as-locksmith/
- Master Locksmiths Association training locksmiths.co.uk/trade/training/