Becoming a locksmith in the United Kingdom can be as simple as calling yourself a locksmith. That is because the locksmithing industry is not regulated in the UK. However, we don’t suggest just going out and calling yourself a locksmith.

One of the most important parts of any small business is customer retention and satisfaction. A satisfied customer is a customer that is willing to tell others about you. The smaller you are, the less you’re going to want to spend on advertising. Why not do your best work and make the person paying you also your best form of free advertising?

Before you are able to do that, however, you’ll need to learn what it means to be a locksmith.

What does it mean to be an unregulated industry?

For you, it means two main things. One that’s good, and one that’s bad.

First, the good. It means you don’t have to deal with over-regulated, out of touch, non-locksmiths telling you how to do your job. You don’t have government bureaucrats closing you down because you didn’t get an extra re-education credit about pin and tumbler locks that haven’t changed in over 100 years. It means you get to go out there, do your job, be your own boss, and feed your damn family.

Now the bad. It also means you don’t have government regulators watching your back. You don’t have them checking out your competition, finding the people that talk a good game, but end up scamming their customers, closing up shop, and running out of town. You have no way to set yourself apart from those types of people aside from reputation alone. Which, outside of the odd landlord or business entity, you’re unlikely to grow a large reputation as a residential locksmith.

Where should I start to become a locksmith in the United Kingdom?

Well, this page is a great start, but the next step is making sure that you have the skills required to be a locksmith. I’d suggest signing up to our free email course, which walks you through each step at a high level. At the end of that course, if you still think this is right for you, sign up for the more advanced, paid, course that shows you everything you need to know, including how to pick locks, replace locks in doors, re-pin locks, etc.

Locksmithing is an expensive career, but you can start off slow. We’ve already written about starting locksmithing on a budget, which is a good place to learn about that. You start off small, and reinvest your earnings into better equipment that performs tasks you’re not currently able to. For example, did you know that there is actually a lucrative locksmithing career for anyone able to handle being a locksmith for vending machines?

Online Locksmith Training Course

One of the easiest ways to get the skills required to become a locksmith is to sign up to an online locksmith training course. Our basic locksmith course is good, but what I’m really talking about is an in-depth online course that will walk you through all of the step-by-step requirements for becoming a locksmith. The job itself requires specialized knowledge that has traditionally been passed down from locksmith to locksmith. That’s what this online course does, it just does it in the comfort of your own home, at your own learning speed. Take your time, learn locksmithing online, and when you’re ready, go out and launch your own locksmithing business.

Insurance and Bond Protection

One major thing that can help you stand apart from the scammers is having insurance, and being bonded. By getting this voluntarily, you are not only protecting your business in the case of a lawsuit or major problem, but you are able to use that as a selling point to your customers. People understand insurance. They know that if you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is, they can trust you. If only just that little bit more.

Association Memberships

Another big thing to help set you apart from the scammers is getting an association membership. In the UK, you’re looking at the Master Locksmiths Association (or the MLA). As of this writing there are approximately 340 MLA Approved locksmiths working in the UK. If you’re able to use that as a tagline, that of the over six thousand locksmiths in the UK, you are one of a small fraction that are approved by a national trade organization, that is a good selling point. Figuring out how to become a locksmith in the United Kingdom isn’t hard, but becoming a respected locksmith in the United Kingdom is.

That’s why we’re jumping through all of these hoops.