Whether you can earn a locksmith certification completely online largely depends on the program you attend. The exact courses that are in an online locksmith program will vary depending on where you enroll.
The apprentice gets first-hand experience with the technical aspects of working as a locksmith as well as the business aspects of the career. Most education and training programs last from a few months to four years. However, locksmiths gain knowledge and skills by taking advantage of training.
Taking an extra few minutes to make sure you hire a reputable company you can trust with your money—and safety—is paramount. Whether you’re locked out of your car or need to replace your new home’s locks, a locksmith can help. These professionals are usually available anytime day or night, though you’ll pay a bit more for emergency after-hours services. The national average cost of hiring a locksmith is around $150, but the exact price depends on the services you need and when you need them. If you’re locked out of your home or looking to optimize your home’s security, you’ll need to hire a locksmith.
Read more about Locked out of car here.
Those with real locations near you will have an address shown, those without, won’t have an address. I wont’ say which ones there are, but I see at least two high ranking sites in this search that are known to be price gouging, bait and switch companies. You can read more about that in our article on Locksmith Fraud. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at
Start a Home-Based Locksmith Business
The Irish Locksmith Organisation has 50 members with ongoing training to ensure all members are up-to-date with knowledge and skills. If you call a locksmith who says it’s necessary to drill your lock and replace it, think about hiring another person. A skilled, legitimate locksmith has invested in the tools and education and honed the skills to unlock almost any door.
They do this to get your call and steal business from the real local locksmith that is near you. A stuck lock can make a homeowner think that if they jimmy the knob and key just right, it will finally let them in. Sadly, it doesn’t always work, and they still end up locked out. Even if you had a screwdriver handy, the screws on a door handle are on the inside of the door to keep it secure. And despite what we see in the movies, picking a lock on your own isn’t a wise idea. If done improperly or with the wrong tools, you can permanently damage your own door locks, which will cost you more money to replace in the long run. Though you can find tutorial videos on how to rekey a lock, without the right tools, you could damage the tumblers.
Which US States Need Locksmith License?
If the job is just to set a new combination or switch a manual lock to an electronic one, expect to pay around $50 to $150. But to manually open a safe, you’ll pay a safe locksmith a bare minimum of $150. For tougher cases, where the pro needs to drill into the lock to get it open, the price rises to $200 to $400.
Contact a locally approved school to register for a certification course or study on your own. The remaining portion of the test will cover whichever other 2 elective categories you choose to take. These categories range from 25 to 40 questions depending on which one is chosen. A passing score of 70% is also required for each of the 2 elective categories. There are also some local municipalities within other states that require certification as well.
You can often be granted a license that very day and begin your locksmith career. Before reaching out for service, learn whether your state requires locksmith certification for business. If so, ask to see documentation and verify your potential locksmith’s credentials. The first step in owning a locksmith business is to get the proper education and earn the certifications needed and license required to operate in the state where you live.