You must be at least 18 years old and have a clean criminal history if you’re going to become a locksmith. The process of becoming a locksmith can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years depending on how much training you pursue and what the requirements are where you live.

It may be easier to find a job if you have a college degree, but you’ll still need to become certified. GED stands for General Education Development. In most trades, it fulfills the requirement of a high school degree.

Vocational school usually costs somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000. This is the most time-consuming way to become qualified, but you’ll get an extremely thorough understanding of the field. Most vocational schools help you get certified and find work after you graduate as well. If you live in a state that doesn’t require certification, vocational schools will typically award you with an accreditation that will make it easier for you to find work.

If you complete a certified lockpicking course, you will be awarded a letter of recommendation demonstrating that you’ve completed their coursework. This will help you get certified in most states. Locksmithing requires hands-on experience, and there are a lot of disreputable online programs. Sign up for an in-person class if you can. [5] X Research source

The certification process can take 1-6 weeks depending on where you live. In some states, the Department of Consumer Affairs is in charge of locksmithing licensure. In other states, the business bureau regulates locksmith certification. In many states, vocational schools are allowed to certify students that graduate. The shorter 5-20 week classes are rarely allowed to give certifications, though. Some states and countries have no certification requirements for locksmiths. In these states, anyone can work for a locksmith.

You can also call your local government’s consumer affairs line to find out where you can apply for a locksmith certification. You will typically upload each of your required documents to an online portal. In some states, you may need to mail these documents in.

Most states list the documents that they require on their website.

Depending on where you live, you may still be able to apply for a locksmith certification even if you do have a criminal history so long as you didn’t commit a felony or violent crime.

In the states where you do not need certification, you’ll still have a pretty hard time finding a locksmith position without completing vocational school or a locksmithing class.

The application for your locksmith certification typically costs $50-300. It may take a little longer for the government to process your application if they have a large backlog of applications. In some areas, a locksmith license must be paired with an independent contractor’s license. If you don’t already have a contractor’s license, you’ll need to submit a separate application and pay an additional fee. Renew your license every 1-5 years by paying the renewal fee.

Your resume doesn’t matter nearly as much as your certification and your interview. Don’t worry if your job experience doesn’t perfectly align with a career in locksmithing. You can also call locksmiths in your area to find out if they’re hiring. If you live around smaller, older businesses, they may not list their available positions online.

Most locksmiths stay competitive by answering emergency calls. These calls may come late at night or extremely early in the morning, so be prepared to lose some sleep every once in a while. If you’re called to unlock a home door for someone that locked their keys inside, remember to always check their government ID to ensure that the person calling you lives at the address. It is usually illegal to let someone into a building if they cannot prove that they live there.

Some locksmiths advance in their field by learning about camera surveillance and alarm systems so that they can market these services to clients.