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How to become an auto locksmith in the UK
No licence needed. Our 5 day auto locksmith course trains you hands-on, then we back you up on your first jobs.
The short answers, before you start
The four things everyone asks first. Each one has more detail further down the page.
- Do I need a licence?
- Nolicence needed
- There’s no licensing scheme for auto locksmiths in the UK. Customers look for training and insurance.
- Licence questions
- How long does it take?
- 5 daysto learn the core jobs
- Entry, lock picking, key cutting and programming on real cars, then the App backs you up.
- See the week
- What does it cost to start?
- £2,500+ VAT for the course
- The tools are the bigger cost: the Starter Bundle is £5,000 + VAT with the course.
- See every cost
- What can I earn?
- £23k–£30kemployed, a year (NCS)
- Self-employed, it depends on your area and how easily people find you. We won’t promise a figure.
- Earnings and setting up
Is this the right job for you?
An auto locksmith gets people back into their cars and makes and programs car keys. It’s practical, hands-on work, mostly from a van, and you can be your own boss.
The jobs you’ll do
- LockoutsKeys locked in the car: get in without damage.
- Spare keysCut and program a second key for a customer.
- All keys lostMake and program a key when none are left.
- Trade workJobs for garages, dealers and recovery firms.
People who train with us are often
- Career changers who want a trade they can start quickly
- Mechanics and recovery drivers adding car keys to their work
- House locksmiths moving into cars, where the work is
- Complete beginners no experience is needed
How to become an auto locksmith, in 5 steps
The order most people do it in. It starts with the training, because everything else depends on knowing the jobs.
Step 1 of 5 · start here
Learn the trade
Learn the jobs hands-on, on real cars, with a trainer next to you. Entry and lock picking, key cutting, transponders and key programming: that’s the core of the work, and you can learn it in a week.
- 5 days in our Buntingford workshop
- Up to 6 students, with 2 trainers
- 9 live vehicles to train on
Step 2 of 5
Get your tools
You need a key cutting machine, a key programmer, entry tools, lock picks and key blanks. Buy what you trained on, so you know it works. The Starter Bundle is the full kit in one go.
- Starter Bundle: £500 off with the course
- Collect it at the end of the course
- Or buy tools one at a time from our shop
Step 3 of 5
Set up the business
Register as self-employed with HMRC, get public liability insurance and business cover on your van. A basic DBS check helps garages and trade customers trust you, though the law doesn’t ask for one.
- Register as a sole trader on GOV.UK
- Public liability and tools insurance
- Your van insured for business use
Step 4 of 5
Get found online
People locked out search on their phone and call the first locksmith who looks real. You need a website built for that, a Google Business Profile and reviews. We build websites for auto locksmiths.
- A phone-first website, from £750 + VAT
- Your Google Business Profile set up
- Optional Monthly SEO to stay found
Step 5 of 5
Do your first jobs
Start with the jobs you trained on and build from there. With App support from the course, you can look up a car by its reg, follow step-by-step videos and ask other locksmiths.
- App support with the course
- Vehicle guides and job videos
- A community to ask when you’re stuck
The 5 Day Auto Locksmith Course
Your first week as an auto locksmith
Monday to Friday in our Buntingford workshop. 100% hands-on: we teach you, we show you, then it’s your turn. Pick a day to see what you learn.
Get into a car without damage: lock picks, entry tools and the safe way in.
- Vehicle entry tools
- Lock picking and decoding
- Working on real doors
Read a lock and cut a working key on the machines you’ll use on jobs.
- Decoding locks
- Key cutting machines
- Blades and key types
How car keys talk to the car, and how to clone and program them. Ford and Vauxhall.
- Transponder chips
- Cloning keys
- Ford and Vauxhall
The VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda work you’ll see most, with programming adapters.
- VAG group cars
- MQB platform
- Programming adapters
Higher-value work on Mercedes and Land Rover, then your course certificate.
- Mercedes EIS
- Land Rover
- Your course certificate
How much does it cost to become an auto locksmith?
Our own prices, so you can plan. Most people start with the course and the kit; a website is optional.
Try it first
1 Day Taster
£149inc VAT
A day on real cars to see if the trade is for you.
See the tasterLearn
5 Day course
£2,500+ VAT (£3,000 inc VAT)
Five days hands-on, all tools provided, App support.
See datesGet kitted out
Starter Bundle
£5,000+ VAT with the course
Key programmer, cutting machine, lock picks, keys and blades. £5,500 + VAT on its own.
See the bundleGet found
Website
from £750+ VAT, optional
A phone-first site built for you. Monthly SEO £300 + VAT if you want it.
See the packages
Course + Starter Bundle£7,500 + VATwith the £500 bundle saving
Also budget for public liability insurance and business cover on your van (get quotes: it depends on you and your area). Finance is available on the 5 Day course, subject to approval.
See 5 Day course datesWebsites for locksmiths
Not only tools and equipment. We help you get spotted online.
Websites built for phones, with tap-to-call and WhatsApp. Fixed price, agreed in writing before any work starts.
- Starter site10–12 pages£750 + VAT: see the Starter site
- Pro site15–20 pages£950 + VAT: see the Pro site
- Monthly SEOOptional, paid monthly£300 + VAT a month: see monthly SEO
Websites: pay 50% to start, the rest when your site is ready. Domain and hosting are charged separately; we tell you the price before we start.
Booking a course? Tick ‘Help me get my business online’ and choose to build now or talk it through with Tyler. Build now and your website’s 50% deposit is paid with your course. See how it works
What trainees say about the course
Three people who trained with us, in their own words. Tap to play.
What do our students say?
Watch · the 5 Day course
The 5 Day course, in a short film
See what the week looks like: real cars, small classes and Tyler teaching on the bench.
Website and online help are optional extras. We help you get found; we can’t promise rankings or customers.
Play the 5 Day course film
Questions about becoming an auto locksmith
Locksmith or auto locksmith?
A locksmith works mainly on doors and homes. An auto locksmith works on vehicles: getting into locked cars, cutting keys and programming keys and remotes. The 5 Day course is for auto locksmiths.
Do I need a licence, a qualification or experience?
No. There’s no licensing scheme for auto locksmiths in the UK, so no licence or qualification is required by law, and the 5 Day course is built for complete beginners. We teach you, we show you, then it’s your turn: on the bench first, then on real cars. You get a course certificate, which shows you trained with Alter Academy. It isn’t a regulated qualification.
Do you need a licence to be a locksmith in the UK?
There’s no licence to work as a locksmith in the UK. What matters is good training, insurance and honest work. Some jobs, like key programming with dealer tools, need you to register with the tool or manufacturer scheme.
Where is the training, and how big are the classes?
In our workshop in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, not far from London and Stansted Airport. Classes are capped at 6 students with two trainers, so you get help when you need it. We send the full address and directions when you book.
Will you get me customers?
No one can promise you customers, and we won’t. What we do: we train you, we help you get set up, and, if you choose the paid extras, we build your website to help people near you find you. How busy you get depends on your area, your hours and your skills.
Is a website included with the course, and how do I pay for one?
No. A website is an optional paid extra, and monthly SEO is a separate monthly plan. The 5 Day course includes advice on your website, SEO, Google Ads and B2B work, and App support. When you book your course you can tick ‘Help me get my business online’, then choose to build your website now or talk it through with Tyler on the course. Build it now and its 50% deposit is added to your booking and paid with your course. The course price itself never changes. See how it works
Booked with your course, the website’s 50% deposit is paid in the same checkout. Starter is £750 + VAT and Pro is £950 + VAT: you pay 50% to start and the rest when your site is ready. Monthly SEO is £300 + VAT a month, optional and paid monthly. Booked with your course, you can cancel the website any time before your course ends and get your deposit back. See the packages
What insurance does an auto locksmith need?
Start with public liability insurance. It isn’t required by law, but it protects you if something goes wrong on a customer’s car, so don’t work without it. Add cover for your tools, and make sure your van is insured for business use.
What happens if I get stuck on a job?
With the App support that comes with the 5 Day course, you can look up step-by-step videos and vehicle-specific guides, use the diagnostic tools and get live community support.
What tools do I need to start?
A key cutting machine, a key programmer, entry tools, lock picks and key blanks. You use all of them on the course, so you know what to buy. The Starter Bundle is the full kit in one go, or you can buy tools one at a time as the work comes in.
Can I learn to be an auto locksmith online?
You can learn a lot of the theory online, in our App and online courses. Getting into a car and programming a key is best learned at a bench with a trainer next to you, which is what the 5 Day course is for.
How much do auto locksmiths earn in the UK?
The National Careers Service gives about £23,000 a year for a starting locksmith and £30,000 with experience, for employed work. If you run your own business, it depends on your area, your prices, your hours and how many people can find you, so we don’t promise a figure.
How do I set up as a self-employed auto locksmith?
Register as self-employed with HMRC (GOV.UK: set up as a sole trader), get public liability insurance and business cover on your van, and get a Google Business Profile and a website so people can find you. A basic DBS check helps garages and trade customers trust you.
