Guide
MLA Approved Locksmiths Explained
The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) is the UK locksmith trade body. Its Approved Companies have passed criminal record checks, the ABBE Level 4 qualification and an inspection, and the MLA says it has over 340 of them. Membership is voluntary, because UK locksmiths are not licensed. Check any claim on the MLA's own search at locksmiths.co.uk.
What is the Master Locksmiths Association?
The MLA is the trade association for locksmiths in the UK. It runs training, a qualification and a public search for its members. Wikipedia puts its total membership at about 1,400, of which about 350 are Approved Companies; the MLA itself says over 340 Approved firms, about 5% of the market.
It matters more than a trade body might in another trade, because locksmiths in the UK are not licensed. Anyone can trade as a locksmith. The MLA's scheme is voluntary, and it is the main independent check of competence that exists. In a 2021 Westminster Hall debate on licensing, the Security Minister pointed householders to the MLA scheme rather than proposing a licence.
What does MLA approval involve?
There are three steps, and each one is a level of membership:
1. Registered member. A standard level DBS (criminal record) check and two references. 2. Qualified Master Locksmith. Passing the MLA Qualification, which is the ABBE Level 4 Certificate in General Locksmithing Skills, regulated by Ofqual. It has four modules: a written paper, fitting a mortice lock, opening a BS 5 lever lock, and cutting a key by hand. Registered members are expected to pass within 4 years. 3. Approved Company. At least 2 years' experience, an application published in the MLA magazine with a 21-day objection period, a decision by the board, and an inspection visit by the MLA Inspectorate. Approved firms are re-inspected.
These steps are from the MLA's own membership pages.
How do you check if a locksmith is MLA approved?
Search on the MLA's own website, not on the locksmith's. The search at locksmiths.co.uk takes a town or postcode and a distance, has filters for services including auto locksmith work, and lists Approved Companies with a reference number (the MLA calls it a licence number, but it is a membership record, not a legal licence).
Three checks are worth doing:
- The name matches. The business you are calling should appear under the same name, not a similar one. - The place matches. An Approved firm in another county is not the firm in your town. - The claim is current. A logo on a website or a van can be old or copied.
On this site, an MLA credential is shown only after a person has matched the business against the MLA search, with the date it was checked.
Does an MLA approved locksmith cost more?
Not necessarily. The MLA publishes its own price list, and its figures sit inside the ranges other sources give. A daytime lockout starts at £90 on the MLA's 2026 list, against £100 to £160 from MyJobQuote. A euro cylinder change starts at £105 on the MLA's list, against about £175 fitted from MyJobQuote.
What membership does not do is fix a price. Ask any locksmith, member or not, for the total before they set off: call-out, labour, parts, VAT and any night or weekend rate.
Are there other locksmith associations?
Yes, and they are not the same thing. The Auto Locksmiths Association is a UK body for vehicle locksmiths with identity and background checks, references and a minimum level of experience; it has a public directory. The UK Locksmiths Association is run by a training company, and its membership asks for a basic criminal record check; no inspection or exam requirement was found.
Other schemes check the business rather than the trade: Which? Trusted Traders (which has worked with the MLA since 2018) and Trading Standards' Buy With Confidence. Each publishes its own search. Check a claim there, not on the business's website.
Common questions
Does a locksmith have to be MLA approved?
No. MLA membership is voluntary, and UK locksmiths are not licensed. Many competent locksmiths are not members, but approval is the one independent check of competence the trade has.
What is a Qualified Master Locksmith?
An MLA member who has passed the MLA Qualification, the ABBE Level 4 Certificate in General Locksmithing Skills. It is regulated by Ofqual and includes written and practical modules.
How many MLA approved locksmiths are there?
The MLA says over 340 Approved Companies, about 5% of the UK trade. Wikipedia puts total membership of all grades at about 1,400, so most members are not Approved Companies.
Is the MLA logo on a website proof of membership?
No. A logo can be old or copied. Search the business's name or your postcode on the MLA's own site, locksmiths.co.uk, and check that the name and place match.