SERMI for Auto Locksmiths: Requirements and Cost

What is UK SERMI?

SERMI stands for Security-related Repair and Maintenance Information. It is a scheme that lets independent operators, including auto locksmiths and garages, reach the security-related data carmakers otherwise keep to their own dealer networks: the information needed to programme keys and work on immobilisers.

It went live in the UK on 1 April 2026, administered by RMI Standards and Certification (RMISC), as Motor Trader reported on the day. The first brands to take part were Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota. The list can change, so check the current one with RMISC before relying on it for a particular make.

What do you need to become SERMI approved?

From Core Diagnostics' guide to independent operator registration:

- a basic DBS check for the business's legal representative and for each technician who will use the data - no unspent convictions for those people - public liability insurance - audits over a 5-year approval term, including at least one unannounced visit

A basic DBS certificate costs £21.50 in England and Wales (GOV.UK). Whatever you decide, keep records of which technician programmed which key, and of the checks you made on the customer. Those records are what an audit looks at, and they are your evidence if a job is ever questioned.

How much does SERMI approval cost?

Core Diagnostics' guide puts it at £1,800 for 5 years, or £30 a month. Add a basic DBS certificate for each person who needs one, at £21.50 each in England and Wales (GOV.UK), and any fees each maker charges for access to its data.

Whether it pays depends on your mix of work. If you regularly turn away keys for the participating brands, or send customers to the dealer, the fee can be covered by a small number of extra jobs. WhoCanFixMyCar's 2026 booking data gives an average of £250.33 for key programming and £281.78 for a replacement key, cut and programmed. If most of your work is on makes that do not yet take part, it may be worth waiting.

Is SERMI a legal requirement for auto locksmiths?

No. No law requires an auto locksmith to hold SERMI approval. In practice, though, the participating makers use it as the gate to their security data, so without it you cannot reach that data for their newer models through official routes, as Digidentity's announcement of the UK launch explained.

The law that does apply is the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which received Royal Assent in March 2026. It makes it an offence to possess or supply electronic devices used for vehicle theft, such as key emulators. There is a defence where a person had no intent and no suspicion that a device would be used for theft (Thatcham Research). Keeping clear records of legitimate jobs supports that position.

What checks should you make on every car key job?

Make the same checks on every job, approved or not:

- Proof of keepership: the V5C logbook, or other evidence that the customer is the registered keeper. - Photo ID that matches the name. - For lease and company cars, the finance or fleet company's agreement. - A job record: registration, VIN, documents seen, the technician, and the date.

These are what separate a legitimate key job from helping a theft, and they are what an auditor or the police would ask to see. On locksmiths.trade, a SERMI credential is shown on a listing only after a person has seen the certificate, because we found no public register of approved operators.

Common questions