What you need to know about starting a locksmith business

Do you want to start a locksmith business? It's a fine profession that lets you help people out of tough situations. Here's how.

Do you want to start a locksmith business? It's a fine profession that lets you help people out of tough situations, and allows you to learn all about the many security features of the buildings we visit every day. It's the perfect job for someone who has a good level of manual dexterity, and likes to get out in their community every day on the job. There are several steps involved in the process of starting a locksmith business, and you have a number of different options of how to go about it.

First you have to learn the skills of a locksmith. Many colleges offer locksmith training programs where you can obtain all the necessary skills to do the job. You can also pursue distance education courses to learn to locksmith, as there are many courses offered online through various schools and professional training organizations.

Locksmiths do a lot more than just pick locks. They also create key duplicates, modify existing locks, sell and install safes, new locks and other security features, while working with various types of security systems. Locksmiths in training learn how to work with business security systems, electronic security systems, panic hardware, residential locks and residential security systems.

Once you've completed your training, you'll have to register to do a certification test. The school where you trained will offer these tests. You'll have to submit a photo of yourself with a signed affidavit including your fingerprints that verifies your criminal record. To pass the test itself you'll have to answer a series of questions testing your knowledge of all the different types of locks you'll encounter on the job.

Being a locksmith is a voluntary certification trade in many provinces, meaning that there isn't always a requirement to work as an apprentice or journeyman to become fully certified, though in most places those paths are still available.

Getting a certification and becoming a licensed locksmith is not necessarily required to start working, but it will help you hone your craft and also open up a much larger range of business opportunities, as many professional organizations only work with certified professionals. Another helpful path can be to work for an existing company before starting your own locksmith business. That way, you can learn the ropes and get the experience you need to set out on your own entrepreneurial path.