Master Locksmiths Association


Master Locksmiths Association is a not for profit trade association representing locksmiths in the United Kingdom. It operates a certification program and a referral program to direct consumers to its certified locksmiths. It was established in 1958 and has about 1,400 members.

Certification and referral

Locksmithing does not come under the Security [Industry Authority], and there is no government licensing of locksmiths. This in effect means that anyone can trade as a locksmith irrespective of background, motive or competence. In 2009 it became possible to get a background check on a locksmith. This occurred when the Exceptions order for the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 was changed in July 2009 following debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords whereby the MLA was added to the list enabling it to get standard level CRB disclosures.
The MLA has its own non-governmental certification process whereby companies are vetted and regularly inspected. It currently has about 350 Approved Companies, which can be found through its "Find a Locksmith" website referral program.

Membership types

The MLA has four member sectors:
The MLA offers four grades of individual membership. In ascending order of seniority, these are: Student, Advanced Student, Personal, and Fellow.
The MLA also offers two types of organisation membership – Approved Company membership for locksmithing companies and Affiliate membership for manufacturers and distributors.

Former structure

Formerly, the four membership divisions were:
  • The British Locksmiths Institute
  • The MLA Trade Division
  • The MLA Affiliate Division
  • The Guild of Keycutters.

    ''De facto'' standards body

Within the United Kingdom, publishers of books and periodicals about home and business security commonly recommend the use of MLA members as a source of locks, related security hardware, and advice about physical security measures. This reliance on the MLA by all sectors, in conjunction with the opacity and lack of regulation in the private security industry in the United Kingdom, has led scholars to express concerns about the accuracy of claims made both by and about organisations such as the MLA.