How to Become a Locksmith: Career, Salary & Training

Business & Finance

How to Become a Locksmith: Career, Salary & Training

Ensure that the key FOB is compatible with your vehicle’s make and model, and consider consulting a locksmith for advice on selecting the right key FOB before making a purchase. While some vehicles offer DIY programming options, called “on board programming” they are usually the older vehicles. Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC) can turn mobile phones into keys.

Biometrics, or face, eye, and fingerprint scans, are common. Most people know about this tech from their smartphones. IoT is changing commercial and residential security systems.

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If done improperly or with the wrong tools, you can permanently damage your own door locks, which will cost you more money to replace in the long run. Though you can find tutorial videos on how to rekey a lock, without the right tools, you could damage the tumblers. Though it’s rare, sometimes a key will actually break off inside the lock or ignition. This happens when the key is old and has been jammed and wiggled in the lock too many times. You’ll need a locksmith to extract the key so you don’t damage the lock and have to replace it, too. If you have a spare key, you won’t have to rekey the lock; you can just duplicate the spare. Typical hourly locksmith rates run from $50 to $100, but after-hours emergency rates could be as high as $150 to $250.

Average Training Program Duration: 0-1 Year

No locksmith shown in the search result is an actual “locksmith near me.” None of them have lock shops in Gilbert. Historically, fingerprinting and facial recognition tools were for banks and government buildings. Today, they are available for home use, though they are still more expensive than other locks. Locksmiths need to understand different smart home systems.

Locksmith Schools

If you need a duplicate transponder key for your car or fob for your smart-home lock, you’ll likely have to go to the dealership. You may need to pay a trip charge to call a locksmith to your house or car. This is almost a certainty if you live in more rural areas. The average trip fees range from $50 to $100, but these can surge up to $150 during peak hours. Calling for a locksmith outside of peak hours can help save on trip fee costs. A locksmith will usually charge $50–$180—including trip fees—if you’re locked out of your house.

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Contact a locally approved school to register for a certification course or study on your own. It cannot be too earnestly urged that an acquaintance with real facts will, in the end, be better for all parties. There are also some local municipalities within other states that require certification as well. Certification is highly recommended and often required by many employers. It usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes to rekey each lock. To find a reputable company, contact a local hardware store or call roadside assistance and ask who they’d recommend.

Get the list of locksmith training schools recognized by your state. Check with the locksmith schools for the available courses. Before you enroll in any locksmith school or start working as an apprentice with any locksmith, check with the local authorities for the certifications accepted for licensing.

The basic requirements for learning from home are, of course, having a working computer and home internet. There are many things that factor into the lower costs of online school, including lower cost of materials and no transportation costs. Becoming a locksmith may be a great choice for those who are interested in entering the world of trade.

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The locksmith starts the key FOB programming process by selecting the vehicle’s make, model, and year. The software will then walk the locksmith through a series of steps to add the FOB into the car’s computer system. Programming involves linking specialized software to the car’s computer via the OBD port. The software teaches the car to recognize a FOB’s electromagnetic waves in a ‘handshake’ process between the FOB and car, allowing the FOB to start the car. Overall, technical skills will bring more job opportunities.

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