To choose the right locksmith in Perth, start with the licence. WA Police licenses locksmiths as security installers, and the Class 1 licence is only issued to trade-qualified locksmiths. Confirm the person coming to your door holds that licence and that their business holds a security agent licence. Then check their training, insurance, written quote, reviews and specialty. Finally, confirm they can reach your suburb in a reasonable time.
Most of these checks take a few minutes over the phone. At Solus Locksmith, we work across Perth and the other five Australian capital cities. When customers tell us about a bad experience with a previous locksmith, the cause is usually a licence nobody checked or a price that was never put in writing.
Quick Checklist: What to Check Before Hiring a Locksmith in Perth
Run through this list before anyone works on your door, car or safe:
- Installer licence. Confirm the locksmith holds a WA security installer licence, ideally Class 1, and check it on the WA Police list.
- Agent licence. Confirm the business holds a WA security agent licence.
- Training. Ask whether they completed a locksmith apprenticeship and trade qualification.
- Insurance. Confirm they carry public liability insurance and ask for the cover amount.
- Written quote. Get the call-out fee, labour, parts and any after-hours rate in writing, even if it’s a text.
- Reviews. Read reviews on more than one platform and look for a steady pattern.
- Right specialty. Confirm they do your exact job, whether that’s a house lockout, a car key or a master-key system.
- Coverage and arrival time. Check they service your suburb and ask for a realistic arrival window.
If a locksmith avoids any of these questions, take that as your answer and call someone else.
Do Locksmiths Need a Licence in WA?
Yes. Anyone paid to install, maintain or repair locks in Western Australia must hold a security installer licence under the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996. WA Police issues the licence through its Licensing Services unit.
WA Police and the Master Locksmiths Association made this point in a joint media release in June 2023. Senior Sergeant Jason Banks, Officer in Charge of Licensing Services, said: “Locksmiths, by the very nature of their work, are entrusted with access to property and assets.” He added that they are “subject to strict licensing regulations by WA Police Force.”
What do the WA security installer licence classes mean?
The installer licence has four classes, and they don’t all require the same training. The WA Government’s security licence application page sets out what each one covers.
| Licence class | What it covers | Training required |
| Class 1 | Installing, maintaining and repairing safes, vaults and locks | Must be a trade-qualified locksmith (apprentices show proof of apprenticeship) |
| Class 2 | Security alarms, CCTV and related devices | An approved Technical Security course |
| Class 3 | Security doors | A pre-licence test based on AS 5040, with a pass mark of 80% |
| Class 4 | Installing locks only | No pre-licence test or training course |
Why does the licence class matter?
The class tells you how much training the person has. A Class 4 licence lets someone install locks without any test or course. A Class 1 licence means the holder is a trade-qualified locksmith who can also maintain and repair locks, safes and vaults.
For rekeying, repairs, lockouts or safe work, look for a Class 1 licence. A Class 4 holder may be fine for fitting a new lock to a new door, but they haven’t been through a locksmith apprenticeship.
What is the difference between an agent licence and an installer licence?
The installer licence belongs to the person doing the work. The security agent licence belongs to the business that supplies them. According to the government’s installer licence summary, installers must be employed by a licensed security agent. A sole trader needs an agent licence of their own. A Perth locksmith business should be able to give you its agent licence details and the installer licence details of the technician it’s sending.
How to Check a Locksmith’s Licence in Perth
You can check any WA security licence for free. WA Police publishes a list of current licence holders, split into separate PDF lists for each licence type, including Security Installer and Security Agent.
Here’s how we suggest using it:
- Ask for the business name and the technician’s name when you book.
- Open the Security Installer list and search for the technician’s name.
- Open the Security Agent list and search for the business name.
- When the locksmith arrives, ask to see their licence card and check the name matches.
The joint WA Police and Master Locksmiths release recommends the same steps, including sighting the licence on arrival. Don’t accept a photo of a licence or a verbal promise in place of the card.
Our Perth technicians bring their licence card to the door, and we give licence numbers on request. A licensed locksmith expects this question.
What Training Should a Perth Locksmith Have?
A fully trained Perth locksmith has completed a 4-year apprenticeship. In the joint release, Matt Graham, WA Director of the Master Locksmiths Association, said a Class 1 licence requires “a 4-year Locksmith apprenticeship, including 3 years of attending TAFE while working.” The state’s locksmith career guide gives the same figure of 48 months.
The national trade qualification is the Certificate III in Locksmithing (MEM30819). Its elective units cover the skills you’re paying for, including:
- Cutting keys by hand, by code and by duplication
- Planning and setting up master key systems
- Gaining entry to safes and reinstating them
- Gaining entry to vehicles and programming transponder keys
- Installing and maintaining door control devices
Why does non-destructive entry matter?
Several units teach a locksmith to gain entry and then reinstate the lock so it still works. A lock opened without damage doesn’t need replacing after a lockout. A trained locksmith treats drilling as a last resort and tells you why before doing it.
Is Master Locksmith’s membership worth looking for?
Membership is a useful extra check. The Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia requires business members operating in WA to hold a current security licence, have a Certificate III or IV qualification or pass its trade test, and carry $20 million in public and products liability insurance.
Membership is optional, and it doesn’t replace the WA Police licence. Treat it as a bonus on top of the licence check.
Should a Perth Locksmith Have Public Liability Insurance?
Yes. Public liability insurance means the locksmith’s insurer pays if the job damages your property, such as a split door frame, a scratched car door or a deadbolt fitted so the door won’t close.
Ask directly: “Do you carry public liability insurance, and what’s the cover amount?” For larger jobs, such as rekeying an office or a strata complex, ask for a copy of the certificate of currency. Check that the name on the certificate matches the business on your quote. You can confirm the business itself by searching its ABN on ABN Lookup, the free government register.
How to Get a Fair Locksmith Quote in Perth
Always get the price in writing before work starts. A text or email is fine, as long as it lists every charge:
- The call-out or service fee
- Labour, as a fixed price or hourly rate
- Parts, such as a new cylinder, deadbolt or key blank
- Any after-hours, weekend or public holiday rate
- Any travel charge for outer suburbs or the Peel region
For planned work, compare written quotes from two or three licensed locksmiths. Compare the hardware they recommend as well as the price, since a cheaper quote may use a lower-grade lock. Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping gave the same advice in a Consumer Protection warning about unlicensed installers: “Don’t be tempted just by the cheapest price.”
How do you avoid surprise charges?
For an emergency, ask for the total price on the phone, then confirm it in writing before the technician starts. If the price changes on site, the locksmith should explain the reason before doing any extra work. Don’t sign a blank work order, and don’t pay the full amount before the job is finished. Ask for an itemised invoice that shows parts, labour and fees.
At Solus Locksmith, one approach we’ve found works well is agreeing one fixed price in writing before any work begins, with no after-hours loading. Surprise add-ons are the complaint we hear most often from customers who’ve used other operators. Our locksmith cost guide shows how call-out fees and after-hours rates change the final bill. The figures are for Sydney, but Perth quotes are built from the same fees.
How to Check a Locksmith’s Reviews
Reviews show you how a locksmith behaves once the job is done. The written comments tell you more than the star rating.
- Check two or more platforms. Compare Google reviews with Facebook or a local directory.
- Look at the timeline. Steady reviews over months or years are a good sign. A cluster of near-identical five-star reviews in one week is not.
- Read the negative reviews. Watch for repeated complaints about overcharging, damaged doors or no-shows.
- Ask locally. Neighbours, suburb Facebook groups, your strata manager or your property manager often know which locksmiths are reliable.
The Consumer Protection warning also suggests asking to see previous work and speaking with past clients. That’s worth doing for bigger jobs like a master-key system or a full lock upgrade.
What Type of Locksmith Do You Need in Perth?
Most Perth locksmiths offer residential, automotive and commercial work, but not every technician carries the tools for every job. A locksmith who handles house lockouts well may not have the programmer needed for a late-model car key.
Homeowners
Common jobs include rekeying after moving in, replacing worn locks, and fitting deadbolts or security screens. Rekeying makes every old key stop working without replacing the whole lock. Our page on rekeying and lock repairs explains the difference between rekeying, repairing and replacing a lock.
For upgrades, look for a locksmith with product knowledge of high-security and smart locks as well as installation skill. In coastal suburbs like Cottesloe, Scarborough, Rockingham and Mandurah, ask which hardware they recommend for salt air. Gate, garage and side-door locks near the coast tend to corrode first.
Renters and landlords
WA rentals must meet minimum security standards under the Residential Tenancies Regulations 1989. According to Consumer Protection’s guide to rental home security, these include:
- A deadlock, or an AS 5039 compliant key-lockable security screen door, on the main entry
- A deadlock or patio bolt on other external doors
- Locks on windows that stop them opening from outside
- At least one exterior light at or near the main entry, operable from inside
Landlords can’t change locks without the tenant’s consent, and tenants generally need the landlord’s agreement too. The exception is a tenant affected by family and domestic violence, who can change the locks without permission. They must pay for the change and give the landlord a copy of the new key within seven days, unless the landlord is the alleged perpetrator.
If you rent, get your property manager’s agreement in writing before booking a lock change.
Car owners
You need a locksmith with key-cutting and coding equipment for your vehicle’s make and model. Confirm they can program transponder keys or remotes on site before they drive out.
The WA security installer licence doesn’t cover security equipment fitted to vehicles. That makes training and equipment the main checks for car work. Ask how many vehicles like yours they’ve done, and whether the quote includes the key, programming and call-out. Our car key services page explains how on-site cutting and programming works.
Businesses
Offices, shops and strata buildings often need master-key systems, restricted key profiles or access control. Ask for examples of similar commercial work or a reference from a past client.
Alarms, CCTV and access control panels fall under a Class 2 installer licence, which is separate from the Class 1 locksmith licence. If your job mixes locks with electronic security, ask whether the technician holds both classes or who will do each part.
After a break-in
You need someone who can secure the property the same day and repair damaged doors so they lock properly. Look for a locksmith experienced with break-in repairs who will also work out how the intruder got in, so the weak point can be fixed.
Which checks matter most for your job?
| Factor | Homeowner or renter | Car owner | Business owner |
| Typical jobs | Rekeying, lock changes, deadbolts, security screens | Lockouts, key cutting, transponder programming | Commercial locks, master-key systems, access control |
| Key credential | Class 1 installer licence and agent licence | Trade training and programming equipment for your vehicle | Class 1 licence, plus Class 2 for alarms or access control |
| Hours | Business hours for upgrades, 24/7 for lockouts | Often 24/7, since lockouts happen at night | Business hours, plus after-hours support if needed |
| Quote | Fixed price, including any call-out fee | Key, programming and call-out in one price | Project quote with all fees listed |
| Extra check | Renters need landlord agreement first | Confirm they can program your make and model | Ask for commercial references |
Emergency vs Planned Locksmith Work: What’s Different?
In an emergency, you have less time for checks. The licence, a confirmed price and the technician’s name are the three you never skip.
| Factor | Planned upgrade | Emergency lockout |
| Timeline | Book days or weeks ahead | Immediate, often after hours |
| Quotes | Compare several written quotes | Usually one quote, given by phone |
| Pricing | Business-hours rates | Often higher, with after-hours fees |
| Type of work | High-security locks, rekeying, access control | Non-destructive entry, key cutting |
| Credential checks | Licence class, agent licence, insurance and reviews | Installer licence, price and technician’s name |
| Location | Choose the best locksmith regardless of distance | A nearby locksmith matters most |
Ask whether their 24/7 service is real. A genuine provider can tell you who is coming and roughly when. Our page on emergency lockout service explains what to expect from the first call to the locksmith’s arrival.
How Fast Can a Locksmith Reach You in Perth?
Arrival time in Perth depends mostly on distance. The Perth and Peel regions together stretch about 158 km along the coast, from Two Rocks in the north to Herron in the south.
Traffic adds to that. According to the TomTom Traffic Index, driving 10 km in Perth took an average of 16 minutes and 26 seconds in 2025. In the evening rush hour, the same 10 km took 21 minutes and 30 seconds. A locksmith driving from Joondalup to Rockingham at 5 pm can take more than an hour.
When you call, ask where the technician is coming from and for an arrival window based on current traffic. If you live in Yanchep, Ellenbrook, the Perth Hills, Byford or Mandurah, confirm the business services of your suburb and whether a travel charge applies. Our Perth locksmith coverage page lists the suburbs we work in. For lockouts, we typically have a technician with you within the hour. We text the technician’s name and arrival window, then send a second text 30 to 60 minutes before arrival, so you know the right person has turned up.
Red Flags of a Dodgy Locksmith in Perth
Unlicensed locksmiths operate in Perth. In the 2023 joint release, WA Police reported finding potentially unlicensed locksmiths advertising online, which led to several charges. In a separate Consumer Protection warning, Inspector Garry Kosovich of the WA Police Licensing Enforcement Division said that people without a valid licence “may not have undergone police or any other background checks.”
Watch for these warning signs:
- An advertised call-out fee far below other quotes
- No installer licence, agent licence or ABN
- A call centre that can’t tell you who is coming or where from
- Refusal to put the price in writing
- Pressure to pay cash upfront before work starts
- Drilling the lock straight away on a standard lockout
- An unmarked vehicle and no licence card on arrival
- Someone knocking on your door offering lock upgrades you didn’t ask for
If you notice two or three of these together, stop the job and call someone else.
What are your rights with door-to-door locksmiths?
Door-knocking sellers must follow extra rules. According to the ACCC’s guidance on door-to-door sales, you have 10 business days to cancel an unsolicited agreement worth $100 or more. Sellers can only visit between 9 am and 6 pm on weekdays and 9 am and 5 pm on Saturdays. They can’t take payment during the cooling-off period, except for emergency repairs and a few other exceptions.
What can you do if a locksmith job goes wrong?
Under Australian Consumer Law, services must be delivered with due care and skill and be fit for the purpose you asked for. These consumer guarantees apply automatically.
Start by contacting the business, then put your complaint in writing and keep your quote, invoice, photos and messages. If that doesn’t fix it, you can lodge a complaint with Consumer Protection WA on 1300 30 40 54. If you think an unlicensed locksmith has worked at your property, report it to the WA Police Licensing and Compliance Unit on 1300 171 011.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do WA locksmiths go through a police check?
Yes. Applicants for a Class 1 licence go through a WA Police vetting process that covers historical and pending criminal charges or investigations. Licence holders are also subject to ongoing checks on their suitability.
How long does a WA security installer licence last?
A WA security installer licence is first issued for one or three years. After that, it is renewed for three years at a time.
Can a locksmith licensed in another state work in Perth?
Yes, once they hold a WA licence. A locksmith who holds an equivalent licence in their home state may be eligible for a temporary WA licence of up to one year.
Can a Perth locksmith make a key without the original?
Yes, for many locks. A trained locksmith can cut a key to code or decode the lock. An auto locksmith can cut and program a new car key when all keys are lost.
Should I rekey or replace my locks after buying a home in Perth?
Rekeying is usually enough if the existing locks are in good condition, and it costs less than full replacement. Replace the locks if they are worn, corroded or below the security level you want.
Choosing a Perth Locksmith With Confidence
The best time to choose a locksmith is before you need one. Check both licences on the WA Police lists, look for Class 1, and get the price in writing. Then save the number in your phone, so you’re not picking the first paid ad when you’re locked out at night.
If you’d like a licensed, fully insured Perth locksmith with a fixed price agreed in writing before work begins, you can contact our team or call +61485854272.
