What is BS3621?
BS3621 stands for 'British Standard 3621', and is a security standard that many door locks can certified to in order to demonstrate a minimum set of security standards have been met. The standard does not guarantee absolute security over any attack, but it does ensure that a list of security factors have been considered and correctly incorporated into the lock's design and build, and that it has performed accordingly and maintained its security in a designated security testing environment.
What are the requirements for BS3621?
With the various different lock types that can be certified to BS3621 there are always variables in the requirements which are applicable to the different locking mechanisms the standard covers. But as a base-line, the following requirements must be met for any lock to achieve the BS3621:
- All BS3621 certified locks must be built with a locking bolt that projects at least 20mm
- All BS3621 certified locks must have appropriate protection against lock-picking incorporated into its design.
- All BS3621 certified locks must have anti-drill hardplates incorporated into their design.
- All lever-operated BS3621 certified locks must utilise a minimum of a 5 levers.
- All pin-operated BS3621 certified locks must utilise at least 6 pins.
- All BS3621 certified locks must pass rigorous security testing in a designated testing house, whereby common attacks are attempted on the locks, which they must withstand within the reasonable limits set out in the standard. There's quite a lot that goes into this testing so we won't go into this in detail, but this means any certified BS3621 lock design has to be tested and passed in a designated test environment prior to it achieving the credential.
How can I tell if my locks are BS3621?
After a recent ongoing TV advert a lot of home owners found themselves asking 'Does my lock conform to BS3621?' - Luckily it is very easy to find out if your lock conforms to BS3621 and needn't be a headache - it should be visibly stamped on the lock! Look for the stamp shown in the main header image of this article, which would usually be stamped on the faceplate of the lock (the part that sits on the edge of the door which you'll only see when the door is open). Although in some instances it may be printed elsewhere so it's worth having a good look over your whole lock setup - but if it is not visible then it is unlikely your lock conforms to BS3621, and you may wish to consider finding a suitable replacement which does conform to BS3621.
Does my home insurance require BS3621?
Not all insurance policies specify that locks fitted must comply to BS3621. This would entirely depend on the insurer and more importantly your specific policy details. Not everybody's insurance policy will be the same, as there are many factors involved in determining the correct policy and premium for each individual property. It is therefore critically important that you have read and understood your insurance policy to ensure that locks fitted on your property are appropriate for the requirements of the policy. If you are in any doubt, please contact your insurance company and ask directly.
Which locks are BS3621 certified?
There are three principle lock types which you will find are available with the BS3621 certification. These are mortice deadlocks, mortice sashlocks, and rim nightlatches.
To save you the bother of having to find which ones are certified and which ones are not, we've made a helpful page for you containing only BS3621 locks - click here to view only BS3621 locks.
Are there any BS3621 multipoint locks?
The short answer is no, there are no multipoint locks that are certified to BS3621. Many years ago the manufacturer 'ERA' created their Vectis 5-lever multipoint lock with a view of solving this problem, as it allowed them to conform to BS3621 at the time; but since the standard has moved on and additional security measures introduced, this is no longer the case and these 5-lever ERA Vectis multipoints are now few and far between.
There is a new standard of PAS3621 which you can read about here: PAS3621 Multipoint Locks. Although be mindful, while this standard aims to achieve a similar concept to BS3621, it cannot be assumed to be accepted as an equivalent to BS3621, so always check with your insurer!
As one of the most commonly queried British Standards, we hope this article helps you with your understanding of BS3621 and if you are looking to upgrade your locks to be BS3621 compliant, please browse our range of BS3621 locks or send us a message and we can help you!
Written by: Jack Canning
