aloa.org December 2025 Keynotes 35 Why Certification Should Matter to You You wouldn’t install an uncertified fire extinguisher. You wouldn’t trust an unknown brand of smoke detector. So why would you install a lock that hasn’t been independently tested to meet per- formance and durability standards? In an industry built on trust, reli- ability and safety, certification mat- ters. And not just any certification, but the kind that comes from rigor- ous, repeatable, third-party testing — like the programs developed by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) and accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Together, ANSI/ BHMA standards represent the gold standard in mechanical and electronic lock performance. But here’s the dirty little secret: Just because a manufacturer claims a lock is “certified,” that doesn’t mean it really is. That’s where the BHMA Certified Products Directory (CPD) comes in: a searchable, transparent and publicly available listing of products that are currently certified and in compliance. If it’s not listed in the CPD, it’s not certified. Simple as that. As a Certified Master Locksmith with over 50 years in the trade, includ- ing time spent on the ANSI/BHMA A156.25 committee, I’ve seen what happens when standards are ignored or misrepresented. I’ve seen electronic locks fail after a storm or unlock after a static zap — failures that proper BHMA testing would have predicted and prevented. I’ve also seen manufacturers continue to use the BHMA Certified logo after a listing has expired, thereby misleading buyers and shifting liability onto the unsuspecting locksmith. Several well-known manufacturers use deceptive marketing language such as “Durable BHMA Grade 1 Lockset,” “Grade 1 Durability,” and, my two favorites, “Meets ANSI/BHMA A156.2, Grade 2 Standards,” and “UL Certified ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 Commercial Door Knob.” If a manufacturer actually went through the official process to be tested and certified, they would proudly pro- claim “BHMA Certified.” This article is your guide to under- standing the ANSI/BHMA testing pro- gram, the Certified Products Directory and why all locksmiths should care. What is ANSI/BHMA? The American National Standards Insti- tute (ANSI) is a nonprofit organization that oversees the development of volun- tary consensus-based standards across many industries. BHMA (Builders Hard- ware Manufacturers Association) is the only organization accredited by ANSI to write standards for builders’ hardware in the U.S. There are currently 36 standards in the BHMA A156 series of standards. They encompass nearly every aspect of door hardware, including hinges, closers, locks, exit devices and finishes. These standards define the minimum perfor- mance requirements that hardware must meet to be considered durable, secure and safe. When a manufacturer submits a product for certification, it’s subjected to rigorous laboratory tests that simulate real-world use and abuse. Understanding the Certification Process BHMA certification is a voluntary but rigorous program. Products are tested by independent laboratories against criteria such as cycle count, torque resistance, static discharge resilience, weather resis- tance, finish durability and forced entry. The certification is not a one-time event. Certified products must be retested every four years to maintain their list- ing. In between, BHMA tests random samples from the manufacturer. This ensures that the product being sold today performs the same as the one that passed the test years ago. If a product fails to remain in com- pliance or a manufacturer stops partic- ipating, it is removed from the Certified Products Directory. They are then pro- hibited from using the BHMA Certified logo in any marketing. However, a com- pany might continue to display the logo “until caught,” so it is important to verify with the Certified Products Directory. Consensus-Based Standards The initial drafting of BHMA A156 standards is typically done by com- mittees composed of BHMA member manufacturers and their technical rep- resentatives. These are often engineers, product managers or compliance officers from hardware companies with a vested interest in defining performance met- rics for their product categories. BHMA standards are updated every five years. Public stakeholders — including locksmiths, architects and building inspectors — can participate during the ANSI-required public comment phase, but they are not typically involved in the internal BHMA drafting committees unless specifically invited or serving in a liaison capacity. This reality underscores the importance of independent profes- sionals engaging during public comment But here’s the dirty little secret: Just because a manufacturer claims a lock is “certified,” that doesn’t mean it really is.
