TS007 3-Star Locks Explained

The three ratings

Marking	Where you see it	What it means
1 star	Cylinder	Meets the basic TS007 tests. Needs 2-star hardware to reach the full standard.
2 stars	Handle, escutcheon or cylinder guard	Security hardware that protects a 1-star cylinder. Together = 3-star equivalent.
3 stars	Cylinder	Meets the full standard on its own — including snap resistance — whatever handle is fitted.

Why “1 + 2 = 3” is fragile

The combination works on the day it is fitted. But handles get replaced — after damage, during a refurbishment, or for looks — and a replacement handle is rarely a 2-star security handle. The door then drops back to 1-star with nothing visible to tell you. A 3-star cylinder avoids that dependency. It is also the grade West Yorkshire Police describe as “the minimum to achieve if you are upgrading your cylinders”.

Where Sold Secure Diamond fits in

Sold Secure SS312 is a separate cylinder test, now administered by the Master Locksmiths Association. Its top grade, Diamond, is treated as equivalent to TS007 3-star for Building Regulations purposes. Many of the best cylinders hold both. See which cylinders hold both.

The 2024 update

TS007 was revised in 2024 (TS007-1:2024) and Sold Secure introduced Diamond 2024, adding attacks such as freezing and gluing. Industry reporting says the new versions take full effect from January 2027. Products certified to the older version (marked TS007:2014) are not suddenly unsafe, but when buying new it is worth choosing one listed to the 2024 version — Avocet lists its ABS Master against TS007-1:2024.

How to check your own door in 30 seconds

Open the door and look at the end of the cylinder around the keyhole.
Look for the Kitemark and a number of stars (sometimes a Sold Secure logo too).
Three stars on the cylinder: you are at the standard. One star: check the handle for two stars. Nothing: treat it as unrated.
Check the cylinder does not stick out more than a few millimetres past the handle — overhang is what snap attacks grip.

If yours falls short, we fit an Avocet ABS 3-star for £149 flat across North & Central London and Hertfordshire — book an upgrade.

TS007 questions

What does TS007 3-star mean?

TS007 is the BSI Kitemark scheme for euro cylinders and door hardware. A 3-star cylinder has passed tests against drilling, picking, bumping, snapping and plug extraction on its own. It is the grade police forces describe as the minimum to aim for when upgrading.

Is a 1-star cylinder with a 2-star handle as good as a 3-star cylinder?

On paper the combination reaches the same 3-star level. The weakness is practical: if the 2-star handle or cylinder guard is ever replaced with an unrated one, the door silently drops back to 1-star. A 3-star cylinder keeps its rating whatever handle is fitted.

How do I check what my lock is?

Look at the face of the cylinder, next to the keyhole, for the Kitemark symbol and stars (and sometimes “TS007” or a Sold Secure mark). Three stars on the cylinder means it is 3-star on its own. One star means it needs a 2-star handle to reach the standard. No mark usually means an unrated cylinder.

Is TS007 the same as BS 3621?

No. BS 3621 covers key-operated locks such as 5-lever mortice deadlocks and nightlatches. TS007 covers euro-profile cylinders and the handles and guards that protect them. Timber doors with a mortice lock are usually judged against BS 3621; uPVC and composite doors with a euro cylinder against TS007.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Figures and product ratings were checked on 23 September 2026; check the source before relying on them.

TS007 3-star explained: what the stars on your lock mean