The A2P standard, explained simply
Updated 12 August 2026 · 5 min read
A2P is the only objective reference a private customer has for judging a lock. But you need to know what it measures: not general quality, but resistance time against forced entry, measured in a laboratory. Here's how to read it, and how to choose without overpaying.
The short version
- A2P measures one thing: how long a product resists forced entry in laboratory testing, certified by the CNPP. One star = 5 minutes, two = 10, three = 15.
- The marking is engraved on the product itself, never only on the packaging or in a brochure. Check it physically.
- A three-star lock on a weak door does not protect three times better: the weakest part of the assembly is what decides.
- A protected key is a different kind of protection from resistance: without the ownership card, nobody copies your key.
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What A2P actually certifies
A2P is a certification issued by CNPP, an independent French body, after laboratory testing. Technicians attempt to force the product with defined tools, and the time it holds out is measured.
That's both the value of the label and its limit: A2P doesn't say a lock is "good", it says it withstood a given time against known attack methods. It isn't a commercial opinion, it's a reproducible test result.
Gaining five minutes isn't a detail: it's often the whole difference between an attempt and a burglary. The reasoning behind the label comes from burglars themselves — the large majority of attempts are abandoned when they take too long or make too much noise.
One, two or three stars: what changes
For locks and cylinders the scale reads directly in minutes of resistance.
- A2P one star: five minutes. Suits an upper-floor flat in a building with access control, on a sound door.
- A2P two stars: ten minutes. The right level for a ground floor, an accessible first floor, or a home left empty often.
- A2P three stars: fifteen minutes. For genuinely exposed situations, or where an insurance policy requires it for valuable contents.
- For armoured door sets the same logic applies under the labels A2P BP1, BP2 and BP3 — five, ten and fifteen minutes.
A certified lock isn't enough on its own
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This is the most common and most expensive mistake. A three-star lock fitted to a hollow timber door with a tired frame doesn't protect three times better than a one-star model.
It protects exactly as well as the weakest part of the assembly, which is no longer the lock.
A coherent assembly means the lock, cylinder, strike plate, frame, hinges and the door itself. On a standard door, reinforcing the strike plate and fitting an anti-crowbar angle often buys more, for far less, than moving up a certification level.
That's why a serious survey always starts with the door, never with the lock catalogue. Anyone selling you a certification without having examined the frame isn't selling security, they're selling a product reference.
Protected keys: a different kind of protection
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Alongside mechanical resistance there's a second question, often more concrete day to day: who can copy your key? A protected-key cylinder comes with an ownership card, and without it no serious locksmith will cut a copy.
That changes nothing against a burglar forcing the door.
It changes everything, though, in the most common situations: a key set never returned by a previous tenant, a key lost in the street with the address in the same bag, a copy quietly made during building work.
A2P certification and protected keys are independent protections. Many cylinders combine both, and for a rented home the protected key is often the more useful of the two.
How to check a product really is certified
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The marking is physically on the product, never only on the packaging or in a brochure. The A2P logo with the number of stars is engraved or applied on the lock body or the cylinder head.
Be wary too of near-miss wording: "meets standards", "A2P type", "certified quality" are not certifications. A2P is a precise label with a star count; the rest is marketing.
A quote that says "high-security lock" with no reference or certification commits nobody to anything verifiable, and will be worth nothing to an insurer. So ask for three things in writing:
- the product's brand and exact reference;
- the A2P certification named, with its star count;
- the same details carried from the quote onto the invoice.
Should you always aim for three stars?
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No. The useful level depends on your real exposure: which floor you're on, whether there's a caretaker or access control, visibility from the street, how long the home stands empty, and any requirement from your insurer.
This is an easy place to spend a lot for nothing. In practice, three profiles cover most situations.
- Upper-floor flat in a secured building: a one-star protected-key cylinder on a sound door with a reinforced strike plate is hard to beat on protection per euro.
- Ground floor on the street, accessible first floor above a courtyard, a home often empty: moving to two stars and treating the frame is justified.
- Three stars: mainly a conversation when an insurance policy explicitly demands it, or for genuinely exposed valuables.
Frequently asked questions
Is an A2P lock compulsory?
No French law requires one for a home. Some home insurance policies do condition cover on it, though: the "protection measures" clause can require a number of locking points and a given certification, particularly for ground-floor flats or above a certain insured contents value.
What does a certified A2P lock cost?
The premium over a standard model is mostly in the hardware, not the fitting. A one-star protected-key cylinder stays within a reasonable range; the gap widens with star count and on certified multi-point locks. The quote should state the exact reference so the comparison means something.
Can I fit an A2P lock to a flat door in a shared building?
Yes for anything that doesn't alter the external appearance: cylinder, strike plate and internal reinforcements are your private property. Replacing the door or changing its landing-side face needs the building's approval, and sometimes an extra consent in a conservation area.
Are A2P and protected keys the same thing?
No. A2P measures resistance to forced entry; a protected key prevents unauthorised copying. They complement each other: the first protects you against force, the second against keys in circulation. A cylinder can have either, or both.
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