In the movies, there are only two groups of people that know lockpicking - federal agents and criminals.  Since there's a good chance that you're not a federal agent, does that mean that knowing how to pick a lock makes you a criminal?  That's a good question and is a very valid concern.  After all, no one wants to spend a lot of time practicing only to end up in jail.

This is why before you start; you should know what the legal ramifications are.  Sure, you can just risk it.  But it's called a risk for a reason.  If you plan to use the skill legally, then it's quite obvious that you have to know the legal issues.  It's a different story if you want to learn the skill in order to do criminal acts.

In a nutshell, here are cases where it's illegal:

1. Possession of tools to pick locks with a proven intent to commit a crime

2. Picking a lock without the owner%u2019s approval

In order to get it out of the way, lockpicking with a criminal intent is illegal no matter where you are.  If you're caught breaking in a house, you'll be read your Miranda rights and taken in a police car.

Picking a lock is defined as defeating a lock without the use of the key designed for it.  It does sound criminal.  But it's important to note that knowing how to pick a lock is a very important skill practiced by locksmiths.  Locksmithing is a perfectly legal job because there are valid needs for their services.  However, there are certain things that you'd have to accomplish in order to legally practice your trade depending on your location.  Usually, you just need to be certified and licensed.  But there are countries like Australia where you have to get a diploma from a college offering Engineering courses.

But what if you just want to pick your own locks?  It is almost always legal to do so.  After all, you always need to have the consent of the owner so you can pick it and you are the owner.  This is why knowing how to pick a lock is important for common cases of losing your own keys or locking yourself out.

However, there are states where mere possession of the tools is illegal like Virginia, Mississippi, Kansas and Missouri unless you're legally certified to carry them.  These states consider carrying the tools as prima facie evidence, meaning that it's quite evident that there is criminal intent.

So generally speaking, you can possess lock picking tools legally as long as you don't plan on using them to commit a crime.  You can also pick locks if you have the permission of the owner.  If you just want to use the skill in order to pick your own locks in the event that you need to using improvised materials, then there shouldn't be any problems.  But just like in any rules, there are exceptions.  It's a good idea to check out the local laws in your area just to be sure.