CEN class padlocks
With CEN class padlocks, the letters CEN stand for Central European Standard. This standard was created some time ago by various padlock manufacturers, including Abloy to maintain a standard testing method. Before then, it was difficult to assess locks. It was also difficult for insurance companies to determine which padlocks were safe and which were not.
Security classes
Today, there are 6 security classes. The highest achievable class in padlocks is CEN class 6. However, these locks are not common. For both professional and consumer use, class 5 is the highest achievable class. When the application requires a high level of security, locks with a class of 3 to 5 offer the solution. The list below shows the different classes:
Class 6 Maximum security
Class 5 Extra-high security
Class 4 High security
Class 3 Medium/high security
Class 2 Standard security
Class 1 Low security
When testing CEN class padlocks, all requirements must be met to achieve a certain class. If a padlock falls below the requirement in only one part, the padlock will achieve a lower CEN class. The overview below shows the requirements and the results to be achieved.