A handheld work apparatus has a drive motor for driving a tool, an operating element for operating the drive motor, a first inhibiting unit and a second inhibiting unit. Each inhibiting unit has a disable state and an enable state. The operating element is inhibited for operating the drive motor when at least one of the inhibiting units is in its disable state. The work apparatus further has a locking device which locks the first inhibiting unit in its enable state if the second inhibiting unit is in its enable state. A method for operating the work apparatus provides that the first inhibiting unit is locked in its enable state when the first inhibiting unit and the second inhibiting unit are situated in their enable states at the same time.