Rekey Locks San Francisco: Same-Day Lock Rekeying Service

Rekey vs replace: what it costs for 3 and 5 doors

Rekeying is cheaper whenever the existing lock works well. Replace when the lock is worn, damaged, or you want a higher security grade.

Rekeying a business after an employee leaves

When staff leave with keys, rekeying is the fastest way to cut their access without replacing hardware. We rekey the doors they could open, cut new keys for current staff, and can set the building on a master key so one key opens the doors each person needs.

Rekey locks San Francisco: how it works

Rekeying means a locksmith opens up your existing lock cylinder and swaps the small internal pins for a new set, then cuts new keys to match. The lock body, the deadbolt, the faceplate, all of it stays exactly where it is. Only the pin combination changes. Once we are done, every old key stops working on that door, and only the new keys open it. Most homes need every exterior door rekeyed at the same time so one set of keys works for the whole house.

A standard rekey on one lock takes about 10 to 15 minutes once a technician is on site. A typical San Francisco home with three or four exterior doors is usually done inside an hour. We carry the pin kits for the common residential and commercial brands on the van, so most jobs are finished in a single visit with no need to order parts.

Rekey vs. replace: which one do you need?

Rekey when the lock hardware itself is in good shape and you just need new keys to work and old ones to stop working. It is the right call after a move-in, after losing a set of keys, or after a roommate or tenant moves out. The lock keeps its current grade and finish, you just get a fresh set of pins and new keys.

Replace, rather than rekey, when the lock is worn, sticking, damaged, or you want to upgrade to a higher security grade or a smart lock. A lock that has been pried, drilled, or that no longer turns smoothly should be changed, not rekeyed. If you are not sure which one your doors need, tell us the age and condition of the lock on the phone and we will recommend the right fix before anyone drives out. See our lock change service if full replacement makes more sense.

When people call for a rekey

• Moving into a new place. You have no way to know how many copies of the old keys exist. Rekeying every exterior door on day one is the standard move-in step, whether you rent or own.
• Lost or stolen keys. If a keyring goes missing, anyone who finds it has an address and a way in once they know where it belongs. Rekeying the affected locks the same day closes that gap.
• A tenant or roommate leaves. Landlords and roommates rekey between tenants so a former occupant's key no longer opens the door, without paying for new lock hardware.
• After a breakup or a falling out. Anyone who used to have full access no longer should. Rekeying is a quiet, non-dramatic way to handle it.

One key for every door: master keying during a rekey

If your home or building currently has a different key for every door, we can rekey all of them to a single matching key during the same visit, so one key opens the front door, the back door, and any side entries. For offices and apartment buildings that need some doors on a shared key and others kept separate, ask about a full master key system instead, which is built for exactly that kind of mixed access.

Service area

We rekey locks San Francisco-wide and across the surrounding area we serve: Daly City, South San Francisco, San Mateo, Burlingame, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos, and Hillsborough. In San Francisco itself, typical response time is 15 to 20 minutes.