How Much Does It Cost to Rekey House Locks?

Rekeying changes which key operates a compatible lock while retaining the lock hardware. It is often the right purchase after a move or a lost key when the locks still work well. The price depends on cylinder count, the visit fee, key copies and whether the locks can share the requested key.

An advertised price per door can hide most of that information. The published fees below come from a mobile locksmith’s own San Diego County price list, checked in October 2026. They provide a transparent worked example, not a national average or an offer for every brand and address.

Key figures

• $74 Rekey Republic visit and one standard cylinder
• $99 Rekey Republic visit, knob and deadbolt
• $149 Rekey Republic visit and four standard cylinders

Cylinder count determines the rekeying charge

Rekey Republic lists a $49 service call and $25 for each standard residential cylinder. A front door with a keyed knob below a deadbolt contains two cylinders, even though it is one entrance. Counting doors instead would underestimate that job by a cylinder charge.

Walk around the property and count keyed hardware from the outside. Include the garage-to-house entrance, back door and any separate building included in the booking. Record whether both sides of a lock require a key, whether the existing key works, and whether a lock sticks. Send photographs instead of guessing at the mechanism hidden inside a handleset.

Source note: Rekey Republic’s own published labor and extra-key fees, October 2026. These are arithmetic examples for standard cylinders; confirm tax, supplied keys, restricted hardware, repairs and appointment terms before booking.

• One standard cylinder$74
• Knob and deadbolt on one door$99
• Four standard cylinders$149
• Six standard cylinders$199
• Four cylinders plus four extra keys$165

Source note: Rekey Republic's own published labor and extra-key fees, October 2026. These are arithmetic examples for standard cylinders; confirm tax, supplied keys, restricted hardware, repairs and appointment terms before booking.

The service call is charged once per visit, according to the provider. Scheduling the same four cylinders as two separate two-cylinder visits would cost $198 rather than $149 at these rates. The $49 difference is the second visit charge. That is a reason to finish the entrance inventory before making the appointment, not a reason to postpone an urgent access problem.

Sharing one key depends on compatible hardware

Rekeying and making every entrance use one key are related purchases, but they are not identical. Different keyways can prevent an existing key from entering some locks. New pins cannot change the shape of every keyway. A locksmith should identify which cylinders can join the shared-key arrangement and which would require replacement.

Schlage’s manufacturer guidance describes rekeying after lost keys, moves and changes in household access. It also notes that bringing in a locksmith can make rekeying cost more than replacement. Keeping the old lock only saves money when the service and hardware costs support that result.

The San Diego provider lists keyed-alike service from $149, but that starting price is a separate advertised service. It should not be added mechanically to the per-cylinder table or treated as an unlimited-lock package. Ask for a single total naming the hardware and the resulting key arrangement.

If one lock uses a restricted or high-security cylinder, ask for its charge before including it in the standard example. The provider quotes those cylinders separately. The same distinction applies when a missing key changes access to a locked door: routine rekeying pricing does not establish the cost of opening that door first.

The deadbolt and door-frame guide helps separate control of keys from the strength and condition of the entrance. A new key does not repair a split jamb or a loose strike.

Replacement adds hardware but can solve another problem

Rekeying working locks addresses access. Replacement addresses a worn mechanism, incompatible cylinder, desired keypad or other change in hardware. Ask for separate lines when the job includes both. Otherwise a higher replacement total may look like an inflated rekeying price when it delivers a different result.

Rekey Republic advertises replacement or new-deadbolt labor from $99, with the hardware charged separately. Its smart-lock installation labor starts at $149. Neither figure is a lock retail price, and neither establishes the total for additional door repair. Compare a service total with another service total rather than a store-box price with an installed job.

For a hypothetical replacement, a $60 lock plus the published $99 starting labor is $159 before any visit charge, tax or extra work. That $60 is an assumed hardware budget, not a manufacturer’s quote. Obtain the provider’s treatment of the $49 service call in the replacement proposal before comparing it with a $99 two-cylinder rekey.

If app access is the reason for changing hardware, read the smart-lock cost comparison first. An electronic feature should earn its cost through a function the household plans to use, rather than being included automatically in a routine key change.

Extra keys and damaged doors change the final bill

The extra-key rate in the example is $4. Specify the number of copies included in the rekeying price and the number charged on top. Four additional copies add $16; eight add $32. Give the provider the key distribution plan before the visit so the invoice and handover match.

Rekeying cannot correct a door that sags, binds or fails to latch. Ask the locksmith to separate lock work from hinges, alignment, damaged trim and frame repairs. A cylinder that turns smoothly while the door is open can still leave the entrance awkward to use when closed. That difference matters especially with electronic locks that drive the bolt using a motor.

Ask about the appointment time as well. The provider’s normal-hours price terms do not promise the same charge outside those hours. Get the total before dispatch rather than calculating an after-hours multiplier that the business does not publish.

The invoice and handover confirm every serviced lock

The FTC recommends comparing estimates and reviewing the scope and payment terms of home improvement work. For rekeying, the scope can fit on a short entrance list: cylinder count, shared-key arrangement, included copies, repair lines and total appointment price. Keep that list with any changes authorized during the visit.

At handover, have every agreed key demonstrated at every included entrance. Ask the provider to show that the previous key no longer operates each rekeyed cylinder, without leaving a door unsecured during the check. Confirm the latch and bolt operate with the door closed, collect all supplied copies, and retain the service and warranty information.

Questions people ask

Is rekeying priced per door or per lock?

Ask how the provider counts. Rekey Republic's $25 rate is per standard cylinder; a door with a keyed knob and a deadbolt has two cylinders.

What would four cylinders cost at the published rate?

The example is $49 for the visit plus four charges of $25, or $149 before extra keys, restricted cylinders and separately quoted work.

Can all the locks use one key after rekeying?

Only when the hardware supports that arrangement. Have the locksmith identify compatibility before promising a shared key or quoting replacement.

Does rekeying include repairing a sticking door?

Do not assume it does. List alignment and damaged-door work separately and confirm which repairs the proposed service includes.

Where these figures come from

1. Published service call, rekeying, extra-key and installation fees Rekey Republic · rekeyrepublic.com
2. When to rekey exterior deadbolts and locks Schlage · schlage.com
3. How to avoid a home improvement scam Federal Trade Commission · consumer.ftc.gov

Figures last checked October 2026.