How Much Does a Locksmith Cost? Find Out Now

Locksmithing is a profession with thousands of years of history. According to Smith College, in ancient Egypt and Babylon, people used wooden tumbler locks to protect their storerooms and treasures.

Over the centuries, these simple mechanisms have evolved into complex gear locks and advanced smart lock systems. Despite all these changes in technology, the fundamental role of a locksmith remains the same. They help keep your properties secure, provide peace of mind, and assist you in unexpected emergencies.

Given the sheer variety of services that modern locksmiths offer, people are often confused. So, how much does a locksmith cost? If you're looking for more information about the costs of a locksmith, read on to learn more.

Average Prices: How Much Does a Locksmith Cost?

There are a range of potential locksmith service fees. Most of these services fall into six distinct categories. Here's a look at some of the average locksmith rates for the most common locksmith services:

• Home lockout: If you've locked yourself out of your house by misplacing your keys, expect to pay around $75-$150 to get back inside

• Rekeying a lock: When you want to change which keys open your existing locks after moving or losing a key, rekeying typically costs $50-$100 per lock

• Replacing a lock: Fully removing the old hardware and installing a new lock generally costs $100-$300, depending on the lock quality

• Smart lock installation: Installing a smart lock with features like remote access or keypads usually costs $150-$500

• Safe opening: If you've forgotten a combination or lost the key to a safe, opening it can cost between $150-$400

• Car lockout: Locking your keys inside your car typically costs $75-$150 for a professional locksmith to open it without damage

  
  

Keep in mind these are the average prices, and it's possible to find more affordable locksmith options by shopping around. Keep in mind that those price bands assume normal business hours, so what happens when you're locked out at midnight?

Emergency Services: How Much Does a Locksmith Cost After Hours?

The previous figures assume you're calling during normal business hours. Unfortunately, lock-related emergencies tend to happen when it's most inconvenient. In that case, you'll have to pay for emergency locksmith services.

According to Locksmith Ledger, you can expect emergency locksmith pricing to cost between 20 to 50% more than the usual cost. For example, imagine you've been to the bar and had a few beers too many. You get home to your apartment at 1 am only to realize you lost your keys.

You call a locksmith and they'll likely charge you around $90 for the base price, and they'll also add an emergency fee on top that, which could be as much as $60. So, how much does a locksmith cost to unlock your house in an emergency? A lot more.

There are also other factors that can affect the price of how much locksmith charge. For example, if you were to get locked out on a major holiday like Christmas, locksmiths might charge hundreds of dollars extra.

Make sure you avoid receiving a shocking quote by asking the locksmith if the initial price includes any emergency fees; that way, you'll avoid feeling blindsided when the bill arrives.

How Much Locksmith Charge to Unlock a Door

Whether you've lost your keys while at work or you've locked them inside the house, locksmiths are often called out to unlock residential and commercial doors. Locksmiths are skilled at lockpicking, and most can pick a standard residential cylinder lock in seconds.

It might look easy, but that reflects their years of practice, knowledge, and experience. Usually, you'll pay around $75 to $150 to unlock a conventional cylinder-style lock.

If you've invested in a more robust lock, like a high-security deadbolt or smart lock, you might need to pay more. That's because these locks can take much longer to pick.

Despite their skill, in some cases, a lock simply isn't packable. Maybe you got careless and frustrated and irreparably damaged it, or maybe it's totally pickproof. Whatever the reason, an unpickable lock must be replaced.

Replacing a lock could add as much as $100 to the base fee, as the locksmith will have to provide a new lock and install it.

Some types of locks are much easier to work with. For example, a simple thumb-turn deadbolt is usually very easy for an experienced locksmith to handle. The faster your locksmith can get inside, the less they'll charge.

How Much Locksmith Charge to Unlock a Car Door

Maybe you dashed into a gas station with the engine running, only to hear the doors click shut behind you, or perhaps your key fob battery died after a late-night concert. Automotive lockouts keep locksmiths busy at every hour. Experienced car door specialists know how to wedge the frame, manipulate the internal linkage, or decode wafer tumblers without damaging paint or weather seals.

Their speed can be deceptive: what looks like a two-minute job is built on years of training with long reach rods, air wedges. and precision tools. To unlock a regular sedan or SUV during normal business hours, you can expect to pay between $75 and $150.

Luxury cars make things more expensive. BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus are among the luxury brands that use sophisticated deadlock systems and laser-cut keys, requiring advanced bypass techniques. Those extra steps can push the invoice into the $150 to $300 range.

Costs are further raised by complications. The cost of removing a snapped key blade that has become lodged inside the door cylinder could range from $60 to $100.

Many locksmiths waive that premium when a child or pet is trapped inside, but you should never assume this will be the case. Always ask first.

Finally, check your insurance coverage. If you have a membership for a roadside assistance service such as AAA, take a look at your plan. Many of these services offer clients reimbursements for emergency locksmith charges. Keep your receipt and send it in right away to get your money back.

How Much Locksmith Charge to Make a Key

So, if you need a spare house key or a replacement key fob for your car, you can have a locksmith fabricate a new key for you. This is considerably easier if you already have an original key, although this isn't strictly necessary. The price a locksmith will quote for creating a key varies significantly depending on the kind of key being produced, the machine required to create it, and the amount of time required.

A basic brass house key that is cut from an impression of an existing key is usually the cheapest. You should expect to pay around $10 and often you can borrow this if you buy multiple copies at once.

If you don't have a copy of the original key, it's going to be more of a problem. The locksmith will use various techniques to get an impression of the key of a clock. But this process is much more difficult and you can expect it to cost around $50.

Keep in mind these ranges offer house keys or commercial keys. Keys for cars and other vehicles tend to cost considerably more, although this varies a lot depending on the manufacturer.

A plain steel valet key from the Nets and Dents, and the other two opportunities might cost us as little as to replace, but a modern key that been cut with advanced laser cutting techniques could set you back a few hundred dollars. Brands that use advanced rolling card encryption Royal Cost in Law.

When dealing with a vehicle, it's often possible to keep the costs down if you're able to drive the vehicle or to the locksmith.

Locksmith Cost Factors: Opening a Safe

If you've misplaced the combination to Granny's heirloom strongbox or the keypad on your office deposit safe just stopped responding, a locksmith can help you get inside. Two main factors determine the price: how hard the safe is to break into and how it needs to be opened. A wafer key home fire safe can cost as little as $120 if the locksmith can pick the lock without having to drill.

Sadly, the price will go up to around $200 if the entry is a little more complicated because the keypad is stuck or the tumbler wheel is worn out. Once you get into true burglary-rated steel, it gets a lot more challenging and you can expect a long job that costs hundreds of dollars.

If the bolts are stuck and the locksmith has to torch or grind the door, that can cost more than $800, and to make matters worse, you'll be stuck paying for a new safe door afterward. Again, bringing the safe to the shop usually means the locksmith waives their travel fee.

Need an Emergency Locksmith You Can Trust?

So, how much does a locksmith cost? Getting locked out, getting new keys cut, or cracking stubborn safes, every job has its own price tag. Always make sure you get a quote to avoid shocks when the bill arrives.

When seconds matter, call us here at Urgent Lock & Key LLC. We'll treat your emergency like it was our own.

Covering every neighborhood in Austin TX, we arrive fast, fix faster, and stick to the quote. Contact us for all your lock-related needs.