Whether you need to rekey locks in NYC after moving into a new apartment, regain control after a security concern, or upgrade to stronger hardware, our lock change and rekey services restore your peace of mind. Every NYC property owner deserves complete control over who has access to their space. Rekeying changes the internal pins so old keys no longer work, while a full lock change replaces the entire mechanism.
Lock rekey starts at $25 per lock cylinder. Full lock change starts at $85 including standard hardware. High-security lock installation starts at $150. Volume discounts for multiple locks.
Not sure whether to rekey or replace your locks? Our detailed comparison breaks down the cost, security, and convenience trade-offs for NYC apartments and homes.
One of the most common questions we hear is whether to rekey or fully replace locks. Here is a practical decision guide for NYC property owners:
For a detailed comparison, read our Knowledge Center article on whether to rekey or replace your locks. See also how much it costs to rekey an NYC apartment for pricing context.
We change and rekey all major lock types found in NYC properties: standard pin-tumbler deadbolts, mortise locks (common in pre-war apartments), knob locks, lever locks, and high-security restricted-keyway cylinders. We also install new deadbolts on doors that lack them — an important upgrade for ground-floor apartments and brownstone garden-level entries. Service is available across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
A lock replacement swaps out the hardware itself rather than reconfiguring what is already on the door. People search for a lock replacement when the existing lock has failed, when it is too old or too basic to trust, or when they want something better than what the builder or the last owner left behind.
The work is mostly about fitting new hardware to a door that was prepared for the old hardware. On a newer door with a standard cylindrical bore, that is straightforward. On a prewar NYC door it rarely is. The three things that decide the job are:
If your locks are sticking, grinding, or need the door pulled or lifted before the key will turn, that is usually the hardware telling you it is near the end. Our guide on the signs a door lock needs replacing goes through what is worth repairing and what is not.
Rekeying changes the pin stack inside the cylinder you already own so the old keys stop working, and cuts new keys to the new configuration. The lock stays on the door. For a house or a brownstone with several entry points, this is usually the sensible choice: front door, back door, garden level, garage and basement can all be rekeyed to one key in a single visit, which is both cheaper than replacing five locks and more convenient than carrying five keys.
Rekeying only works if the cylinder is serviceable. A worn, damaged or very low-grade lock will be rekeyed and still fail, so we say so on site rather than take the easier job. Read what lock rekeying actually does for the mechanical detail, or rekey or replace if you are weighing the two.
Apartments carry rules that houses do not, and getting the order wrong is how a tenant ends up paying for the same work twice.
A single apartment door in a prewar building often carries two or three locks - a mortise lock, a deadbolt, and sometimes a Fox or police lock. All of them can be rekeyed, and they can be rekeyed to the same key. What rekeying an apartment costs in NYC breaks down a typical multi-lock door.
A standard key can be copied at any hardware store by anyone holding it. A restricted keyway cannot: blanks are controlled by the manufacturer and cut only against authorization, so you decide who gets a copy. That is key control, and it is the reason most high-security work in New York City is requested.
High-security cylinders from Medeco and Mul-T-Lock resist picking, bumping and drilling, and they can be rekeyed like any other cylinder - the pinning is simply more complex and the keys are cut to a controlled profile. If you already own high-security hardware, you do not need to replace it to change who holds a key. We rekey it.
See the best high-security locks for NYC and how restricted keyway locks work, or browse the high-security hardware we install.
Some lock changes cannot wait for an appointment. A key that went missing with an address attached to it, a break-in attempt, a roommate or an ex who still has access, a short-term rental guest who left with a copy - these are same-day problems, and we treat them that way.
Our lock change and rekey service runs on the same schedule as the rest of our work: 24 hours a day, every day, across all five boroughs, with typical response times of 15 to 20 minutes. There is no after-hours surcharge. A Saturday night lock change is quoted the same way as a Tuesday afternoon, and you get a firm price before any work starts.
If you have been locked out as well as needing the locks changed, we can do both on one visit - open the door first, then rekey or replace while we are there. See emergency lockout service or 24-hour locksmith service.
Useful if you are trying to fit the work into a day:
| Job | Typical time on site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rekey one cylinder | 10 to 15 minutes | Cylinder has to be serviceable |
| Rekey a multi-lock apartment door | 25 to 40 minutes | Two or three cylinders keyed alike |
| Rekey a whole house to one key | 45 to 90 minutes | Depends on how many entry points |
| Replace a cylindrical lock | 20 to 30 minutes | Existing bore and backset must match |
| Replace a mortise lock | 45 to 90 minutes | Prewar doors often need the pocket adjusted |
| Install a new deadbolt | 45 to 60 minutes | Door and frame have to be bored |
Times are typical for work in good conditions and are not a guarantee. A warped door, a seized cylinder or a frame that has shifted will add time, and we will tell you before we begin rather than after.
| If this is your situation | Usually the right call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Just moved in | Rekey every exterior lock | Cheapest way to invalidate every key you cannot account for |
| Lost one key, no address on it | Rekey that door | The hardware is fine; only the key configuration needs to change |
| Lost a key with your address on it | Rekey the same day | Treat it as an access problem, not an inconvenience |
| Roommate or tenant moved out | Rekey, keyed alike | Faster and less expensive than replacing working hardware |
| Lock sticks, grinds or needs the door lifted | Replace | Rekeying a failing cylinder buys you a failing cylinder |
| Want copies controlled | High-security cylinder | A restricted keyway is the only reliable way to stop casual copies |
| After a break-in attempt | Replace, and check the frame | The strike and jamb often take the damage, not the lock |
| Landlord requires a specific keyway | Replace to match | Check the lease or house rules before buying hardware |
Rekeying modifies the internal pins of your existing lock so old keys no longer work — new keys are cut to match the new configuration. A lock change removes the entire lock mechanism and replaces it with new hardware. Rekeying is faster and cheaper; changing is better if the lock is damaged or you want an upgrade.
A single lock rekey typically takes 10-15 minutes. If you need multiple locks rekeyed, each additional lock adds about 5-10 minutes.
Yes. We can rekey all locks in your home or office to work with a single key — this is called keying alike. Very popular with new move-ins.
A full lock change starts at $85 including standard hardware, and high-security lock installation starts at $150. Rekeying an existing cylinder starts at $25 per lock. The final figure depends on the lock type, the door and how many locks are involved, and we give you a firm quote before any work begins - there is no after-hours surcharge.
Almost always rekeyed. Apartment doors in New York City commonly carry a mortise lock and a deadbolt, and both can be rekeyed to a single key while staying on the door. Replacement is only necessary when the cylinder is worn, damaged or too low-grade to be worth keeping. Check your lease or house rules first, because many buildings require management to hold a working key.
Yes. Keying alike is one of the most common requests on a house or brownstone with several entry points. Front, back, garden level, garage and basement can be rekeyed to the same key in one visit, as long as the cylinders are compatible and serviceable.
Yes. Mortise locks are standard in older New York apartment buildings and we work on them every day. A mortise replacement takes longer than a cylindrical one because the pocket in the door edge and the strike on the frame usually need adjustment after decades of movement.
Yes. Lock change and rekey service runs 24 hours a day across all five boroughs, with typical response times of 15 to 20 minutes. Call (718) 412-1332 and we will dispatch the nearest technician. There is no extra charge for nights, weekends or holidays.
Rekeyed. Medeco and Mul-T-Lock cylinders are rekeyable, so if you already own high-security hardware and only need to change who holds a key, there is no reason to replace it. New keys are cut to the controlled profile, which is what keeps copies from being made without your say.
Yes - that is the whole point. Rekeying changes the pin stack inside the cylinder, so every key cut to the old configuration stops working the moment the job is finished. Only the new keys we cut will open the door.
Need additional help? We provide emergency lockout service, home lock and key solutions, commercial locksmith services, and car lockout and key replacement. Lock change and rekey service is available across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
If you are also locked out and need entry before the lock change, see our apartment lockout or house lockout service — we can get you in and rekey on the same visit. All lock change and rekey services are available 24 hours a day across every NYC borough.