Rekeying is the cheapest way to make every old key useless. Here is what the work costs nationally, how long it takes per lock, and the few cases where new hardware is the better buy.
By Able Lock Shop, New Hyde Park, NY · Serving Nassau County since 1945 · 6 minute read
Most house locks are pin tumbler locks. Inside the cylinder sit five or six stacks of small pins, and each cut on your key lifts one stack to exactly the right height so the cylinder can turn. Change the pins, and the old key no longer lines up.
That is all rekeying is. A locksmith removes the cylinder, swaps the key pins for a new set cut to a new key, and puts it back. The lock body, the deadbolt, the handle and the finish all stay on your door.
New pins, new keys, same hardware. Every old copy of the key stops working, including ones you never knew were made.
New lock, new keys, new hardware. Worth it when the lock is worn, damaged, low grade, or you want a different style or a smart lock.
If your locks work and you only need the old keys to stop working, rekey them. You are paying for labor, not new hardware.
National price guides land in a tight range. Angi's 2026 locksmith cost data puts rekeying at about $50 to $130 per lock, and HomeGuide's lock cost guide puts a whole house with three or four exterior doors at about $150 to $400. These are national estimates, not quotes. Your price depends on how many locks, the brand, and when you call.
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rekey one lock | $50 to $130 | Angi, 2026 |
| Rekey a whole house (3 to 4 exterior doors) | $150 to $400 | HomeGuide |
| Service call or trip charge | $60 to $140 | HomeGuide |
| After-hours or emergency surcharge | $50 to $150 added | Angi, 2026 |
| Replace a lock instead, per door, installed | $80 to $225 | HomeGuide |
Ranges are national. Long Island labor runs above the national average, so expect the upper half of most ranges here.
A set of replacement pins costs very little. What you pay for is the trip and a trained set of hands. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts about 14,790 locksmiths and safe repairers in the country, with a national median wage of $23.26 an hour and a mean of $28.67 an hour in the New York metro area (May 2023 data). That is why rekeying five locks on one visit costs far less per lock than rekeying one lock on five separate visits.
Pick how many locks you have and why you want them changed. The ranges use the national figures above, so treat them as a starting point rather than a quote.
Based on Angi (rekey, $50 to $130 per lock; after-hours surcharge, $50 to $150) and HomeGuide (replace, $80 to $225 per door; 10 to 20 minutes per lock). National ranges, not an Able Lock Shop quote.
HomeGuide puts the bench work at about 10 to 20 minutes per lock. For a typical house with three or four exterior locks, the whole job is usually done inside an hour. Here is what happens during that time:
Able Lock Shop rekeys homes and businesses across Nassau County, Queens and Suffolk, 24/7.
Rekeying only changes who can open the lock. It does not make a weak lock stronger or a worn lock smoother. New hardware makes more sense when:
If you land on replacement, see our lock installation service for what we install. If the hardware is sound, our lock rekeying service covers homes and businesses across Nassau County.
National estimates put rekeying at about $50 to $130 per lock, according to Angi's 2026 cost data. Most of that is labor and the trip, so the price per lock drops when several locks are done on one visit.
HomeGuide puts the work at about 10 to 20 minutes per lock. A typical house with three or four exterior locks is usually finished within an hour, not counting drive time.
Rekeying is usually cheaper because the existing hardware stays on the door. HomeGuide lists replacement at about $80 to $225 per door installed, compared with $50 to $130 per lock to rekey on Angi's figures.
Often, yes. Locks that share the same keyway, for example all Schlage or all Kwikset, can usually be rekeyed to work with a single key. Mixed brands may need one cylinder swapped so everything matches.
Family-owned since 1945, licensed, bonded and insured. Call 516-363-3228 or request a free estimate and we will tell you whether rekeying or new hardware makes sense for your doors.
