Smart locks
House lockouts
Re-keying
Deadbolt upgrades
Schlage
Kwikset
Car keys & fobsNon-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Get your free estimateTrusted Rekey Locks for Key Homeowners
Rekey locks in Key, CA typically costs $65 – $120 for a standard single-cylinder deadbolt when performed by a licensed locksmith, with most jobs completed the same day. The process changes the internal pins so old keys stop working and new keys operate the existing hardware. Cypress Lock & Key has handled rekey jobs across Key for homeowners, renters, landlords, and small-business operators, working on everything from builder-grade Kwikset to Medeco high-security cylinders. Our technicians arrive with pinning kits for eight lock brands, so one visit usually covers the whole property. Call (877) 265-4385 for a firm quote before dispatch, no surprises on the invoice.
Key Takeaways:
- Rekeying changes the key, not the lock. Existing hardware stays in place.
- Typical residential rekey in Key runs $65 – $120 depending on cylinder count and brand.
- Same-day service available for most standard rekey requests. High-security brands like Abloy or Medeco may take slightly longer due to proprietary pinning systems.
- Cypress Lock & Key is led by Noel Carver, a locksmith with documented competency across eight lock brands, not just residential basics.
- Phone quotes are firm: no call-out surcharge added on arrival, no upselling mid-job.
If you’ve moved into a new house in Key, ended a relationship, fired a contractor, or lost track of who has a spare, rekeying is the lowest-cost way to retake control of your home’s access. No new hardware to buy, no door prep, no weekend lost to a hardware store run. We come to you, pin the cylinders, cut new keys, and leave you with a single set of keys that works everything. If you’d rather we handle the home security details from start to finish, that’s exactly what we do.
Lock Rekey
Lock rekey is the process of disassembling an existing lock cylinder, removing the old pins, and installing new pins that match a different key, so every old key is rendered useless without changing the lock body. It’s the service you need when someone who used to have access to your Key property should no longer have access, but the hardware itself is in good shape. Cypress Lock & Key performs lock rekey on residential deadbolts, knob locks, lever locks, and commercial cylinders, typically finishing a standard three-door house in under an hour. Expect to pay $65 – $95 for the first cylinder and $15 – $25 per additional cylinder when rekeying to a new key.
What Changes, What Stays
The lock housing, bolt mechanism, strike plate, and handleset all remain exactly where they were installed. Only the internal pins and springs get replaced, which is why rekeying costs a fraction of a hardware swap. Your door still looks the same, and the deadbolt still throws the same way.
New keys are cut and tested by hand at the lock, not at a shop bench. We verify each key turns smoothly in both directions before we call the job done.
Why Pinning Quality Matters
A sloppy rekey creates weak shear lines and keys that stick or fail after a few months. We use matched pin depths that correspond to the original manufacturer spec for each brand, so the new key operates with the same feel as the day the lock was new.
On high-security cylinders from brands like Mul-T-Lock or Medeco, pinning requires telescoping pins or angled cuts, and we stock those specific components. Most Key locksmiths don’t carry them. We do.
Styles & brands we work with







Locksmith Rekey
Locksmith rekey service is what you hire when you need a professional to alter your lock’s keying rather than replacing hardware, whether it’s one lock or every lock on a Key commercial space. The job takes a trained technician with a pinning kit, plug follower, and brand-specific pins, plus the experience to avoid damaging the cylinder during disassembly. Cypress Lock & Key sends a locksmith with documented experience across Kwikset, Schlage, Baldwin, Yale, Sargent, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy. Typical residential locksmith rekey pricing in Key lands at $65 – $120 depending on lock type and whether you want all locks keyed to one new key or something more complex like a master key setup.
Master Key and Keyed-Different Systems
Property managers in Key often need a master key that opens all units while each tenant key only opens that unit. That’s a keyed-different system with a master wafer, and it requires careful math on pin stacks so every level operates cleanly. We build these systems for landlords from Key to Rekey Locks in Martinez and surrounding communities.
A poorly built master system drags keys, fails early, and sometimes lets a tenant key open the wrong door. We calculate chamber depths line by line, then test every level.
High-Security Rekey Considerations
Medeco and Abloy cylinders don’t take standard pins. They use rotating pins, angled cuts, and restricted keyways that require factory or specialty aftermarket components. If you have these locks in Key, you need a locksmith who has actually worked on them, not one who will open the cylinder and improvise.
Noel Carver built Cypress Lock & Key to handle exactly these jobs. The rekey price on high-security hardware runs higher, usually $25 – $45 per cylinder in labor, because the pinning system is proprietary and the tolerance stack is tighter.
Rekey Door Lock
Rekey door lock work targets the specific cylinder inside your existing deadbolt or knob, replacing only the pins so the old key stops turning and a new key takes over. It’s the right move when a single door in Key needs access changed, like a garage entry, a back door a contractor used, or an Airbnb unit between guests. Cypress Lock & Key rekeys door locks in place without removing the lock body from the door, which keeps your weatherstripping, alignment, and hardware finish undisturbed. Cost for a single door lock rekey in Key runs $65 – $95 for most standard brands, with the price climbing slightly for Baldwin or Yale cylinders that require finer pin tolerances.
Front Door vs. Interior Doors
The front door is your security perimeter, so we use fresh pins in every chamber and check the cylinder for wear before rekeying. Interior bedroom and bathroom locks often take a standard rim cylinder, which rekeys quickly and cheaply, usually $45 – $65 per door.
When we find a worn cylinder that would fail soon even with new pins, we tell you before doing the work. You get the choice: rekey the worn cylinder as-is or replace the cylinder for a modest added cost. No silent upsells.
Hardware Finish and Aesthetics
Rekeying a door lock doesn’t touch the visible trim, so your oil-rubbed bronze Baldwin handleset or polished brass Yale deadbolt keeps its original look. No paint touch-up, no mismatched hardware from a hardware store swap.
That’s one of the quiet advantages of rekeying: the security changes, the door doesn’t. For a full house treatment, see the Rekey Locks in Chinatown page to understand how we handle multi-door schedules on dense urban lots.
Rekey Service
Rekey service is the complete job: inspecting each lock, confirming its condition, disassembling the cylinder, swapping pins, cutting new keys, testing operation, and handing you a clean set of keys while the old ones become scrap brass. It’s what Key residents call us for when they want every exterior door changed to a single new key in one visit. Cypress Lock & Key schedules rekey service calls with a firm phone quote before anyone heads to your address. Standard rekey service pricing in Key runs $65 – $120 for the first lock plus $15 – $30 per additional cylinder depending on brand and keyway type.
Same-Day Turnaround
Most rekey service calls in Key are completed start to finish in 45 – 90 minutes. We carry pinning kits for all eight brands we service, plus a key machine in the van, so there’s no trip back to a shop between cylinders.
If you call in the morning, there’s a strong chance your locks are rekeyed before lunch. Call (877) 265-4385 and tell us how many doors; we’ll give you a real arrival window and price on the spot.
Commercial Rekey Scheduling
Commercial and multi-unit rekey service is surveyed and scheduled, not dispatched. We walk the property, count cylinders, identify keyways, and return a written scope with a flat per-lock price before any work begins. No hourly open-ended billing.
That written scope is the same number you pay on the invoice. Property managers across the Bay Area appreciate knowing the per-door cost before signing off, and we respect that.
Keyed Alike
Keyed alike means every lock on your Key property operates from one key: front door, back door, garage side door, gate lock, shed hasp, all of them opening with a single cut. It’s the most common rekey request we get from homeowners who are tired of carrying a janitor-style ring of four different keys. Cypress Lock & Key sets up keyed-alike systems by pinning all cylinders to the same depth stack, then cutting one key blank that runs the whole property. Cost depends entirely on how many cylinders need to match: two or three doors in Key typically run $85 – $130, and every additional cylinder adds roughly $15 – $25.
One Key, Every Lock
The beauty of a keyed-alike setup is not just convenience. You know exactly how many working keys exist because you can count them on your own keyring. No mystery copies floating around from the prior owner’s neighbor, dog sitter, or pool guy.
We cut duplicates during the same visit and mark each original for easy identification. If you lose one later, we can rekey or cut replacements without guessing which lock it went to.
Limits of Keyed Alike
Keyed alike works when every lock in the group shares the same keyway. A Schlage cylinder can’t accept a Kwikset key blank, so if your Key house has mixed brands on different doors, we may need to replace one cylinder to unify the property.
We’ll tell you up front if that’s the case. The cylinder swap is usually $35 – $55, and it means every door from then on takes the same key brand and cut. Worth it for most homeowners.
Rekey Deadbolt
Rekey deadbolt service focuses on the primary security hardware on your exterior doors, the bolt that actually resists a kick or pry attempt. A deadbolt rekey replaces the pins inside the deadbolt cylinder so the old key no longer operates the bolt, while the bolt throw, faceplate, and thumbturn stay factory-sealed and untouched. In Key, deadbolt rekeying is the single most requested service because it’s the lock that actually protects the house. Expect $65 – $95 for a standard Kwikset or Schlage deadbolt, $85 – $120 for Baldwin or Sargent, and $25 – $45 per cylinder in labor for Medeco or Mul-T-Lock deadbolts.
Single vs. Double Cylinder
Single-cylinder deadbolts have a keyhole on the outside and a thumbturn inside. Double-cylinder deadbolts require a key on both sides, common in Key homes where a door has glass within arm’s reach of the interior thumbturn.
Double-cylinder units rekey the same way but require slightly more care during reassembly because the keyed cylinder lives on the interior side too. Same price, same visit.
When the Deadbolt Needs More Than Pins
Sometimes the cylinder is fine but the bolt itself is loose, the strike plate is stripped, or the door sags enough that the bolt binds. We inspect the full throw and strike during every deadbolt rekey and flag anything that weakens the lock.
A deadbolt that doesn’t fully extend isn’t securing anything regardless of what key operates it. We fix or flag it while we’re there, and the price is quoted before we touch a tool.
Rekey House
Rekey house service means every exterior lock on your Key home gets repinned to a new key in a single appointment, covering the front door, back door, garage entry, side gates, and any other keyed access point. It’s the service we recommend after moving in, after a roommate leaves, after a service worker’s access period ends, or when you simply can’t account for all the copies that were made over the years. Cypress Lock & Key handles whole-house rekeys in Key for $120 – $250, depending on door count and cylinder brands. That includes new keys, testing every lock, and disposal advice for the old ones.
Move-In Rekey for Key Homes
A newly purchased house comes with a question mark: who still has keys? The prior owner may have given copies to cleaners, contractors, neighbors, family members. The sellers’ real estate agent may have a lockbox code that was shared more widely than intended.
We rekey every exterior cylinder on closing day or the weekend after, walk the property with you to confirm which doors count as perimeter, and hand you keys with a written count. That’s the entire job. No new locks required unless something is actually broken.
Landlord and Property Manager Schedules
Turnover rekeys in Key are routine for us. We keep records of what keyway each property used previously, so a landlord can rotate key cuts between tenants without replacing hardware. Some owners near Rekey Locks in Mill Valley use the same schedule we set up for Key rental portfolios.
We bill flat per door, not by the hour, which makes budgeting a turnover rekey predictable down to the dollar.
Brands We Service
Most locksmiths in the area work on two or three brands. Cypress Lock & Key was built deliberately to work across eight: Schlage, Kwikset, Baldwin, Yale, Sargent, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy. That spread matters when your Key house came with a Baldwin handleset on the front door, a Yale deadbolt on the back, and a Sargent commercial cylinder on the garage. We rekey all three in one visit because we stock OEM and spec-matched pins for each.
Yale cylinders use a narrower keyway than Schlage, and their pin depths run slightly different tolerances. Baldwin hardware often hides the cylinder retention behind a trim plate that requires a specific tool to remove without marring the finish. Mul-T-Lock and Sargent both use restricted key blanks that generic locksmiths can’t cut. We carry those blanks and the pinning kits to match. Whether you have one Kwikset deadbolt or a Medeco perimeter, we can help.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- You’ve lost a key and can’t account for all copies. A lost key in Key might be gone forever, or it might be in someone’s pocket. Rekeying removes the possibility that it finds its way back to your door.
- You’ve moved into a new home. Prior owners, their relatives, their contractors, their dog walker. The list of people who may have held a key to that door is longer than you’d guess, and every one of them lives in the same region. Rekey the perimeter.
- A roommate or tenant moved out. People leave on good and bad terms, and you don’t control who they gave a spare key to during their stay. Rekeying is cheaper than the worry.
- A contractor or cleaner no longer works for you. Key access often gets shared out to helpers. A professional rekey gives you a clean key register and a known key count going forward.
- You have too many different keys. Three keys for five doors is a sign that the property was never keyed alike. A keyed-alike rekey collapses all of it into one key and deletes the old ones from existence.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Call and see a real quote. We answer, ask how many doors and what brands you have, and give you a firm price range over the phone. No dispatch fee already rolled into a vague quote.
- 2
Technician arrives with the right kit. Noel Carver or a Cypress technician shows up with pinning kits for all eight brands, a plug follower set, and a key machine in the van. We inventory each cylinder before touching it.
- 3
We inspect and pin each lock. Every cylinder gets disassembled, cleaned, and checked for worn pins or springs. New pins go in at the exact depths the new key requires, then we reassemble and test both directions.
- 4
We cut and verify new keys. Keys are cut on-site and tested in every lock, not just the first one. Thumbturns, deadbolts, knobs, levers, all of it.
- 5
Final walkthrough and invoice. You test the new keys yourself while we watch, and we confirm the invoice matches the phone quote. If a cylinder needed replacing, that was quoted before we did it, not after.
How Much Does Rekey Locks Cost in Key?
A standard residential rekey in Key runs $65 – $120 for the first cylinder and $15 – $30 for each additional cylinder depending on brand and keyway. A three-door house with matching Kwikset or Schlage deadbolts usually lands between $95 and $160 total. A five-door property with mixed Baldwin and Yale hardware might reach $180 – $250. High-security rekeys on Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy cylinders run $25 – $45 per cylinder in labor alone because the pinning systems are proprietary and the components cost more. Master key systems for rental properties in Key get quoted per lock after a site walk.
What affects the price: brand (generic pins are cheap, Medeco pins are not), cylinder count, keyed-alike complexity, and whether any cylinders need replacement due to wear. How to avoid overpaying: ask for a flat per-lock price before you schedule, skip any company that quotes “from $19” because that’s a bait number, and confirm there’s no call-out surcharge added on arrival. Our phone quote includes the full job and matches the invoice. Call (877) 265-4385 and tell us how many doors; estimates are free.
Our Service Area Near Key
Cypress Lock & Key serves Key and the surrounding Bay Area communities, including San Mateo, Larkspur, Hillsborough, Foster City, Vine Hill, Diablo, Crockett, Pacifica, and Concord. Standard response time for rekey jobs is same-day in most cases, with a two-hour arrival window given at the time of scheduling. We also cover Rekey Locks in Chinatown and Rekey Locks in Mill Valley for clients managing properties across multiple cities.
Serving Key, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Key area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rekey Locks in Key
Rekey locks is the process of changing the internal pins inside a lock cylinder so it operates from a new key, while the old key stops working completely. You keep the existing hardware on the door and pay only for the pinning labor plus new keys. It’s the cheapest way to change who has access to a home or business in Key without replacing any hardware.
Most residential rekey jobs take 45 – 90 minutes from arrival to final key test, depending on the number of cylinders. A single deadbolt rekey can be done in about 20 minutes. High-security brands like Medeco or Abloy add time because their pinning systems are more involved.
Expect $65 – $120 for the first cylinder and $15 – $30 per additional cylinder on standard brands. A three-door house usually lands between $95 and $160. The phone quote you get from us is the invoice amount, no call-out surcharge, no extras. Call (877) 265-4385 for an exact number.
Yes. Cypress Lock & Key carries pinning components and key blanks for Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Sargent, and the residential brands Kwikset, Schlage, Baldwin, and Yale. High-security cylinders require proprietary pin stacks and restricted key blanks, which we stock and service for Key clients.
If you’re locked out or have an urgent security issue in Key, call (877) 265-4385 and describe the situation. Emergency locksmith response is one of our three core services. If the job can be scheduled, same-day rekey appointments are usually available during business hours and often into the evening.
Yes. Every rekey job includes a workmanship guarantee. If a rekeyed lock fails or a key stops turning properly due to our pinning, we return and fix it at no charge. We stand behind every cylinder we pin in Key and the surrounding area.
Yes. The figure we give you on the phone is the number on the invoice unless something changes during the walkthrough and we quote the adjustment before doing the work. No dispatch fee added at the door, no bait pricing, no surprise labor charges. Call (877) 265-4385 and get a firm number.
Schedule Your Rekey Locks Service in Key Today
Call (877) 265-4385 to schedule a rekey in Key. We’ll quote the full job on the phone, give you a real arrival window, and have every lock repinned and tested before we leave. Old keys stop working, new keys work everything. Free estimates, no obligation, no surprises.
Written by Noel Carver, Owner at Cypress Lock & Key, serving Key since [year].