Mobile Locksmith · Phoenix & the Valley
Commercial Rekey in Phoenix, AZ
A commercial rekey changes the inside of your business locks so the old keys stop working and a new set takes over. The locks, handles and exit hardware stay on the doors. That is why it is the usual answer after a lost key, an employee leaving or a new tenant moving in: you get new key control without buying new hardware for every door.
We rekey on site in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria and Paradise Valley. Simple rekeys are priced on the phone. Bigger jobs, such as many doors or a master key system, start with a look at the doors and an agreed price before any work begins. Below: when a rekey makes sense, what happens on a visit, what changes the time and cost, and what to have ready.
When a business needs a rekey
The trigger is almost always a key you can no longer account for. These are the common situations.
Not every departure calls for a rekey. If the person returned every key, only had access to one or two doors and you are sure no copies were made, you may decide to leave the locks alone. If a key is missing, the person held a building-wide key, or the key is on a common keyway that any key shop can copy, rekeying is the safer call. Tell us what they had access to and we will say what we would do. More on two common cases: restaurants and retail and property managers and HOAs.
What happens on a visit
- Walk the doors.We go through every door in the job and note the lock type, the cylinder type and the key it takes. If you already have a door list, we check it against what is actually on the doors.
- Decide which keys must keep working.Some keys stay, some are retired. You tell us who needs which doors and how many copies of each key you want. We do not start until this is clear.
- Confirm the price.A simple rekey is priced on the phone. For larger jobs we agree the price once we have seen the doors, before any work starts.
- Rekey each cylinder.We take the cylinder or core out of the lock, change what is inside it to match the new key, and put it back. Conventional cylinders are re-pinned. In an IC lock the core comes out with the control key and is re-pinned or swapped for one that is already keyed. Ask us whether the cores in your system can be serviced on site.
- Test every door.We try the new key in every lock, try an old key where we have one to confirm it no longer turns, and check that latches, thumbturns and exit hardware still work as they did.
- Cut and hand over the keys.New keys are cut, tested and handed to you or to the person you name.
- Record who holds what.A door list showing which key opens which door means the next change starts from a record instead of a guess. We will tell you what written record we can leave with you.
Rekeying changes which keys work in a cylinder. It does not change the function of the lock. In general, exit doors must open from the inside without a key, and a rekey leaves that as it is. What a given door is required to do is decided by your fire marshal or building inspector, the authority having jurisdiction. Our job is to make the hardware do it.
Cylinder types: what changes how we rekey
“Rekey” sounds like one job, but the lock decides the method. Four types cover most business doors.
Two more things matter: the keyway, which is the shape of the key’s profile, and whether it is restricted. Common keyways can be cut almost anywhere. Restricted and high-security cylinders are controlled by the manufacturer, and their keys are usually ordered through approved channels rather than cut on the spot. Schlage Primus is one example. Ask us early whether we can get keys for your system.
What drives the time and the price
We do not publish a fixed commercial rekey price because the doors decide it. These are the factors that move it.
- Number of cylinders. Each cylinder is rekeyed individually, so door count is a major factor.
- Cylinder type. A conventional cylinder, an IC core, a mortise cylinder and a high-security cylinder each need different work and different parts.
- Whether we have a working key. A cylinder with a working key in hand goes faster than one we have to rekey without one.
- Access to the cylinder. Rim cylinders on exit devices, mortise cylinders and lever locks are each reached differently.
- A master key system. Making more than one key open a lock needs a plan, a keying schedule and more parts in every cylinder.
- Restricted keys. If keys must come from the manufacturer, the job includes ordering time and paperwork.
- Number of keys. More keys of each kind means more cutting and testing.
- Location and scheduling. Distance, and whether the work has to fit around your open hours.
Our rekey cost post lays out how pricing works for houses. Commercial hardware, IC cores and high-security cylinders take more time and parts, so we quote them once we know what is on the door. For a multi-door job, the commercial quote page collects what we need to give you a price.
Rekey or replace the locks?
Rekey when the hardware is sound. If the locks work, suit the door and are in good shape, a rekey gives you new keys without paying for new hardware. Replace when a rekey would not fix the real problem:
- The lock is worn, loose, sticking or no longer latches reliably.
- It is the wrong function for the door, or a knob sits on a door that needs a lever.
- The keyway is common and you want keys that cannot be copied freely. Moving to a restricted keyway generally means new cylinders, not a rekey.
- A break-in attempt damaged the lock or the door prep.
- You are moving to keypads or card readers.
Many sites end up with both: rekey the good doors, replace the weak ones. For the replacement side see commercial door lock replacement.
Keyed alike or master keyed?
A rekey is also the moment to change how your keys relate to each other.
- Keyed different. Every lock has its own key. This gives the most control and the most keys to carry.
- Keyed alike. Several locks open with one key, for example the front door, back door and storeroom. It is convenient, but whoever holds that key has all three doors.
- Master keyed. Each lock keeps its own key and a higher-level master key also opens all of them or a group. Every lock now opens with more than one key, which makes the system harder to design and to keep records for.
Keyed alike is a simple rekey. Master keying is a project of its own. The levels, key control and records are covered on our master key systems page.
- A door list: every door in the job and where it is, with exit doors and panic bars marked. A hand-drawn list is fine.
- A photo of each lock, and of the cylinder face and the key.
- Which keys must keep working, which must stop, and how many copies you need of each.
- Who has keys now, including past staff, cleaners, contractors and your landlord.
- Any key records you already hold, such as a key chart, a bitting list or a master key schedule.
- Whether any doors have IC cores, and where the control key is kept.
- Who is approving the work (owner, manager or property manager) and how we get in: gate codes, alarm, a contact on site.
If you cannot find some of this, call anyway at (602) 301-5243. We can often work it out at the door, but a list and photos make the quote faster.
Key records after the rekey
A rekey is only as useful as the record you keep afterward. Three records do three different jobs.
- Door list. Every door, what lock it has and which key opens it.
- Key issue log. Who holds each key, the date it was issued, their signature and the date it came back. This is how you know whose key is missing before you have to guess.
- Keying record (bitting list). The cut numbers for each lock and key. It lets a locksmith make more keys or add a lock later without rekeying everything. Anyone holding it can have keys made, so keep it locked up, not taped inside the key cabinet.
Which of these we can leave with you is something to settle before the job starts. The key issue log is yours to keep, at the place where keys are handed out.
What can be done on site, and what needs ordering
We tell you which of these your doors fall into before work starts. If you are locked out of a business and need a door opened rather than rekeyed, see commercial lockouts. For the full list of business services, start at our commercial locksmith page, or see our general rekey locks page for homes and small shops.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rekey when an employee leaves?
Not always. If every key came back, the person only had access to one or two doors and no copies were made, you can reasonably leave the locks. If a key is missing, they held a master or building-wide key, or the keys are on a common keyway, rekeying is the safer choice. Tell us what they had access to and we will say what we would do on your doors.
Can you rekey locks if we have no working key?
It depends on the lock. Rekeying without a working key takes more time and parts than rekeying with one, so we quote those cylinders separately once we have seen what is on the door. IC cores with no control key are a different job again, and cylinders on restricted keyways may need parts or keys ordered from the manufacturer.
How long does a commercial rekey take?
It depends on how many cylinders there are, what types they are, and whether any keys have to be ordered. We do not quote hours before seeing the doors. Send a door list and photos, tell us when you would like the work done, and we will tell you what to expect, including whether it needs more than one visit.
How much does a commercial rekey cost?
Simple rekeys are priced on the phone. For several doors, IC cores, high-security cylinders or a master key system, we look at the doors first and agree the price before any work starts. The main drivers are the number of cylinders, the cylinder type, whether we have a working key, and whether keys must be ordered.
Can you rekey panic bars and exit devices?
Where an exit device has a key cylinder, that cylinder can usually be rekeyed or swapped. A rekey changes which keys work in the cylinder, not how the door is built. In general, people must still be able to leave without a key, and a rekey does not change that. Your fire marshal or building inspector has the final word on how an exit door must operate. Send a photo of the device and we will tell you what is involved.
Should I rekey or replace commercial locks?
Rekey if the locks are sound and suit the door. Replace if they are worn, sticking, the wrong function, damaged by a break-in attempt, or if you want a restricted keyway or electronic access. Many buildings need both. Send photos of the doors and we will tell you which is which.
Will my old keys work after a rekey?
No. A rekey changes the lock to match a new set of keys, so the old keys and every copy of them stop working in the locks we rekey. That is why it is the usual answer to lost keys and former employees. If some keys must keep working, tell us which ones and on which doors before we start, so the plan accounts for them.
Related commercial services
Talk to the locksmith who does the work.
Call (602) 301-5243, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm. For bigger projects we look at the doors first and agree on the price before any work starts.
When you need a real locksmith in Phoenix, AZ or the surrounding cities you can count on Desert Locksmith every time.
We’ll come to you when you need us!
Our locksmith service is available in the following areas:
Phoenix | Tempe | Paradise Valley | Scottsdale | Glendale | Mesa | Chandler | Peoria