Rekey & Lock Change
When you get the keys to a new home in San Antonio — whether it's a craftsman bungalow off King William Street or a new build out in Stone Oak — one of the smartest first moves you can make is a rekey or lock change before you unpack a single box. You have no way of knowing how many copies of those keys are floating around: previous owners, old tenants, contractors, real estate agents, neighbors who were handed a spare during a renovation. San Antonio Locksmiths Pro is a 24/7 mobile locksmith serving the entire San Antonio metro, and our trained, insured technicians come directly to your address — no shop drop-off, no waiting room.
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week · Licensed, bonded & insured
The same logic applies to businesses. If an employee who had a master key left on bad terms, or if you just took over a commercial space on the Broadway corridor, leaving the existing lock cylinders in place is a genuine security risk. Our team handles everything from residential deadbolts and door knob locks to heavy-duty mortise lock systems in commercial buildings, and we walk you through exactly what needs to happen before any work begins. Every quote is confirmed up front — no surprises on the invoice.
What we do
Available 24/7
Day, night, weekends and holidays — a real local locksmith answers and rolls a fully-stocked van.
Fast local response
Based in San Antonio, we reach the San Antonio area in well under an hour.
Insured & background-checked
Vetted technicians, up-front pricing, and no surprise add-ons when we arrive.
Damage-free entry
We pick and bypass locks the right way, so most lockouts are solved without drilling anything.
Rekey Lock vs. Full Lock Change: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Rekeying and replacing a lock are two distinct services, and choosing the right one saves you time and unnecessary hardware costs. When you rekey a lock, a technician disassembles the cylinder and rearranges the internal pin tumblers so that only a newly cut key will operate it. The hardware — the knob, lever, deadbolt housing, or mortise lock body — stays exactly where it is. This works perfectly when the existing lock is in good mechanical condition and you simply want to make all previous keys inoperable. It is one of the most efficient security resets available, and it is exactly what our technicians recommend for most move-in situations where the locks themselves are not damaged or outdated.
A full lock change makes more sense in a handful of specific scenarios: the current lock is worn, wobbly, or has been forced at some point; you want to upgrade to a higher-security grade (for example, swapping a basic builder-grade knob for a Grade 1 deadbolt or a robust mortise lock); or the door has been re-framed and the existing hardware no longer fits correctly. Our mobile technicians carry a range of replacement hardware — Schlage, Kwikset, and commercial-grade mortise lock sets — so in most cases a same-visit door lock change is completely achievable. Call (210) 401-5519 any time of day or night and we will assess the situation before a single part is touched.
Mortise Lock, Door Knob Lock, and Deadbolt Services for San Antonio Homes and Businesses
Not every lock on a San Antonio property is the same, and the service approach changes depending on what is installed. Older homes — especially those in Southtown, Monte Vista, or Alamo Heights — frequently have mortise lock assemblies rather than the cylindrical locks found in newer construction. A mortise lock is a rectangular cartridge that fits into a deep pocket cut into the door edge, combining the latch, deadbolt, and sometimes a nightlatch into one unified unit. Rekeying or replacing a mortise lock requires a different skill set than swapping a standard deadbolt, and our technicians are experienced with the full range of residential and commercial mortise lock hardware in use across the city.
For businesses — restaurants on the River Walk, offices along Loop 410, retail spaces in Alamo Ranch — the stakes around access control are even higher. A commercial lock change on a storefront or back-of-house door often involves heavier-duty mortise lock hardware, panic bar integration, or key-control cylinders that restrict unauthorized duplication. Our commercial locksmith services cover multi-point locking systems, high-security cylinders, master key systems, and electronic access upgrades. Whether it is a single door knob lock on an interior office or a complete re-keying of every entry point in a building, we handle the job as a single coordinated visit wherever possible.
How Pricing Works for a Rekey or Lock Change Service
We are often asked what a lock change service or rekey costs in San Antonio. Rather than quoting a figure that may not reflect your specific situation, we build every estimate around the actual variables involved: the type and number of locks being serviced (a basic door knob lock differs significantly from a commercial mortise lock in parts and labor complexity), the time of day the call comes in, the travel distance to your location, and whether any replacement hardware is needed. A straightforward rekey of two standard deadbolts on a single-family home is a very different scope than a commercial lock change across a multi-entry office suite.
What never changes is our commitment to transparency. Before any work begins, your technician will assess the locks, explain what is needed, and give you a confirmed price. You approve it first — the work starts after. There are no after-the-fact add-ons. This applies equally to an afternoon appointment and to a 2 a.m. emergency call. If you want a general sense of what factors will influence your quote, the most useful first step is simply to call (210) 401-5519 and describe your situation. Our team can give you clear guidance within minutes.
Smart Lock Changes and Keypad Code Resets: Defiant, Honeywell, and Beyond
Electronic and smart locks add a layer of convenience, but they also come with their own security reset requirements when you move into a home. If a previous occupant set the access codes and did not perform a full factory reset, you may think you are secure while old codes remain active. A Defiant lock change code process — resetting the master and user codes on a Defiant electronic deadbolt — is straightforward when you have the existing master code, but can require a hardware-level reset if that code was not handed over at closing. Similarly, a Honeywell door lock change code involves accessing the programming menu, and the exact steps vary by model generation. Our technicians work with a wide range of electronic lock platforms and can perform code resets, full reprogramming, or hardware swaps where a unit is faulty or outdated.
For combination padlocks on outbuildings, storage units, or gate hardware, a master lock change combination reset is possible on certain resettable models but not on fixed-combination locks — the latter simply need to be replaced. Our team will identify which category your hardware falls into and advise accordingly. The same honest, no-surprises approach applies: we tell you exactly what is achievable before we touch anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a 24-hour locksmith in San Antonio for rekey and lock change calls?+
Yes. San Antonio Locksmiths Pro operates around the clock, every day of the year. Our mobile technicians are dispatched across San Antonio and the surrounding metro area — from downtown to the Far Northside, Helotes to Converse — at any hour. Whether you just got handed keys to a new property at midnight or discovered a compromised lock first thing Sunday morning, you can reach a live person by calling (210) 401-5519. We answer 24/7, not an answering service.
What locks can locksmiths not open, and does that affect whether my lock can be rekeyed?+
Most residential and commercial locks — including standard deadbolts, door knob locks, lever sets, and mortise lock assemblies — can be rekeyed or replaced by a qualified technician. High-security locks with patented keyways (such as Medeco or Mul-T-Lock cylinders) can still be serviced by experienced professionals, though the process may differ from a standard rekey. Truly destructive entry is sometimes unavoidable on severely damaged or tampered-with locks, but our technicians always attempt damage-free methods first. If a lock cannot be saved, we will explain why and present replacement options before proceeding.
What should I ask a locksmith before hiring them for a lock change or rekey?+
Ask whether the technician is insured, whether they will provide a confirmed price before starting work, whether they have experience with your specific lock type (mortise lock, electronic deadbolt, commercial hardware), and whether they operate as a genuine local mobile service or as a call-center dispatch model. With San Antonio Locksmiths Pro, the technician who shows up is trained and insured, carries the hardware for most common lock change and rekey jobs, and will give you a locked-in price before any work begins. You should also confirm the company's phone number matches the one you called — (210) 401-5519 — so you know exactly who is arriving.
How much does an emergency locksmith cost for an after-hours rekey or lock change in San Antonio?+
Emergency and after-hours calls do factor into the final price — time of day is one of the variables we are transparent about. Other factors include the type and number of locks, whether replacement hardware is needed, and the travel distance to your location. We do not quote a flat rate here because giving a number that does not apply to your situation would be misleading. What we can guarantee is that you will receive a clear, confirmed price before we start — no technician will proceed without your approval. Call (210) 401-5519 to get a real quote based on your specific situation.
Should I rekey locks or change them entirely after moving into a San Antonio home?+
In most move-in scenarios, rekeying is sufficient — it renders every previously cut key useless at a fraction of the cost of full hardware replacement, and the security outcome is effectively the same. A full lock change is warranted if the existing hardware is damaged, low-grade, or incompatible with the security level you want. Our technicians will inspect the locks at your property, explain the condition of each one, and give you a clear recommendation rather than defaulting to the more expensive option. Many San Antonio homeowners end up with a combination: rekeyed deadbolts on interior doors and a new mortise lock or high-security deadbolt on the primary entry.
What are the typical services included in a professional rekey and lock change visit?+
A full-service visit from San Antonio Locksmiths Pro can cover a wide range of tasks in a single appointment: residential deadbolt rekeying, door knob lock rekeying, mortise lock rekeying or full replacement, smart lock and keypad code resets (including Defiant lock code changes and Honeywell door lock code reprogramming), master key system setup, new lock installation on doors that lack deadbolts, commercial lock change on office and storefront entries, high-security cylinder upgrades, padlock replacement, sliding door lock installation, garage side-door lock change, mailbox lock rekeying, and more. Let us know every lock you want addressed when you call and we will come prepared for the full scope.