How Much Does It Cost to Rekey a House in San Diego? (2026)

Rekey pricing is simpler than most people expect once you know the two numbers that matter: the service call and the per-lock fee. Everything else is a variation on those. This guide explains what drives the total in San Diego, walks through three typical jobs, and shows how to avoid the pricing games that give locksmiths a bad name. Our own numbers are on the pricing page.

How is rekeying priced?

Most locksmiths in San Diego County price a rekey the same way:

• A service call or trip fee. This covers driving to you and the first block of time on-site. Some companies fold it into the first lock, others list it separately.
• A per-cylinder fee. Each lock that gets repinned is one cylinder. A deadbolt is one cylinder. A knob or lever with a keyed cylinder is another. A door with both is two.
• Keys. Most quotes include two or three keys. Extras are a few dollars each.

That is the whole structure. When a quote is confusing, it is usually because one of those three pieces is hidden.

What drives the price up or down?

Number of doors and cylinders

The biggest factor. A Downtown San Diego condo with one entry door is a very different job from a two-story home in Mira Mesa with a front door, two patio doors, a garage entry door and a side gate.

Count keyed cylinders, not doors. A front door with a deadbolt and a keyed handle set is two cylinders.

Lock type

Standard Kwikset and Schlage cylinders are quick. Designer mortise locks from Baldwin or Emtek, high-security cylinders like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock, and commercial interchangeable cores take longer and use restricted pins, so they cost more per cylinder.

Keyed alike

Putting every door on one key is usually a small add-on when the locks share a keyway. If one door is Kwikset and the rest are Schlage, the odd lock needs a cylinder swap or a replacement to match, which adds hardware cost. Details are on our keyed-alike page.

Timing

Weekday business hours are cheapest. Evenings, weekends and true emergencies may add a surcharge. If you locked yourself out and need in right now, that is a lockout fee on top of the rekey.

Location

Most companies serve the county at one rate. Some add a travel fee for far corners like Ramona, Fallbrook or Alpine. Ask.

Typical San Diego rekey costs in 2026

These are typical market ranges we see across San Diego County, not a quote. Your total depends on the factors above.

Example 1: one-door condo in Downtown

A one-bedroom with a front deadbolt and a keyed knob on the same door. Two cylinders, keyed alike, three keys. This is the quickest and cheapest rekey there is, usually done in twenty minutes.

Example 2: four-door house in El Cajon

Front deadbolt and handle, back slider lock, garage entry deadbolt, side gate padlock replaced with a keyed-alike one. Five cylinders on one key. About an hour on-site. This is the most common residential job in El Cajon and similar suburbs.

Example 3: eight-unit building turnover

A property manager rekeying every unit entry plus the laundry and storage doors after a change of management. Ten to twelve cylinders, each unit on its own key, with a master key for the manager. Priced per cylinder with a master-key setup fee; larger jobs often get a per-unit rate. See our landlord and property manager service, and for the legal side of turnovers, Rekeying Between Tenants in California.

Rekey vs. replace: what does each cost?

Rekeying is labor only. Replacing adds hardware, and hardware is where the range explodes:

• Builder-grade deadbolt: tens of dollars
• Grade 1 or Grade 2 residential deadbolt: roughly $50 to $150
• Designer handle sets: $200 and up
• Smart locks: $150 to $350 for the lock, plus install labor

For a home with working locks, rekeying every door usually costs less than replacing a single high-end handle set. When replacement makes sense anyway, our lock replacement page explains what is included. The full decision framework is in Rekey vs. Change Locks.

Can you rekey for free with Kwikset SmartKey?

If your locks have the small horizontal slot next to the keyway, they are Kwikset SmartKey. With a working key and the learn tool that came with the lock, you can rekey each one in about a minute at zero cost. Our step-by-step is in the Kwikset SmartKey rekey guide.

The catch: no working key, no DIY. A lost-key SmartKey needs a locksmith with a reset cradle or a new cylinder.

How do you avoid bait-and-switch pricing?

The classic scam is a rock-bottom advertised price that turns out to be only the service call, followed by inflated per-lock charges once the technician is standing in your doorway. Protect yourself:

1. Ask for the all-in total for your exact number of doors and cylinders before booking. A real locksmith can give it to you on the phone.
2. Confirm the California BSIS license. Locksmith companies in California must be licensed by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. The number should be easy to get and easy to verify on the state’s license lookup.
3. Get the price in writing by text or email if anything about the call felt vague.
4. Be wary of unmarked vehicles and cash-only demands.
5. Do not pay for drilling on a simple rekey. Drilling is almost never needed when the lock works.

What you can do to keep the cost down

• Count your cylinders before you call so the quote is accurate the first time.
• Have a working key for every lock. Rekeying a lock with no key takes longer.
• Book during business hours.
• Ask for keyed alike at the same visit. It is cheaper than a second trip later.
• Keep any spare SmartKey learn tools; they save a return visit.

Next step

Count your keyed doors, then check our pricing page for a clear per-cylinder rate. When you are ready, book a lock rekey and we will confirm the total before we drive out.