Two smart locks are truly renter-friendly: the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, which replaces only the inside thumb-turn, and the Level Bolt, which hides inside the door. Both keep the outside of the door and the landlord's key exactly as they were, and both come off at move-out. Get written permission first, because most leases require it, and skip full-replacement keypad deadbolts unless the landlord agrees.
Key takeaways
- Read the lease and ask in writing before touching the lock. Most leases require consent to add or change locks.
- The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock and the Level Bolt keep the exterior deadbolt and the landlord's key untouched.
- Full-replacement keypad deadbolts change the outside and the keyway, which landlords and HOAs usually refuse.
- Retrofits need a single-cylinder deadbolt on a standard door. Double-cylinder and mortise locks rule them out.
- Keep the original thumb-turn in a labeled bag. Reinstalling it at move-out takes minutes.
Renters ask us for smart locks as often as owners do, and the worry is always the same: I cannot change the landlord’s lock. You do not have to. Two locks on the market add app control, auto-lock and keyless entry while leaving the landlord’s deadbolt and key exactly as they are. Here is how they work, how to get a yes, and how to leave no trace at move-out.
The lease comes first
Most California leases say you may not add, change or rekey a lock without the landlord’s written consent. Behind that clause sits the landlord’s right to enter with proper notice, so a lock their key cannot open puts you in breach even if you meant no harm. If you do change a lock, expect to hand over a key.
So ask first, in writing, and name the model. An email that says “I would like to install an August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, it replaces only the interior thumb-turn, your key continues to work, and I will reinstall the original at move-out” gets a yes far more often than “can I put a smart lock on the door”. This is general information, not legal advice; check current rules and your own lease. Separate rules apply for tenants who are victims of domestic violence, which our landlord rekeying guide touches on.
The two renter-friendly options
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock replaces the thumb-turn on the inside of a single-cylinder deadbolt. The exterior, the cylinder and every existing key stay put. It has Wi-Fi built in, auto-locks behind you, can unlock as you walk up, and works with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home. If you want codes, the August keypad accessory mounts beside the door with adhesive and talks to the lock. Nothing on the outside of the door changes.
Level Bolt
The Level Bolt is the invisible option. It replaces the bolt mechanism inside the door, then your original exterior and interior hardware go back on. From either side the door looks untouched and the landlord’s key works as before. The current model connects over Matter and works with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings. Earlier units were Bluetooth first, with Wi-Fi through the Level Connect bridge. Choose it when even a changed thumb-turn would draw attention, such as a building where the association inspects corridors.
| Option | Changes the outside? | Landlord’s key still works? | Removable at move-out? |
|---|---|---|---|
| August Wi-Fi Smart Lock | No | Yes | Yes, original thumb-turn goes back on |
| Level Bolt | No | Yes | Yes, original bolt goes back in |
| Level Lock Pro | Yes, new deadbolt and keyway | Not with the keys it comes with | Yes, but the original lock must be refitted |
| Keypad deadbolt (Schlage Encode, Yale, Kwikset Halo) | Yes | Only if rekeyed to match | Yes, but the original lock must be refitted |
| Keypad deadbolt the landlord installs and owns | Yes, with the landlord’s approval | Yes, the landlord holds the key | Stays with the unit |
What is not renter-friendly
A full-replacement keypad deadbolt swaps out the landlord’s lock entirely. The outside of the door changes, the keyway changes, and the landlord’s key stops working until the new lock is rekeyed to match. Most landlords say no, and in condo buildings the association often has its own rules about what the corridor side of a door can look like. Our HOA and condo lock rules guide covers that side.
Even with permission, a full replacement means you own a lock that has to be rekeyed to the landlord’s key now and swapped back at move-out, twice the work of a retrofit. The brand-by-brand rekey answer is in can a smart lock be rekeyed.
How to pitch it to your landlord
Keep it to five points.
- Nothing visible changes on the outside of the door.
- Your key still works, and so does the building’s emergency key.
- It attaches with the deadbolt’s existing screws, no drilling.
- Installation takes minutes and I am paying for it.
- At move-out I reinstall the original thumb-turn and the door is exactly as it was.
Send the product page along with the request and offer to have a locksmith do the install so the deadbolt goes back together correctly. Get the yes by email and keep it with the lease.
Installation gotchas in apartments
- Double-cylinder deadbolts. A keyhole on both sides means no thumb-turn, so neither retrofit fits. Ask the landlord about swapping to a single-cylinder deadbolt.
- Mortise locks. Some pre-war buildings in Hillcrest, Bankers Hill and parts of downtown still have mortise locks set into the edge of the door. Retrofits do not work on them.
- Interconnected lever sets. Some apartment doors have a lever and deadbolt combined into one unit that retracts both from the inside. These usually do not take a retrofit either.
- A misaligned bolt. If you have to lift or shove the door to lock it, the motor will strain and burn through batteries in weeks. Alignment is the landlord’s maintenance, so report it before you install. Most of the smart lock trouble we are called to is a door problem, not a lock problem, and our smart lock installation visit includes checking it.
- Building fobs and gates. A retrofit only handles your unit door. Lobby doors and garage gates stay on the building’s system.
The move-out plan
Put the original thumb-turn, or the original bolt if you chose the Level, in a labeled bag the day you install. At move-out, unscrew the retrofit, reinstall the original, and check that the landlord’s key throws the bolt cleanly from outside. Then remove the lock from your app account and factory reset it so it pairs cleanly at your next place. Mention it at the walk-through so the deposit conversation is short.
If the landlord says no
Ask them to install a keypad deadbolt that they own. Many landlords in high-turnover areas like Pacific Beach, University City and the College Area already prefer a keypad because turnover becomes a code change. Our landlord turnover service sets those up.
Two related points. A rekey when you move in is the landlord’s call, not yours; if you are worried about old keys floating around, ask for one, and the landlord guide above explains why most agree. And if the unit already has a smart lock left by a previous tenant, ask the landlord to have it reset and the override rekeyed, which is what our smart lock rekey and reset service does.
Next step
If your door has a single-cylinder deadbolt and your landlord has said yes, book an August or Level retrofit install. We fit it, check the alignment so the batteries last, set up the app, and bag the original parts for the day you move out of your North Park walk-up or anywhere else in San Diego County.
Want it done instead of DIY?
We rekey and install smart locks across San Diego County, usually same day, with the price agreed before we start.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a smart lock in my apartment without asking my landlord?
Check the lease first. Most California leases prohibit adding or changing locks without the landlord's written consent, and the landlord keeps a right of entry with proper notice, so a lock their key cannot open is a lease problem. Ask in writing, name the model, and explain that the outside of the door and their key do not change. This is general information, not legal advice.
Which smart lock does not change the outside of the door?
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock replaces only the interior thumb-turn of a single-cylinder deadbolt, so the exterior and the keyway stay as they are. The Level Bolt goes further and hides inside the door, so both the outside and inside hardware go back on and nothing looks different at all.
Will my landlord's key still work with an August or Level lock?
Yes. Neither one touches the cylinder. The landlord's key, the building's emergency key and any copy you were issued all work exactly as before, and the lock simply turns the bolt from the inside on command. That is the main reason these two get approved when a keypad deadbolt does not.
Can I put a keypad on my apartment door?
A full keypad deadbolt replaces the landlord's lock and changes the keyway, so it needs explicit permission and usually a rekey to the landlord's key. A gentler route is the August keypad accessory, which mounts beside the door and talks to the August lock, leaving the deadbolt itself unchanged.
What if my apartment has a double-cylinder deadbolt?
A deadbolt with a keyhole on both sides has no thumb-turn to replace, so the August and Level retrofits do not fit. The same goes for the mortise locks in some older Hillcrest and downtown buildings. Your options are to ask the landlord to swap to a single-cylinder deadbolt, or to ask them to install a keypad lock they own.
What do I do with the smart lock when I move out?
Unscrew the retrofit, reinstall the original thumb-turn or bolt from the bag you kept, remove the lock from your app and factory reset it. The door goes back to exactly how you found it and the lock moves with you. Tell the landlord at the walk-through so there are no questions.
Sources
- August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (installs inside over the existing single-cylinder deadbolt, keeps existing keys, built-in Wi-Fi, auto-lock, Alexa, Google and Apple HomeKit) – August Home
- Smart Locks for Apartment Renters (outside of the lock unchanged, landlord keeps access with the original keys) – August Home
- Level Bolt (fits inside the existing deadbolt, keeps current hardware and keys, Wi-Fi through the Level Connect bridge, Apple Home) – Level Home
- Yale Keypad for August locks (adhesive or screw mount beside the door, pairs with the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock) – August Home
- California Civil Code section 1954 (landlord right of entry with reasonable written notice) – California Legislative Information