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 Tacoma Homeowners
Rekey Locks – Tacoma typically costs $65 to $180 for a standard house call plus per-lock labor, and it is the fastest way to invalidate every old key that might still be floating around. Whether you bought a home in Browns Point, just ended a roommate situation in Fife, or had a car key go missing with your house key on the ring, rekeying gives you fresh security without replacing perfectly good hardware. Lodestar Locksmith has handled rekeying across Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, and Abloy systems throughout Fircrest, University Place, and the wider Tacoma area, and we quote the full price on the phone before anyone is dispatched. Call (855) 382-0943 for a free estimate.
Lock Rekey
Lock rekey is the process of changing the internal pins inside the lock cylinder so the old key stops working and a new key takes over. In Tacoma, you need this when you move into a new place, when a contractor or cleaner has a key you don’t want floating around, or when you simply can’t account for every copy of a key anymore. Lodestar Locksmith rekeys consumer and high-security locks alike, and the price you hear on the phone is the price on the invoice.
What Actually Changes During a Rekey
We swap the lock’s internal pins to match a new key of your choosing. The housing, knob, and deadbolt stay exactly where they are. You keep the hardware you already trust.
When New Hardware Still Makes Sense
Occasionally a lock is so worn or corroded that rekeying would leave you with a technically functional but tired mechanism. We’ll tell you honestly if that’s the case on your Tacoma property, and we can source a replacement from a brand you already know.
Styles & brands we work with
Locksmith Rekey
Locksmith rekey is what you ask for when you want a professional to handle the pin-and-spring work rather than gambling on a hardware-store kit. Our team in Tacoma rekeys locks of nearly every residential grade, including Kwikset and Schlage, and we also handle Medeco and Abloy systems that most corner locksmiths won’t touch. A standard single-cylinder rekey at a Tacoma home usually runs $65 to $180 depending on how many locks we’re rekeying and whether you want them all operating on one key.
Multiple Locks, One Appointment
We can rekey every exterior door in a single visit and key them all alike so one key operates every lock on the property. That’s a common request from homeowners in Wollochet and Milton right after closing on a house.
High-Security Cylinder Work
Medeco and Abloy cylinders use controlled keyways and embedded pins that demand specialized tools and training. We carry the pin kits and key blanks for those systems, which means we don’t send your high-security keys to a third party and we don’t tell you to call someone else.
Rekey Door Lock
Rekey door lock service on a Tacoma home usually costs $65 to $180 and takes about 15 to 30 minutes from the time we start the first cylinder. This is the service Lodestar Locksmith recommends right after you move into a house anywhere from Rekey Locks – Waller to Lakeland South, because you can’t know how many copies of the old key are out there. We do the work on-site, in front of you, and we hand you the new keys before we leave.
Knobs, Levers, and Deadbolts
We rekey cylindrical knobs and levers as well as separate deadbolts. If your front door uses a Schlage lever and a deadbolt, we can match both to the same new key so you still carry a single key for that door.
Renters and Landlords
Landlords in Tacoma use rekeying between tenants as a standard turnover step. If you’re a renter, confirm with your property manager before scheduling, and if they approve, we’ll handle the work and provide a duplicate of the new key for the office.
Rekey Service
Rekey service from Lodestar Locksmith is a scheduled or same-day call that changes the keying of one lock or every lock in your Tacoma home, typically priced at $65 to $180 for the standard residential job. We start with a quick count of every lock you rely on, then rekey them to a single key or to a master-key arrangement if that fits the building. You get the new keys cut, tested, and handed to you before the van leaves.
Scheduled Versus Urgent
Most rekey work in Tacoma is planned, whether it’s a move-in day or a weekend project. But if a key is lost and you want the lock changed today, we carry full pin kits on the truck and can often route a technician the same day you call.
Serving Tacoma and the South Sound
Our techs regularly handle rekey service requests across Tacoma, from the avenues near Point Defiance to the east side and down into University Place and beyond. The geography isn’t the obstacle; the key is knowing exactly what you’ve got installed.
Keyed Alike
Keyed alike means every lock we touch is pinned so the same key opens them all, and it’s the upgrade Tacoma homeowners request most often during a rekey. If you currently carry two or three keys for the front, back, and side doors, one appointment collapses all of them into a single key. You keep the same brand of locks, the same finish, and the same deadbolts, but your key ring gets much lighter.
Front, Back, and Garage in Sync
We can key a Schlage deadbolt on the front door, a Kwikset knob on the back door, and a Yale deadbolt on the garage entry to a single key, as long as the keyways are compatible. If one lock uses a hard-to-find cylinder, we’ll key the rest alike and tell you honestly what your options are.
Commercial Keyed-Alike Systems
For offices and apartment buildings in Tacoma, keyed alike can exist alongside a master-key plan. The manager’s key opens everything, while each tenant’s key opens only their own unit. It’s practical, and it keeps rekeying costs predictable when someone moves out.
Rekey Deadbolt
Rekey deadbolt work on a Tacoma home usually costs $65 to $180 and is often the only change needed after a key goes missing or a roommate moves out. The deadbolt is the workhorse of your door security, so it should be the first lock you address when you’re closing access gaps. Lodestar Locksmith rekeys deadbolts from Schlage, Kwikset, Baldwin, and Medeco, and we do it without removing the bolt assembly from the door.
Single-Cylinder Deadbolts
These are the most common deadbolts in Tacoma homes, operated with a key from outside and a thumbturn inside. We rekey the cylinder in minutes, and we can match it to your existing knob key if you like.
Double-Cylinder Deadbolts
Double-cylinder deadbolts require a key on both sides. They’re common on doors with glass panels, but they can slow your exit in a fire. If you have one, we’ll rekey it as requested and flag any safety concerns specific to your door and local building code before we start.
Rekey House
Rekey house service covers every accessible entry lock on your Tacoma property in a single visit, typically $65 to $180 depending on lock count, and it is the step we recommend before you move a single box through the door. Whether you bought a place in Edgewood or are settling into a rental in University Place, you don’t know how many copies of the old key were made over the years. We change that reality in under an hour.
What We Rekey in a House Call
Front and back doors, side and garage entry doors, and any deadbolt on a gate or storage door. If a lock is rusted past its useful life, we’ll tell you and can replace it with a new one from a brand you already recognize.
Timing and Expectations
Most full-house rekeys in Tacoma are done within 45 to 90 minutes. You can watch the work or get on with your day while we test every key, lock, and latch before we hand them over.
Brands We Service
We service Schlage and Kwikset every week in Tacoma, from standard pin-and-tumbler cylinders to newer smart-key styles, and we keep genuine replacement pins and key blanks on the truck for both. These two brands cover the majority of residential doors in this area, and having them on hand means we’re not running to a supplier mid-job when you just want your new key working now.
For the security-forward customer, Lodestar Locksmith also carries Medeco and Abloy keying kits, which puts us past what many local locksmiths are equipped to handle. Medeco’s angle-cut keys and hardened inserts resist picking and unauthorized duplication, and Abloy’s disc-detainer cylinders are a completely different mechanism than the pin tumbler you’d find on a Kwikset. We rekey both on site for Tacoma clients who already know what these brands are. Whether you have Medeco, Abloy, or any other make, we can help.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- You just bought a house in Tacoma. The previous owners handed you a key, but they may have given copies to neighbors, cleaners, pet sitters, and family members over the years. Rekeying on day one is the simplest way to make this your home and not theirs.
- A key has been lost or stolen. If your key ring went missing anywhere near your car, your house key was on that ring. Even if you don’t know where the keys went, assume someone does, and change what those keys open before anything goes missing inside.
- A roommate, renter, or contractor moved out. Most people are honest, but rekeying removes the question entirely. You don’t need to ask for the key back if the key no longer fits the lock.
- You can’t account for all copies of your house key. Maybe you gave one to a neighbor years ago, or a family member lost one somewhere between Fife and Tacoma. If you can’t say exactly who has a key, rekey everything and reset the count to zero.
- You are using different keys for different doors. It’s not an emergency, but it’s an inefficiency you don’t have to live with. Keying everything alike simplifies your life and removes the excuse to leave one door unlocked because you can’t find the right key.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
We talk through what you need. You tell us how many doors, what brand the locks are, and whether you want one key for everything or something more nuanced. We confirm the job scope and give you a firm quote over the phone before anyone drives to your Tacoma address.
- 2
We arrive and inspect the locks. We check the brand, cylinder type, and overall condition of each lock we’ll be rekeying. This tells us which pin kits to use and whether any hardware needs replacement instead of rekeying.
- 3
We rekey each cylinder on site. We remove the cylinder from the lock, drop in new pins matched to your new key, and reinstall it. We have pin kits for Schlage, Kwikset, Yale, Baldwin, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy in the truck.
- 4
We test every key and every lock. We operate each lock multiple times with the new key and confirm the old keys fail. If anything sticks or binds, we adjust it before calling the job done.
- 5
We hand you the new keys and explain the work. You get your new keys, a quick rundown of which lock opens with what, and an invoice that matches the price we quoted on the phone. There’s no call-out surcharge added on arrival.
How Much Does Rekey Locks Cost in Tacoma?
A typical rekeying job in Tacoma runs between $65 and $180. That range covers most homes with one to four locks, assuming standard Schlage or Kwikset cylinders in working condition. High-security brands like Medeco or Abloy run higher because the pins and key blanks cost more, but we still quote the full price before we dispatch anyone.
Three things move the price. First, the number of locks: more cylinders means more time and pins. Second, the brand: high-security systems use proprietary parts that cost more than common residential hardware. Third, the condition of the locks: a cylinder that’s dry, rusted, or damaged may need cleaning or replacement before rekeying makes sense, and we’ll tell you that after seeing it. To avoid overpaying in Tacoma, skip the chain locksmiths that quote one number on the phone and add fees when they arrive. Our estimate includes the service call, the labor, and the new keys. The price we quote is the price you pay, and we’ll say that to you before we hang up the phone.
Our Service Area Near Tacoma
Lodestar Locksmith rekeys locks across Tacoma and the surrounding South Sound communities. We routinely work in Rekey Locks in Browns Point for waterfront properties, Rekey Locks in Fircrest for homes just west of the city, and out toward Fife, Milton, Waller, and Edgewood. If you’re in University Place, Wollochet, or Lakeland South, you’re in our normal rotation too. We also handle home lock rekeys for clients across the full Tacoma area with the same upfront pricing and on-site work. If you’re just outside these neighborhoods, call us and we’ll tell you straight up whether we can get to you and when. See our Rekey Locks in Tacoma page for the details on how we serve the city itself.
Serving Tacoma, WA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Tacoma 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 Tacoma
Rekeying means changing the internal pins inside a lock so the old keys stop working and new keys fit the cylinder. The lock body, bolt, and everything else stays in place. It’s a way to reset access to your Tacoma home without buying new hardware.
A single lock rekey in Tacoma takes about 15 to 30 minutes on site. A full house with four or five locks usually runs 45 to 90 minutes from the time we start. We work on the cylinders at your door so you don’t have to unmount anything or wait for parts.
Expect $65 to $180 for a standard residential rekeying job in Tacoma, depending on the number of locks and the brand installed. Medeco and Abloy systems cost more because their parts are proprietary. The phone quote is the price you pay: no call-out surcharge added when the van arrives. Call (855) 382-0943 for an exact quote.
Yes, and we work on them every week in Tacoma. We keep Kwikset and Schlage pin kits and key blanks on the truck, which means we can rekey them on the spot in one visit. We also carry pin kits for Medeco, Abloy, Yale, Baldwin, Mul-T-Lock, and Sargent for high-security setups.
Emergency locksmith response is a core part of what Lodestar Locksmith does, and same-day rekey requests in Tacoma are common when a key is lost or a lockout just happened. The fastest way to find out is to call (855) 382-0943. We’ll tell you if we can route a technician today and what it will cost before we send anyone.
We stand behind the work we do in Tacoma, and if a rekeyed lock doesn’t operate smoothly, we’ll come back and make it right. The specifics depend on the lock, the brand, and its condition. We’ll walk you through what’s covered before we start the job, not after.
Clear the area around each door you want rekeyed, and gather the keys you currently use for those locks. It also helps to tell us the brands of the locks so we bring the right pin kits. You don’t need to remove the locks from the doors; we handle everything at the door itself.
Schedule Your Rekey Locks Service in Tacoma Today
Call (855) 382-0943 for a free, no-obligation estimate on rekeying any lock in your Tacoma home. We’ll quote you a firm price before we dispatch anyone, and that price is what appears on your invoice. Whether you just moved in or you’re locking down after a key went missing, Lodestar Locksmith shows up steady when it matters.
Written by Norm Eckley, Owner at Lodestar Locksmith, serving Tacoma, WA since 2012.