How this list was chosen: the questions come from Google's own autocomplete suggestions for locksmith searches, collected in October 2026. The answers are ours. Where a price appears, it is TrustKey's published price, not a market average.
1. How much does a locksmith cost?
It depends on the job, and you should hear the price before anyone drives out. Ours, in the Phoenix area: a car lockout is a flat $139, a home lockout $159 and a commercial lockout $199 by day. Rekeying is $149 for the first door, plus $49 for each additional door. After 8PM, add a flat $60.
Lockouts and rekeys are flat rates. Car keys are starting prices, because the real cost depends on the exact vehicle; the technician confirms the exact number on-site, before any work begins.
| Job | Day Price (7AM–8PM) | Kind of Price |
|---|---|---|
| Car lockout | $139 $199 after 8PM | Flat |
| Home or apartment lockout | $159 $219 after 8PM | Flat |
| Commercial lockout | $199 $259 after 8PM | Flat |
| Rekey | $149 first door · +$49 each additional | Flat |
| Transponder car key | from $149 | Starting price |
| Remote key or fob | from $199 | Starting price |
| Smart key, push-to-start | from $279 | Starting price |
| All car keys lost | from $349 | Starting price |
Full answer: the TrustKey price list → · Locksmith cost in Arizona, explained →
2. I locked my keys in my car — who do I call?
If a child or pet is inside and it is hot, call 911 first. If everyone is safe and you have roadside coverage through an auto club, your insurer or the automaker, use it when you are not in a hurry. Otherwise, call a mobile locksmith. Our car lockout is a flat $139 by day and $199 after 8PM.
The American Academy of Pediatrics gives the same advice for a child left alone in a car, and notes that a car can heat up 20°F in just 10 minutes. Roadside coverage varies by plan: AAA's club for Arizona, for one, lists car lockout service as included with all its membership plans. Once we're at the car, opening it is often about five minutes.
Full answer: keys locked in the car — who to call →
3. How do I get my car out of anti-theft mode?
Anti-theft mode usually means the car's immobilizer is not recognizing the key, so it will not let the engine start. Try the spare key, put a fresh battery in the fob, and follow the procedure in the owner's manual for your make. A weak 12-volt car battery can cause the same symptoms, so check that too.
Honda's owner's manual describes it the same way: the engine will not start when an improperly coded key is used. If the car simply doesn't recognize its key, that's a key and programming job, and a mobile locksmith does it on-site. A fault in a control module or the wiring belongs with a mechanic or the dealer. Reset steps differ by make, so they're in the full guide, not here.
Full answer: car stuck in anti-theft mode →
4. Why won't my key turn in the ignition?
Most often the steering lock is bound, not the key. Turn the steering wheel firmly left and right while turning the key gently, and it should release. If it doesn't, make sure the shifter is fully in Park and try your spare key. Don't force it: a key twisted hard enough can snap off inside the ignition.
The spare-key test tells you the most: if the spare turns smoothly, your everyday key is worn and the ignition is fine; if both keys stick, the wear is more likely inside the ignition cylinder. The steering-wheel fix is the carmakers' own advice — Honda's owner's manual says to turn the wheel firmly left or right as you turn the key.
Full answer: key won't turn in the ignition →
5. Can a locksmith make a key without the original?
Yes. For a car, a locksmith does not need the old key. The technician reads the cuts from the car's door lock with a Lishi tool, or pulls the key code by VIN, cuts a new key in the van and programs it to the immobilizer through the OBD port, where the car is parked. Ours starts from $349.
That $349 is the day starting price for an all-keys-lost job, not a flat quote: the exact number depends on the vehicle and is confirmed on-site before any work begins. You'll be asked for a photo ID and the registration, with the names matching. For a house, a rekey is usually the better fix: you get new keys, and the lost one stops working.
Full answer: a car key without the original →
6. Can a locksmith program a key fob, or do I need the dealer?
Yes, for mainstream makes — Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, Hyundai/Kia and Nissan. A mobile locksmith cuts and programs the fob or smart key where the car is parked, with no tow. Late-model European cars such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi are often dealer-only, and we tell you that on the phone, for free.
Our day starting prices: a remote key or fob from $199, a push-to-start smart key from $279, with the exact price confirmed on-site before work begins. One limit to know: we program the fobs and keys we supply ourselves, not fobs bought online.
Full answer: car key and fob programming → · Key fob stopped working? →
7. Is it cheaper to rekey or change locks?
Rekeying is almost always cheaper, because it keeps the lock you already own and only changes the pins inside, so the old keys stop working. Our rekey is $149 for the first door and $49 for each additional door. Changing the lock makes sense when the hardware is worn or damaged, or when you want an upgrade.
A typical 3-door home comes to $247. If you'd rather change a lock and you supply the hardware, our installation labor starts from $149. In short: rekeying changes who can open the lock; replacing changes the lock itself.
Full answer: rekey vs. replace a lock →
8. Does a locksmith need proof of ownership?
Yes. A careful locksmith checks before opening anything. We ask for a photo ID. For a car, we also ask for the registration, and the names have to match. For a home, it is an ID that shows the address, or an ID plus a lease, a utility bill or mail with your name on it.
It's the check that keeps a stranger from being let into your car or your home. If your ID still shows an old address, say so on the call and we'll sort out what works.
Full answer: what proof a locksmith asks for →
9. Will a locksmith break my lock?
Usually not. Non-destructive entry, such as picking, is tried first. Drilling is for a lock that has failed inside — seized pins, or something jammed or broken in the cylinder — or one that cannot be picked. Then only the cylinder core is drilled and replaced, the main lock stays, and you get the reason and the price first.
That is how we work at the door: the technician explains why and gives the price before touching anything, and you decide.
Full answer: will a locksmith damage my lock? →
10. How long does a locksmith take?
Counted from when the technician is at your door or car: a car lockout is often about five minutes, and a standard house lock usually takes a few minutes. A rekey runs about 20 to 30 minutes a lock, so a typical three-door home is about an hour. A car key is cut and programmed in 20 to 45 minutes.
| Job | Typical Time on Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car lockout | Often about 5 minutes | Opened with an air wedge and reach tool, or a Lishi pick |
| Home or apartment lockout | Usually a few minutes | Most standard locks are picked open; a lock that has failed inside takes longer |
| Rekey | About 20–30 minutes a lock | A typical 3-door home is about an hour, with new keys cut on the spot |
| Car key cut and programmed | 20–45 minutes | All keys lost can run longer on some models |
Arrival is a separate question, and we don't advertise a number for it. You get a real ETA for your address on the call, a text with your technician's name and photo when they're dispatched, and another when they're about 10 minutes away.
Full answer: time on site, job by job →
Five more quick ones
Can a locksmith open a mailbox?
It depends on who owns the box. If it is yours, or your HOA or landlord owns it and gives the OK, yes: we replace mailbox locks for $149 by day, quoted on the call before we dispatch. A PO Box, or a box the Postal Service owns, goes through the Post Office instead.
USPS's own documents draw the same line: its delivery planning handbook makes the builder or property owner responsible for lock and key service on cluster box units, and under its mailing standards a PO Box customer requests a lock change from the Postal Service. Full answer: lost mailbox key →
Does insurance or AAA cover a locksmith?
Sometimes. Roadside plans often include lockout help and some insurance policies reimburse a locksmith bill, but it varies by plan, so check yours before you count on it. We give an itemized receipt that works for claims.
More in: keys locked in the car — who to call →
Do you tip a locksmith?
It is not expected and never required. For lockouts, rekeys and installs, the flat price quoted on the call is the whole bill.
Can a locksmith copy a “Do Not Duplicate” key?
The stamp by itself is a request, not a security feature. Standard keys are cut on standard blanks, and standard blanks are everywhere, whatever is stamped on the key. What actually controls copies is a restricted keyway: a key profile whose blanks are not openly sold.
With a restricted keyway, duplicates can only be made through an authorized source, for people on the owner's signed authorization list. Full answer: restricted keyways →
Can a locksmith open a safe?
Yes, we open safes, from $179, with the exact price quoted after we assess the safe and before work begins. The honest part: most locked home safes end up drilled or forced open, with your consent first. We only open safes; we don't repair or re-code them afterward.
Full answer: safe won't open — what to try first →
Question not on the list? Call or text (623) 200-4499, any hour. A real person on our team answers.