Results Are In! 2026 National Average Price Survey
Locksmith Ledger had a record number of responses to this year's National Average Price Survey. Though not a scientific poll, we hope this survey will be a useful tool for our readers. Pricing varies widely by market, but this data is intended to provide a mid-range estimate. Prices are generally higher in major metropolitan cities, but competition is also more intense, both from fellow skilled locksmiths and unskilled scammer-type companies.
If your prices are significantly lower, we encourage you to re-evaluate, keeping in mind that locksmiths are skilled professionals and should be paid as such, similar to other trades like electricians and plumbers. Our advice is to make sure you aren’t underpricing your expertise. If your prices are high and you are staying busy, that’s a win-win for your business!
We also asked some general questions about what locksmiths would like added to the survey and got some good feedback, both positive and negative. We appreciate the input and we will adjust the questions next year. We added some notable reader comments in italics throughout the report.
Our job is not to be a good locksmith. Our job is to make our customer look good to their boss. Everyone has a boss. Our job is to solve the problem in the most effective way possible, so it does not have to be revisited.
General Locksmithing: Everyone’s pricing model is different, but most respondents tend to charge a set service fee or trip charge to get to a location and then an hourly rate for work at the customer’s location. Some add mileage fees as well. For a basic lockout that takes just a few minutes, there may be a set charge.
The average service fee was just under $100 at $94, while the average hourly rate was just above the hundred-dollar threshold at $105 during regular business hours, nearly doubling to $206/hour after hours. When there was a set lockout charge, it averaged $113 during business hours and $174 after hours.
Some jobs we charge an hourly rate and others we have set prices per procedure. Our residential service call (trip fee) is $95 and our commercial service call is $150. Automotive key jobs can vary in price because of location, the keys the car requires, and the difficulty of cutting and programming the key.
Key Cutting: For basic key copies, locksmiths have a hard time competing against big box and hardware stores. While customers do ask for and expect duplication of those standard SC1 and KW1 keys, locksmiths are the go-to source for cutting unusual or patented keys and maintaining master key systems. While single-cut and double-cut keys average between $5 and $8, high security keys average $48.
Electronic Access Control: Many readers commented that they couldn’t quote electronic access control or door hardware installation jobs without first seeing the site. The scope of the work can vary significantly. For example, the highest priced service is “install/set up cameras,” but it depends on how many cameras and the availability of power, among other factors.
We asked for our readers’ best estimate of what they charge for these typical jobs. Video surveillance averaged $539; maglock installation averaged $466; electronic lock installation averaged $275 and keypad/reader installation averaged $274.
Installations: This is another area where site surveys are valuable. The most costly installation is automatic door operators at $570, followed by vertical rod exit devices at $429, continuous hinges at $312, mortise locks at $204, door closers at $140 and deadbolt locks at $99.
Safe Servicing: Safe-opening charges range from $511 when drilling is necessary to $389 when opened by manipulation. These specialized skills cost significantly more than safe lock installations or combination changes. The cost was almost the same for installing electronic and mechanical safe locks, right around $200. Combination changes averaged $124.
We also install and move safes. Charges are $160/hour up to 2,000 lbs, and $220/hour for safes over 2,000 lbs.
Automotive: With all automotive services, the challenge is educating consumers that locksmiths typically charge less than auto dealerships and can come to a customer’s location.
The average All Keys Lost charge was $228. We’re not sure how helpful or accurate this amount can be without specifying the year, make and model. Older domestic cars probably average significantly less than high-end import vehicles. Transponder key programming averaged $88, while fitting a standard key averaged $113.
Your prices are based on too vague, too general info. Twenty-plus years ago things were much more generic. Now you have to take into consideration programming fees we get charged by auto manufacturers and even some of the tool companies. Then add on the costs of NASTF and subscriptions needed to program keys... Example $127.20 for two days of Ford or $1200 for the year... MOPAR $1850 a year... VAG price goes up each month but currently you need to take out a mortgage for VW and another for Audi and another for Porsche... You get the idea.
What’s Your Most Profitable Job?
This was a question we added to our survey. Not surprisingly, many locksmiths cited electronic access control. Automotive work also was cited as a profit center. Here are some of the most interesting responses:
All keys lost on pre-2015 transponder-based vehicles. 2nd best in the summer is motorcoach and camper lockouts
Rekey and master commercial locks
All keys lost automotive service
Student housing — summer turnover
Duplicate keys, restricted & high security — all jobs 75% gross margin
Prox key with programming OR continuous hinge
Installing access control hardware for ADT customers
Any job with multiple electric strikes — I can knock them in faster, neater and more accurately than most others in the field.
Large, multi-door mechanical rekey (change combination). Changing access permission on cloud-based access control.
Anything with markup on materials in large quantities, and/or marked-up flat-rate labor in large quantities. Examples: master key building SC4 keyway @$100/cylinder, 400 cylinders, $200 for cylinders requiring picking to service (half of total) — 45k net profit, 3 days, 3 techs. Furnish and replace 50 CS210JD Schlage interconnected locks at retail + 1 hour labor each — 25k net profit, 1 day, 3 techs.
Commercial rekeys and school district work
Lockouts — takes an average of 60 seconds