Find a trusted locksmith in Canberra

New homes, new keys

Of all the things a locksmith does, rekeying after a move is one of the best-value jobs. When you buy or rent a home, you rarely know how many copies of the old keys are still around. Rekeying the cylinders means only your keys work, and it costs far less than replacing every lock.

Brand-new homes are worth rekeying too. Across the newer suburbs of Gungahlin, the Molonglo Valley and West Belconnen, houses are handed over after months in which builders and subcontractors have come and gone. A locksmith can change or rekey the cylinders on the day you move in.

Renting has its own rules in the ACT. The standard tenancy terms let a tenant or landlord change the locks with the other’s agreement, which shouldn’t be unreasonably refused, and either can act straight away in an emergency. Whoever changes a lock normally has to give the other party a key, unless that would put a protected person at risk.

Apartments and restricted key systems

There are now plenty of apartment buildings in the town centres of Belconnen, Gungahlin and Woden, as well as in Braddon and Kingston. Many run restricted master key systems, where one key opens your front door, the lobby, the car park and the bin room. Extra keys on those systems can only be cut by the locksmith who holds the system, usually with the owners corporation’s authorisation, so check with your strata manager first.

It’s also a spread-out city. A late-night lockout on the far edge of Tuggeranong or Gungahlin can mean a long drive for the locksmith, which shows up in the price. Ask for the full figure, including the call-out, before they set off.

Checking an ACT security licence

The ACT treats locksmithing as security work. The person fitting, repairing or servicing locks needs a class 2E security licence, and the business needs a security master licence. You can search the Security Master register on Access Canberra, and it’s fair to ask the locksmith for their own licence number too. Our ACT licence checks page has the full list of lookups.

What a lockout or rekey costs in Canberra

As a guide, a business-hours house lockout costs about $100 to $250, rekeying $50 to $120 per lock, and a replacement car key or remote $250 to $600, depending on the car. Canberra sits toward the top of those ranges, and after-hours work costs more. See the locksmith price guide for other jobs, and treat every figure as a guide rather than a quote.

Matching you with one locksmith

needatradie works differently from a directory: no list to call through, and no handing your number to a stack of businesses. Tell us what you need, whether that’s new deadlocks or a full rekey after settlement, and we’ll pair you with one licensed Canberra locksmith, with insurance and reviews checked before your details go anywhere. Get a free quote, see locksmiths around Australia, or explore Canberra tradies.