Why a key audit is worth doing
Keys multiply quietly. A spare is made for a spouse, another for a teenager, one for the cleaner, one for a neighbor who waters plants during vacations, one for a contractor during a remodel. Years later, nobody remembers the full list. Some of those keys were returned, some were not, and some were copied again by the person who received them. The household believes it has four keys in circulation, while in fact there may be a dozen.
An audit does not require any tools. It requires an honest list and a few uncomfortable questions. The purpose is not to accuse anyone. Most people who hold a key of yours are trustworthy, and many have simply forgotten they still have it. The purpose is to compare the list of people who currently need access with the list of people who actually have it, and to close the gap.
The result is useful whatever you decide. If the list is short and every name is someone you trust and still need, you can relax. If the list is long or has names from the past, you have information to act on. The decision to rekey, covered in the introduction to rekeying, becomes much easier when you can see what you are replacing.
Step one: list every key you know about
Start with the keys you can account for. Walk through the house and gather every key that opens an exterior door, the garage entry, a gate, a shed or a storage unit. Include spare keys in drawers, keys on hooks and keys on rings in cars. Count how many of each type you have and note which door each belongs to.
Now write down who holds each key. Family members are the easy part. Add any key that lives outside the house: one with a neighbor, one with a relative, one in a lockbox at the door, one in the car of a spouse. Note when you last saw each key, and whether you are sure it still works.
Next, add the people who have had access in a work capacity. Think about cleaners, lawn crews, pool service, pest control, dog walkers, house sitters, nannies and caregivers. Think also about people who entered in the past, such as a contractor who did a renovation, a real estate agent who listed the house or a previous renter. Even if you believe you collected the keys, write the name down and flag it as past access. The page on rekeying after a contractor job covers one frequent case.
Step two: the people sheet
Create a simple table with a row for each person and columns for the type of access, the date it was given, the reason and whether it is still needed. Here is a starting layout you can copy onto paper or a phone note.
Sorting the answers into three groups helps. Group one is people who need ongoing access and whom you trust fully: spouse, adult children, a close family member. Group two is people who need access for a limited time or purpose: a cleaner, a house sitter, a contractor. Group three is people who no longer need access at all: former roommates, past partners, previous contractors, old tenants.
Group three is the heart of the audit. Every name in that group is a key that should have been returned or neutralized. For each one, ask whether you are sure you have the key back, whether it could have been copied and whether the relationship ended well. You do not need to assume the worst, but you also do not need to take chances with a key to your home.
| Person or role | Which door | Date given | Still needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family member (adult) | Front and back | Original set | Yes |
| Cleaner | Front only | Date issued | Review each season |
| Neighbor with spare | Front | Date issued | Confirm key location |
| Past contractor | Back door | Date issued | No, key not returned |
| Former roommate | Front and back | Move-in date | No, plan to rekey |
Step three: think about hidden copies
Some copies exist that you did not make and may not know about. A house cleaner may have made a duplicate to avoid carrying the original. A relative may have copied a key for a family member without telling you. A previous owner or tenant may have kept one. A real estate agent may have copied a key for a lockbox. None of this implies bad intent, but together they add up.
A practical question to ask is whether any of your keys can be copied casually. If the key is a common type, a duplicate is a few minutes at any kiosk. If it has a restricted keyway, copying requires authorization. You can read about the difference in the guide to restricted keyways and key control.
If you are the second or third owner of the home, add a question about the history: do you have any record of how many keys the previous owner had, whether they were handed over at closing and whether the locks were ever rekeyed? In many homes the answer is no. That is the basic reason a rekey after moving in is such a common recommendation, and it is covered in the guide on new keys after buying a home.
Step four: decide what to do with each name
For people in group one, nothing needs to change except to keep the record. For people in group two, set an end date and note it. A cleaner who will work for a year, a house sitter for two weeks and a contractor for the length of a project each need a plan for what happens to the key. Ask for the key back at the end and cross off the name when it is returned.
For people in group three, decide whether you are comfortable with the uncertainty. If a former roommate moved out on good terms and returned the key and you watched them do it, you may reasonably let it go. If they left in anger, if you never saw the key again or if the relationship was one where harm is possible, rekey. The page on rekeying after a roommate leaves discusses the usual reasoning.
A reasonable rule of thumb is this: if you would feel uneasy knowing that person still had access and could come in, change the locks. If you would not care, record it and move on. There is no shame in being cautious. A rekey is a modest, well-understood job, and the peace of mind lasts.
Alternatives to handing out a physical key
For people in group two, consider whether a physical key is the right tool. A lockbox with a combination you change after each use works for occasional visitors, though it has its own weaknesses, discussed in the lockbox and agent access page. A keypad or smart lock lets you issue a temporary credential and delete it when the visit is over, as described in the smart lock guest access page.
If you remain with mechanical keys, you can limit exposure by dividing doors. A cleaner who needs only the front door does not need a key that also opens your back door and garage. A technician can set up separate keys for different doors so you can hand out partial access. The tradeoff, as explained in the one-key guide, is convenience.
For any approach, keep the people sheet current. Add a line when you hand out access and cross it off when access ends. The habit takes seconds each time, and it prevents the situation where nobody remembers who has what.
When an audit points toward rekeying
Several results make rekeying the clearly sensible step. You cannot account for one or more keys. A former partner, roommate or tenant may still hold one and the relationship was difficult. A contractor or agent held a key and you are not certain it was returned. You recently lost a key or had a wallet or purse stolen. The previous owner never confirmed how many keys existed.
In each of these cases, rekeying resets the system. The old keys stop working, and you issue new ones to the people on your updated list. It is typically faster and less intrusive than replacing hardware, and it does not require changing the look of your doors. The comparison between the two approaches appears in rekey versus replace.
Sometimes the audit reveals no problem. In that case, congratulations: you now have a documented record, which is worth having. Keep the sheet somewhere safe, but not taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet next to the spare key.
Shared and inherited homes
Homes with more than one owner, or homes that were inherited, raise additional questions. Siblings who share a family house may each hold keys, and it can be unclear who is entitled to change the locks. A locksmith will ask for documentation showing that the person requesting service has the right to do so, and may decline to proceed when the ownership is disputed.
In a divorce or separation, the question of who may change locks is a legal one. A technician cannot decide it. If both parties have a claim to enter the home, the safer path is to settle the matter through attorneys or the court before changing locks. The page on estate, divorce and shared property lock requests explains how a technician approaches them.
If you feel unsafe because of someone who has a key, your safety comes first. Contact local law enforcement or a domestic violence support line, and consider asking them about legal protections. A locksmith can change locks once your right to do so is confirmed, and in an emergency involving immediate danger, call 911 first.
Keeping the record useful over time
A key list is only valuable if it stays accurate. Choose one place to keep it, such as a paper folder with your home documents or a protected note on your phone, and make updating it part of events you already remember: a new cleaner starts, a child turns sixteen, a contractor finishes, a tenant gives notice. Each of those moments is a natural time to add or cross off a name.
Share the existence of the list with one trusted adult in the household, so that it does not live only in one person's head. If something happens to the person who keeps track, the rest of the family should be able to see who has access. Avoid listing the address together with a description of where spare keys are hidden, since a document like that is itself a risk if it is lost or photographed.
Finally, remember that the list is a tool for decisions, not a ritual. If it shows that the number of people with access has grown beyond what you are comfortable with, that is a reason to act. A short call to a technician can turn an uneasy feeling into a concrete plan.
What to have ready when you call
If your audit points toward rekeying, call with your people sheet in hand, or at least the numbers: how many exterior doors, how many keys in circulation and how many people you want to hold new keys. Mention the number of locks, whether they are standard or electronic and anything unusual about the doors.
Be prepared to show identification and proof that you control the property, such as a tax record, mortgage statement or utility bill, or a lease and the landlord's written permission for a tenant. The guides on proof of ownership describe what is usually accepted.
Quotes are given by phone only. A service call charge applies and is explained before dispatch. Straightforward rekeys can often be described on the call, and more involved jobs may need an on-site visit first. When your list is ready, call and describe the doors and the plan.
Questions people ask
How many copies of my house key is normal?
There is no normal number. What matters is that you can list every copy and who holds it. A household with three well-tracked keys is in a better position than one with two keys and a long list of unknown copies. If you cannot account for every key, treat the count as unknown and consider rekeying.
Should I ask a cleaner to return the key every time?
That depends on your routine and your trust. Many owners give a key for the length of the relationship and note the date. Others use a lockbox or a keypad credential that can be changed. Whatever you choose, write it down and ask for the key back when the arrangement ends, then cross it off your list.
Can a locksmith tell how many copies of my key exist?
Not from the key itself. A common key can be copied anywhere without a record. A restricted keyway with authorization cards creates a record of ordered copies, which is one reason some owners choose it. For ordinary keys, your own people sheet is the only reliable record, along with rekeying when you are unsure.
Is it rude to ask a former roommate for the key back?
No. Asking for keys at the end of a living arrangement is normal. If the person does not return it, or if the situation is tense, rekeying is a practical response that does not require an argument. It stops the old key from working and puts everyone on a clear footing.
How often should I redo this audit?
A yearly check works well for most homes, plus a fresh look after any move, renovation, change in household or lost key. The audit is short once the people sheet exists, since you are only updating it. Keep the sheet in a safe place and update it whenever access is given or ends.
What does a rekey after an audit involve?
A technician changes the internal pins of each lock so the old keys stop working and new keys are issued. Quotes are given by phone only, and a service call charge applies and is explained before dispatch. Proof that you control the property is requested first. Call with your door count and key list to plan the work.
Describe the situation by phone and we will tell you what the job involves. Quotes are given by phone. Jobs that cannot be quoted without seeing them need a technician on site, and the service call charge is explained on the phone before anyone is dispatched.
Related pages
Counting the copies: tracing every duplicate key before a lock is rekeyed
Most households and small businesses cannot say with confidence how many copies of a key exist. A spare went to a neighbor years ago, another stayed with a former roommate, and a third was cut at a hardware counter and never mentioned again. Before a rekey appointment, sit down and write a plain list of every person who may have held a key, including contractors, cleaners, relatives, past tenants, and anyone who borrowed one for a weekend. The list does not need to be perfect. Its purpose is to show you how wide the circle of access has really grown over time.
On site, the technician checks the keys you hand over against the cylinders in each door, because many properties mix several brands and keyways without anyone noticing. Some keys are stamped as restricted, which means they cannot be copied casually, while ordinary keys can be duplicated almost anywhere in minutes. That difference shapes the advice we give. If your current system lets anyone copy a key freely, rekeying alone resets the old copies, but the same weakness will return as soon as new keys are cut. Bring every key you can find, even ones nobody recognizes, because an unfamiliar key is often the one that matters most. Having them together keeps the visit calm.
Think about how you want to hand out access afterward. Decide how many new keys each person truly needs, and keep a short written record of who holds which one. Rekeying changes the internal pins so old keys no longer turn the lock, while the lock hardware stays in place. We confirm ownership or authority before changing any lock. The scope of the work and any quote are explained before it starts, and you can call us to confirm availability. Think too about older keys that no longer match anything, since they may still fit a gate, shed, or an outbuilding.