Two problems hiding inside one
When keys go missing, the first problem is practical: you may be unable to enter your home, start your car or lock up your business. That is a lockout, and our other pages cover how to handle one. The second problem is quieter and easier to put off: someone else may now hold a working key, and you do not know who or where.
The second problem is the subject of this page. A rekey solves it by changing the internal pin arrangement of the lock so that the missing key no longer works. The decision comes down to a simple question: how likely is it that the lost key could be used to enter, and how costly would it be if it were?
That question has different answers in different situations. Keys left on a restaurant table in your own neighborhood and returned by a staff member tend to come back. Keys lost at a crowded beach in Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood, or stolen along with a wallet, are in a different category. Keys that carry an address tag, a parking decal or a registration with your address on it are in a third. The more a stranger could link the key to a specific door, the stronger the case for rekeying.
Address exposure: the biggest factor
A key is only useful to a stranger if they know where it fits. A lone key on the sidewalk is a curiosity. A key on a ring with a house address on a tag, or a key found with a wallet containing a driver's license, or a key inside a bag along with mail, is a working tool. The difference is the address.
Think carefully about what was with the keys when they were lost. A wallet or purse with identification shows your name and often an address. A car with a registration in the glove box shows where you live. A phone with a locked screen still may display notifications, and a phone with a weak lock can reveal contacts and maps. A bag containing a lease, a bill or a package label points to your door. If any of these went missing along with the keys, treat the situation as higher risk.
Our page on stolen keys and wallet goes deeper into what to do when the keys and an identity are taken together. In those cases, rekeying quickly is usually the wiser choice, along with steps to protect your identity and accounts. Do not put off the call because the key may turn up.
How the loss happened matters
Different losses carry different risks. A useful way to think is in three groups.
Probably misplaced: you last remember holding the keys at home, in the car or at a friend's place, and you suspect they are in a coat pocket, a couch cushion or a bag. These losses usually end with the keys found within a short time. A reasonable plan is to search thoroughly, check places you visited and wait a short, defined period before deciding. Possibly dropped in public: you may have lost them at a store, a beach, a gym or a restaurant, where they might be turned in or might be picked up by a stranger. Call the businesses you visited, check lost and found and decide based on the address exposure. Likely stolen: a break-in at your car, a bag snatching, a wallet theft or a missing key after an incident. Treat that as high risk and consider rekeying promptly, and file a police report if a crime occurred.
- Probably misplaced at home or in your car: search carefully and set a short waiting period.
- Possibly dropped in public with no address attached: call lost and found and weigh the exposure.
- Lost with a wallet, bag, mail or registration: treat as higher risk.
- Stolen in a vehicle break-in or snatching: report it and consider rekeying promptly.
- Keys given to someone who has not returned them: ask once, then decide.
Time is also a cost
Waiting carries a cost of its own. Every day that a lost key might be in someone else's hands is a day in which the home is less secure than you believe. If you plan to be away, for instance on a trip or at work for long hours, an unsecured home is a larger exposure. If you are a seasonal resident leaving for months, a lost key is more pressing because nobody is home to notice a visitor.
There is also the cost of living with doubt. People who lose keys and decide to wait often find themselves lying awake wondering. A rekey is a way to end that. For some households, peace of mind is reason enough, and there is nothing wrong with deciding that.
On the other side, rekeying takes planning. You need to arrange a visit, confirm that you may authorize the work and be present or have someone present. If you are locked out as well, the order matters: first regain entry, then rekey. In some cases the technician who opens the door can rekey while on site, if the lock is suited to it. Ask on the phone, and we will explain what is possible for your lock.
When rekeying beats waiting
Rekeying is usually the wiser choice in several situations. If the keys were lost or stolen along with an item that shows your address, rekey. If you have strong reason to think the keys were taken, such as a vehicle break-in or a pickpocketing, rekey. If the keys are the only set and you are still searching after a day or two with no leads, consider rekeying so you do not depend on a recovery that may never happen. If you are leaving town soon and the keys have not turned up, rekey before you go. If a person who should not have access might have the key, such as a former partner, a former employee or a contractor who has not returned theirs, rekey.
Also consider the nature of what you protect. A home with valuables, medications, documents or firearms stored inside raises the stakes, and so does a home where children or elderly people stay alone. Our page on what is rekeying explains the service, and our decision guide on rekey versus replace can help if you suspect that a lock needs more than a pin change.
These are not rules, only a framework. You know your situation best. If you are unsure, call and describe what happened. A technician can help you think through the risk without pressure, and you can choose your next step.
When it is reasonable to wait a little
There are cases in which waiting a short while is sensible, and we would rather say so than push you toward a service you do not need. If you are confident the keys are somewhere in your home or car and you have not yet finished searching, keep looking before spending money. If the keys were left at a friend's home, an office or a business where you trust the people, a call or a visit will likely settle it. If the key has no identification and you lost it in a place with little foot traffic, the risk of misuse is low, though not zero.
Set a deadline. Decide that if the keys are not found by a certain day, you will rekey. A deadline prevents indefinite drift and keeps the decision from being made for you by circumstance. Tell the people who live with you so they know the plan, and be clear about who can still get in and who cannot while the keys are missing.
While you wait, take temporary measures. Use any other lock, such as a keypad deadbolt, a chain or a secondary bolt, if you have one. Do not leave a spare key in an obvious hiding place as a stopgap. Ask a trusted neighbor to watch for unusual activity. These steps are not a replacement for rekeying, but they reduce risk in the meantime.
Lost keys to a rental, condo or business
If you do not own the lock, the decision is not only yours. In a rental, tell the landlord or manager about the lost key as soon as you realize it. Many leases require prompt notice, and the landlord may want to rekey to protect the building and the other residents. Do not change the lock yourself without written permission. Ask the landlord what the lease says about lost keys and who arranges the rekey.
In a condo or HOA community, the association may hold copies of keys or control access to common doors. If you lose a fob or a building key, tell the office so it can be deactivated. Your unit lock may be on a master key system, and a lost key to a master system is a bigger issue for the association than for you. Read our page on locksmith authorization for condos and HOAs for how technicians handle those cases.
For a business, a lost key may open an office, a stockroom or a cash area. The owner or manager decides how to respond, and may choose to rekey or replace at once. Keep a record of which employee held which key, which makes the response clearer. If an employee leaves with a key, that is a separate scenario covered on our page about rekeying after an employee leaves.
What else to change besides the lock
Keys are often attached to other access. A ring may include a car key or fob, a mailbox key, a garage remote, a gate fob, an office key card and a small tag for a shop loyalty program. If the ring is gone, think about each of them. Deactivate fobs and cards through the issuer, and reprogram or replace garage remotes. If a car key was on the ring, think about whether the vehicle needs to be rekeyed or whether a new key can be programmed so the old one is disabled.
If a phone or wallet was lost with the keys, change passwords for important accounts and review your bank and card activity. These steps are outside what a locksmith handles, but they belong in the same plan, since a thief with your address and your keys is a larger problem than either alone.
For homes with smart locks or keypads, check the user list for entries you do not recognize and remove any you do not need. If a physical key to the lock is lost, the keypad PIN still works, and that is a reminder that the two systems are separate.
Making the call
When you call, say what was lost, when and where, and what else was with the keys. Say whether you are locked out. Tell us whether you own or rent, whether the lock is on a master system and whether other people live with you. Mention the type and number of locks you want rekeyed, and how many keys you need.
Have your photo ID and something linking you to the address on your phone. If you rent, have the landlord's authorization. If a crime occurred, have the police report number available, since it may be helpful for the landlord, an insurer or an association.
Quotes are given only by phone, the service call charge is explained before dispatch and complicated jobs may need an on-site visit before a final quote. When you are ready, call and we will help you choose between rekeying and waiting based on what you tell us.
Questions people ask
Should I rekey the moment I lose my keys?
Not always. If you are confident the keys are in your home or car, keep searching first. If the keys were lost with an item showing your address, or were likely stolen, rekeying promptly is the wiser choice. Setting a short deadline for the search helps you avoid drifting.
Does a lost key with no address on it still matter?
The risk is lower, because a stranger would need to guess which door it fits. But it is not zero, especially if the loss happened near your home or if other items could link it to you. Weigh how the loss happened and how much you want certainty.
Can I just wait and see if the keys turn up?
You can, and for a misplaced set that is often reasonable. Set a deadline, tell your household and take interim steps such as using a secondary lock. If the keys were stolen or lost with identifying items, waiting leaves you exposed and rekeying is usually better.
I rent. Do I need to tell my landlord about lost keys?
Yes, promptly. Many leases require notice, and the landlord may want to rekey to protect the building. Do not change the lock yourself without written permission. Ask the landlord what the lease says about lost keys and who arranges the rekey.
Will rekeying stop a lost smart lock PIN from working?
No. Rekeying changes the mechanical key arrangement only. Smart lock PINs, keypad entries and app invitations are separate and need to be changed or removed in the lock settings. If your lock has both, review each, and remove any entries you do not recognize.
What if I am locked out and the keys are lost?
Regain entry first, with authorization confirmed, then decide about rekeying. In some cases the technician can rekey while on site if the lock suits it. Tell the dispatcher about both problems when you call so the visit can be planned around them.
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
Walking through the decision the way a technician would
Here is how we think about a lost-key call. First, how likely is it that someone can find the door? A key with an address tag is a bigger concern than a single key lost at a beach. Second, how quickly can the loss be resolved? If you will find the key within a day, waiting may be reasonable. If you cannot, the risk grows. Third, what is the cost of being wrong? Our questions are not meant to pressure you, only to give both of us a clear picture of the risk so you can choose what feels reasonable.
Next, we consider the number of doors and the type of hardware. A home with three doors on one key can be rekeyed together, which often makes sense. A mix of keypads and keyed locks may need different handling. We also ask who else holds keys, since a rekey will make those keys stop working, and everyone who needs access must receive new ones. If the loss happened during a trip, tell us where you traveled and whether the keys were with a bag, as that affects how seriously to treat the exposure.
Finally, we consider timing. Doing the work soon after the loss reduces the window of exposure. We explain the scope and any quote before work begins, and we check ownership or authority before changing any lock. Please call us to confirm availability. Have your documents ready, along with the brand of the locks if you know it, and a list of people who will need new keys. If you are still unsure after talking it over, we can explain the likely outcomes of each choice, so the decision is yours and based on facts rather than worry.
Coordinating new keys among family, tenants and staff
A rekey is only complete when the right people have the right keys. Before the visit, make a list of everyone who needs access: household members, a cleaner, a dog walker, a relative who checks the house during trips. Decide how many copies each needs. Fewer is safer. Bring this list to the call so we can plan the quantity and the sequence. Make a note of any key holders who live elsewhere, because they may need to be reached by phone and sent a key by a safe method.
On the day, collect all existing keys from people who are present. Test them with the technician to confirm that the old ones no longer work. Hand new keys out in person, if possible, and explain the change. If someone is away, hold their key and deliver it later, so their old key is never relied upon in the meantime. Bring everyone's key holder list to the visit, which saves time and ensures nobody is accidentally left out of the new arrangement. Please bring that list to the call so the plan is clear from the start.
Afterward, update your records. Note the date of the change, who received keys, and where spares are kept. Remove any outdated notes. If you use a lockbox, change its code. These small steps complete the job and make the next change easier. Please call us to confirm availability when you are ready, and we will explain the scope and any quote before work begins. Hold on to the packaging or card that comes with the new keys, since it may contain details that help if you need more copies later.