How Often Should a Vancouver Business Rekey Its Locks?

Most business owners don't think about rekeying until something goes wrong — a terminated employee who never returned a key, a landlord handing over a unit with no idea who has copies, or a break-in that reveals the locks were original to a building from 1998. The truth is, rekeying isn't a once-and-done task or a strict calendar event. It's a response to specific risks, and knowing those risks is what actually protects your business.

The quick version: there's no fixed "every X years" rule for commercial rekeying, but most businesses in shared or high-turnover spaces should rekey at least every 2–3 years as a baseline, and immediately after any event that puts a key outside your control — an employee departure, a lost master key, a lease change, or a break-in attempt. If you can't confidently list everyone who holds a working key right now, that's your answer: it's time.

Why "every few years" isn't the full answer

A fixed schedule sounds tidy, but it misses the point of rekeying, which is key control — knowing exactly who can get into your building at any given moment. A retail shop with three long-term employees and no public-facing key handouts might genuinely be fine rekeying every 3–4 years. A commercial unit with a dozen staff, seasonal hires, and contractors in and out could need it twice in a single year.

What matters more than the calendar is tracking events that quietly erode your key control without you noticing.

The trigger events that should prompt a rekey

These are the moments that matter more than any arbitrary timeline. If one of these has happened recently and you haven't rekeyed since, your locks are likely out of sync with who should actually have access.

• Staff turnover. Any employee, manager, or contractor who leaves — especially under less-than-friendly circumstances — should trigger a rekey if they ever held a key.
• Lost or unaccounted-for keys. If a key goes missing and you can't be sure it was destroyed, lost in a drawer, or picked up by a stranger, treat it as compromised.
• New lease or ownership change. Previous tenants, former owners, their staff, and sometimes even the property manager's old contractors may still hold working keys unless you rekey on move-in.
• Attempted or actual break-in. Even a failed attempt can mean someone tested a key or made an impression of your lock. Rekey before reopening.
• Expansion of your keyholder list. Adding a cleaning crew, delivery service, or after-hours contractor is a good moment to review whether they need full access or a restricted key.
• You genuinely can't account for every key in circulation. If nobody in the business can say with confidence how many keys exist and where they are, that uncertainty alone is reason enough.

A practical baseline schedule

If none of the trigger events above apply, a simple baseline still protects you from slow erosion of key control. For a small retail or office space with a stable team, rekeying every 2–3 years is a reasonable rhythm. For businesses with frequent staff changes — restaurants, warehouses, multi-tenant commercial buildings — annual or even semi-annual review makes more sense, even if a full rekey isn't needed every time.

The review itself is simple: count your keys, match them to current staff, and ask whether anyone no longer with the business could still open the door. If the answer is unclear, that uncertainty is your trigger.

Rekeying vs. replacing: what businesses often get wrong

Rekeying changes the internal pins of your existing lock so old keys stop working, without replacing the hardware itself. It's faster and less expensive than full lock replacement, and in most commercial cases it's all you need. Replacement only makes sense if the lock itself is damaged, outdated, or you're upgrading to a higher security grade — not simply because keys are floating around.

Business owners sometimes assume a rekey means disruption to the whole team, but a well-planned one can happen around business hours with minimal interruption. If you're dealing with a missing key right now and want to plan the swap without shutting down for a day, our guide on how to plan a rekey without disrupting the workday walks through the logistics.

If you can't list every person holding a working key to your business right now, it's already time to rekey.

Keeping key control simple going forward

The easiest way to avoid guessing is to keep a basic key log — who has a key, when it was issued, and when (if ever) it was returned. It doesn't need software or a formal system, just a shared document someone actually updates. Pair that with a policy that departing staff return keys before their final paycheque, and most of the uncertainty disappears before it becomes a security problem.

If it's been a while since your business reviewed who holds keys to your doors, we're happy to help you figure out whether a rekey, an upgrade, or a smarter key control system makes the most sense for your space. Get in touch with The Vancouver Locksmith Ltd. and we'll walk through your situation — no guesswork, no upselling.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it typically cost to rekey a commercial door?

Commercial rekeying is priced per cylinder and typically costs less than full lock replacement, with the total depending on the number of doors and lock grade. Multi-door commercial jobs often get a per-unit discount compared to single residential rekeys.

Can I rekey my business locks myself?

Basic residential-style cylinders can sometimes be rekeyed with a kit, but most commercial-grade locks, master key systems, and high-security cylinders require professional tools and pinning knowledge to avoid damaging the lock or compromising security.

Does rekeying disrupt the keys my landlord or property manager holds?

If your lease requires the landlord to retain access, let your locksmith know before the rekey so they can either issue a new landlord key or coordinate the change — skipping this step is a common cause of lockouts after a rekey.