Vancouver locksmith FAQs
From homeowners, drivers and business owners.
What you ask us most, from licensing and lockouts to rekeys, car keys and prices, answered plainly. Every job is mobile anywhere in the Lower Mainland, and priced before any work begins.
Licensing and ID, before anyone touches your lock.
Who needs a BC security worker licence to work on locks?
Anyone doing locksmith work for hire in BC, under the Security Services Act. You can look up any locksmith's licence in the provincial registry, so ask for the number.
Will the locksmith show identification at the door?
Yes, identification and licensing. Ask to see both. We check your ID too, because opening a lock decides who gets in.
What do bonded and insured actually cover?
The company is licensed and bonded, and carries liability insurance. So the person at your door is vetted and accountable, and the work is covered.
Lockouts, and what to do while you wait.
Should I call a locksmith or the building manager first?
If the manager, concierge or landlord holds a key to your unit, try them first. It may cost nothing. Lobby and common doors go through the building, not us.
Will my lock still work after it has been picked?
Normally, yes. Picking lifts the same pins your key does. We start non-destructive wherever the lock allows. If drilling is needed, you hear the reason and the price before it happens.
Should I keep trying the door, or leave it alone?
Leave it once the key clearly will not turn. A forced key snaps, a pried frame splits, and an opening becomes a repair. See home lockouts.
Key copies, rekeys and spare sets.
Can keys stamped do not duplicate be copied in Vancouver?
The stamp is a request from whoever issued the key, so start with them. A restricted keyway is different. The blanks are controlled, and copies need the system holder's authorization.
Should I rekey the lock or replace it?
If the lock is sound and you have lost keys or moved, rekey it. The hardware stays and every old key stops working. Replace it when it is worn, damaged or due an upgrade.
How many keys come with a rekey, and can I order more later?
Every rekey comes with keys, and extras are priced per key. Later copies mean another visit, so ordering them during the first one costs far less.
Can one key open the front door, back door and garage?
Usually, if the cylinders share a compatible keyway. Where the brands differ, one cylinder may need replacing, and you hear that price first. See rekeying.
Will a key copied from a copy still turn smoothly?
Often not for long. A copy of a copy starts out of spec and wears from there. Cut spares from the original.
Does a landlord have to rekey between tenants in BC?
Yes, if the new tenant asks at the start of the tenancy, unless it was done after the last tenant left. The Residential Tenancy Act puts the cost on the landlord.
Quotes, payment and paperwork.
Service calls start at $75 and are never the whole bill. Home rekeys start from $35. A commercial walk-through costs nothing. Everything else is quoted by the job; see the price guide.
Is the phone quote the number I pay at the door?
Yes, if the job matches what you described. You hear two numbers: the service call and the work. If the lock turns out different, we stop and re-quote first.
Do you take debit, credit and e-transfer at the door?
Yes: major credit cards, debit, e-transfer and cash. Companies can be invoiced instead; set that up when you book.
Do I get an invoice for an insurance or strata claim?
Yes. Every job gets an itemized invoice, with parts and labour listed separately. That is what insurers and stratas ask for.
Car keys, fobs and lockouts.
Lockouts, spare keys, broken keys, transponder keys and fobs, handled where the car is parked. The price follows the year, make, model and key type.
Can you cut and program a car key at the car?
For most makes, yes. The van carries the cutting and programming gear, so the car stays put and needs no tow. Dealer-only models are flagged when you call.
What if every car key is lost?
Usually still possible. We decode the vehicle and teach the immobilizer a new key, which takes longer than a copy. Have registration and photo ID ready. See car key replacement.
Can you get a broken key out of the door or ignition?
Usually. We take the fragment out first, then cut a new key, and program it too if it has a chip. Until then, leave the piece alone. See ignition repair.
Safes, smart locks and keypads.
Can you open a safe without the combination?
Usually. Manipulation and bypass come first, wherever the lock allows. If drilling is needed, you hear why and what it costs first. Then the code is reset to one only you hold. See safe opening.
Do you work on a safe where it sits?
Yes, for home, office, gun and fire safes, in a basement, a back office or bolted down. We also install and move safes.
What happens to a smart lock when the battery dies?
Most warn you early. Keep a way in that does not need the batteries: a key override, which we can key to your other locks, or 9V jump terminals.
Can you install or fix a smart lock I already bought?
Yes, or we supply one. We fit smart deadbolts, keypad and fingerprint locks, set up codes, users and the app, and fix locks that stop pairing. See smart locks.
Where the van goes, and where it does not.
We come to you anywhere in the Lower Mainland, from Downtown and Kitsilano to East Vancouver. See every service area.
Do you come to Burnaby, Richmond or the North Shore?
Yes, including Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster and North Vancouver. Give us the address when you call.
Do you serve UBC, Point Grey and the Endowment Lands?
Yes, the Endowment Lands included. If you are locked out of a residence room, go to the residence desk. We handle off-campus homes, Wesbrook Village and campus parking. See UBC and Point Grey.
Will you meet me at a parkade or an impound lot?
Parkades, yes. Tell us the level and stall, and arrange a fob or concierge. An impound lot sets its own rules on outside work, so check with the lot first.
Do you cover the Tri-Cities and the Fraser Valley?
Yes, both are part of the Lower Mainland. Give us the address when you call.
Can I book an evening or weekend visit?
Yes, by appointment, and you hear the after-hours rate before you commit. Holidays work the same way. Call 778-655-1957 or book online.
The shop, and when it opens.
Is your shop open?
Not yet. The shop at 929 Drake Street opens soon. Until then every job is mobile, so please call or book online rather than visiting.
Can I get a key copied without booking a visit?
Not yet. Until the shop opens, keys are cut at your door. Book a visit for copies, or add spares to a job already booked.
Talk to a Vancouver locksmith.
Tell us what is going on and where you are. You hear the method and the price before any work begins.