File Cabinet and Desk Lock Replacement in Las Vegas

A lost key to a file cabinet or a desk drawer feels small until payroll files, tax records or client papers are inside. The good news is that these locks are made in a few common styles, and most can be matched, rekeyed or replaced without a new cabinet.

This guide goes past our commercial locksmith page. It shows how to identify your lock, find the key code, what third party retailers charge for parts and when it makes sense to call a locksmith.

The short version

Here are the points that matter most.

• Find the key code firstMany office lock makers sell keys by code. Hirsh, for example, says to order using the code stamped on the front of the lock, and its W series codes start with W.
• There are only a few lock stylesBHMA lists cam, chest, drawer, cabinet door, file cabinet, lever and tee handle, locker and sliding door locks as cabinet locks.
• Parts are cheap, time is notGoogle Shopping listings on Oct 28 2026 showed cabinet cam locks from $5.99 to $23.67.
• Match the sizeRetail cam locks were listed in 5/8, 1 and 1 3/8 inch sizes.
• A cabinet lock is a deterrentBHMA tests Grade 1 cabinet locks for 40,000 cycles, which is far lighter than a door lock.
• Many cabinets can share one keyKeyed alike sets exist, which helps an office with a row of cabinets.

What you can check before you call

Look at the front of the lock, the small round or oval face on the drawer. Some locks have a code stamped into the face. Write it down exactly.

Look for a maker name on the cabinet, on the inside of the top drawer or on the frame. If you can name the maker, you can search the maker's own parts site.

Count your keys. If you have one working key, make a copy before it breaks. If you have none, tell us, because opening and replacing a lock is a different job than copying a key.

What BHMA says about cabinet locks

The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association sets the standard for cabinet locks as ANSI/BHMA A156.11. It covers cycle, operational and strength tests, and says Grade 1 cabinet locks must pass 40,000 cycles, usually through operating a key and cylinder.

The standard also lists seven aggressive tests, including a 1,200 in lbf locked lever torque. Compare that to the 1,000,000 cycles Grade 1 door locks must survive. A cabinet lock keeps honest people honest. It is not meant to stop a determined thief, so keep cash and the most sensitive records in a safe. See our safe locksmith page.

What parts cost, from retail listings

These are retail part prices, not Silver State prices. They come from the Google Shopping results shown for this search on Oct 28 2026 and will change. Home Depot and Ace Hardware were listed with pickup in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Boulder City.

Your options in the order a pro works them

Replacement keys. If the lock still works and you only lost the key, order keys by code from the maker. Hirsh Industries lists a pair of W series keys at $5.00 on its site as of Oct 28 2026. This is the cheapest fix and keeps every other key working.

Replacement lock, same key. Some makers sell lock sets keyed to match, and keyed alike packs let several cabinets share one key. Check whether the product says keyed alike or keyed different before you buy.

Replacement lock, new key. This is the right fix when a former staff member kept a key. It also helps when you do not know who holds copies. New locks come with their own keys.

Opening a locked cabinet. If you have lost the key and there is no code, the lock has to be opened by a technician before a new lock goes in. Do not pry the drawer. Bent steel costs more than a lock.

How to tell which lock you have

BHMA groups cabinet locks by type, and the same names show up on retail packages. A cam lock has a small flat arm on the back that turns to catch the frame. A drawer lock has a bolt that moves into the cabinet. A file cabinet lock is built to lock several drawers, and a lever and tee handle lock is the kind you see on larger cabinets and lockers.

BHMA gives one example in its A156.11 summary. The drawer lock function reads key retracts latch bolt, key removable in locked position only, half mortised into back of drawer. The point is that the lock has a stated function, so a replacement must do the same thing. A lock that fits the hole but turns the wrong way will not catch.

Measure the hole and the thickness of the drawer face. The retail cam locks above were listed in 5/8, 1 and 1 3/8 inch sizes, and the CompX file cabinet lock was listed at 1 3/4 inches. The size is not the whole story. Check the shape of the opening as well.

Keyed alike or keyed different

Product names tell you how a lock is keyed. The CompX file cabinet lock above is sold as keyed different, which means each lock has its own key. The First Watch listing was sold keyed alike and the Global 2176 kit was sold keyed different.

Keyed alike makes sense for a row of cabinets owned by one team, because a single key opens all of them. Keyed different makes sense when different people own different cabinets and should not see each other's files. Decide this before you order, because swapping later means buying again.

Which fix fits which problem

Use this as a quick guide.

Desk locks

Desk locks work like cabinet locks. The main difference is that one lock often secures a bank of drawers by a bar or a plunger, so the cabinet maker's parts matter more. Write down the desk maker and the lock face code, and send us a photo of the front and inside of the drawer.

Bring the same details you would for a file cabinet, and add the desk model if it is on a label under the top.

When an office has a lot of cabinets

A row of cabinets with different keys is a problem. If a manager leaves, you cannot tell which keys they held. Two fixes exist. You can key all the cabinets alike, or you can set up a system where each person holds one key and a manager holds a master. We explain that second option on our master key systems page.

If people left the company and took keys, consider business rekeying. It covers doors, and we can tell you whether your cabinet locks can join the same plan.

The Las Vegas angle

Offices here change hands and staff often, and many of the cabinets stay when the tenant leaves. If you take over a suite with locked cabinets and no keys, treat them as unknown. Do not assume the old owner kept no copies. For doors in your new space see office lock rekeying in Enterprise.

What to tell us on the phone

Give us as much of this as you can.

• What it locksFile cabinet, desk, locker or cabinet door.
• The makerOften on a label inside the top drawer.
• The key codeStamped on the lock face, if any.
• Keys leftNone, one or several.
• PhotosFront of the lock and the side view of the drawer.

If it is not a job for us

Call us and tell us the make and model, and we will tell you straight whether it is a job for us.

How to check any locksmith before you let them in

Ask for the business name, the license number and a total price before anyone drives out. Silver State holds a City of Las Vegas locksmith license, and you can look it up yourself at verify our license. Ask every company the same question and write down the answer.

Our guide to locksmith scams in Las Vegas lists the warning signs, such as a quote that changes at the door. If something goes wrong, you can file a complaint with the Nevada Attorney General or report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.