Should You Rekey or Replace Your Locks When You Move?

Published August 19, 2026

You have no idea how many copies of your new house key exist. Neighbors, contractors, agents and old friends of the previous owner may all have one. Day one, the locks change or the locks get rekeyed.

• Rekey whenThe hardware is solid and you simply want every previous key dead. Roughly $20 to $50 per lock plus the visit.
• Replace whenLocks are worn, damaged or builder grade, or you want smart locks or a higher security grade.
• Every door countsHandle every exterior door and any interior door with a key, including the garage entry door.
• One key for everythingRekeying can put every door in the house on a single key in the same visit.
• Mix and matchA locksmith can rekey the good locks and replace the tired ones in one trip.

What Rekeying Actually Does

Inside every pin tumbler lock is a row of pins matched to the cuts on your key. Rekeying swaps those pins for a new combination, so the lock stays on your door but every old key becomes useless metal. It takes a locksmith minutes per lock, costs a fraction of new hardware, and is every bit as effective at locking out previous keyholders.

This is why rekeying is the default advice for anyone moving into a home with decent existing locks. You are not buying new security. You are resetting who has access to the security you already own.

When Replacement Is the Better Money

Rekeying cannot fix a worn or damaged mechanism, and it cannot upgrade cheap builder grade hardware into something that resists force. If a lock sticks, wobbles or shows signs of a past break in, replace it. Replacement is also the moment to step up to a Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolt or add a smart lock, and our guide to the best locks for your home walks through the options.

The Move In Security Checklist

Rekey or replace every exterior lock, including the door between the garage and the house. Reset the garage door opener code and reprogram the remotes, since openers change hands with the house just like keys. Clear any stored codes from keypads and smart locks, check that every window latches, and make sure each door has a deadbolt that throws fully into a reinforced strike plate. One visit from a residential locksmith covers the whole list.

Watch Us Work

Opening a Knob Cylinder to Start a Rekey

Questions we get asked

Just picked up the keys? See our residential locksmith services, our tips for hiring a home locksmith and the best locks to secure your home, or call and we will secure the whole house in one visit.