Quick answer
When you move into a San Diego home or rental: rekey every exterior lock on day one (or ask the landlord to), key them all alike, add a Grade 1 deadbolt to any door that has only a knob lock, reset the garage door opener and keypad, change every smart lock code, secure the sliding glass door, sort out the mailbox key, and check gates and side doors. A whole-house rekey typically runs $120 to $250 and takes under an hour. See rekeying or deadbolt installation.
In this guide
Day one: rekey everything
You have no idea how many keys to your new front door exist. Sellers hand over two; over the years they made ten. Rekeying every exterior door to one new key makes all of them useless in under an hour, and it's the single most important thing on this list. Renters: California landlords aren't required to rekey between tenants in every case, so ask. Most allow it and many will pay for it or do it. Military families moving into Point Loma or Mira Mesa housing do this every summer. Details on our rekeying page and the rekey vs replace guide.
The checklist
- Rekey every exterior door: front, back, side, garage service door, keyed to one key.
- Any door with only a keyed knob gets a Grade 1 deadbolt with a reinforced strike plate. Older homes in Clairemont and North Park often have this gap.
- Garage: reset the opener remotes and the exterior keypad code, and check the emergency release cord can't be fished from outside.
- Smart locks: delete every existing code and user, then add yours. Better: factory reset and set up fresh.
- Sliding glass doors: check the latch engages, add a secondary lock or security bar, and make sure the panel can't be lifted off its track.
- Mailbox: USPS-owned cluster boxes get a new lock through the post office; private boxes are a locksmith job.
- Side gates, storage rooms and the pool gate if you have one. Old padlocks with unknown keys get replaced.
- Windows: confirm every ground-floor window locks. A locksmith can add keyed sash locks where needed.
- Count your keys and write down who has one. Keep it under control from the start.
Condos, HOAs and rentals
Condo buildings downtown, in UTC and in Mission Valley usually have rules about exterior hardware: finish, style, sometimes brand. Rekeying is almost always allowed because nothing visible changes. Replacement may need approval. Ask management before buying hardware, and ask for the mailbox and storage cage keys at the same time. Renters should get written permission before changing locks and hand the landlord a copy of the new key.
Beach homes get one extra step
If you moved within a few blocks of the water in Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach or La Jolla, have the locksmith look at the condition of the existing hardware while rekeying. Salt-pitted locks are worth replacing now with coastal-rated hardware rather than rekeying and replacing again next year. See the salt air guide.
What it costs, and how long
A whole-house rekey of two to four doors typically runs $120 to $250 in San Diego and takes under an hour. A new deadbolt installed with standard hardware is $150 to $275. Sliding door locks, gate locks and keypad installs are quoted per job. All of it can happen on one visit, on move-in day, and you get the exact price on the phone. See locksmith prices.
Written by Mark Hanna, owner and lead locksmith of Action Locksmith San Diego (CA LCO License #7199). Published , last updated . Prices mentioned are typical San Diego ranges; see the prices page for details.
