Residential locks
Lockouts, rekeys after a move, new deadbolts, mailbox locks and worn hardware on rowhouses, condos and detached homes.
Residential workWashington, DC locksmith line
Lock and key help across Washington, DC, from one phone line
Locked out on Capitol Hill, a snapped car key in Petworth, an office rekey off K Street: call 202-753-3643, describe the lock, and hear the trip charge and starting price before anyone is sent.
- Price quoted before work starts
- Written estimate on request
- Ask the locksmith for ID at the door
01 Services
Four kinds of lock work, one number
Every call is sorted into one of these lines first. That decides which kind of contractor is asked to take it and which price row applies.
Automotive keys
Car lockouts, replacement and transponder keys, broken key extraction and ignition trouble, at the curb where the car sits.
Car key work
Commercial hardware
Storefront and office locks, panic bars, master key plans, rekeys after staff changes and keyless entry.
Business work
Urgent lockouts
Shut out, key snapped, lock forced? Call the line, describe the door or car, and ask what the visit is likely to cost.
Urgent calls02 Coupons
Six coupons, printed as supplied
Mention the coupon when you call, then show it to the locksmith. The wording below is copied from the business's own coupon sheet.
10% DISCOUNT
ON ANY LOCKSMITH SERVICE
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
15% DISCOUNT
MOVE-IN SPECIAL
Moved into a new house?
Changing your locks is a priority
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
10% DISCOUNT
FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS
On any Locksmith Services
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
15% DISCOUNT
SENIOR CITIZEN
For all services by displaying senior citizen certificate
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
20% DISCOUNT
KEY EXTRACTION
On any car Locksmith Services
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
15% DISCOUNT
SPECIAL OFFER
On any purchased locks, deadbolts, etc...
Coupon Must be Presented to the Technician
Mention this coupon when you call 202-753-3643.
03 Process
What happens between the call and the open door
Call and describe it
Say what is locked, where it is and what kind of lock or car is involved. If you can, text a photo of the lock as well.
Hear the starting price
The dispatcher reads you the trip charge and the starting price for that job, and the order of costs that can be added.
Meet the locksmith
An independent contractor takes the job. Ask for ID and a written estimate before any drilling or cutting begins.
Pay the contractor
The contractor who does the work invoices you directly, and any warranty on the job comes from that contractor.
04 Neighborhoods
Fifteen neighborhood hubs instead of three hundred ZIP pages
- 20001Shaw & Bloomingdale
- 20002H Street & Trinidad
- 20003Capitol Hill & Navy Yard
- 20024Southwest Waterfront
- 20004Penn Quarter & Downtown
- 20037Foggy Bottom & West End
- 20009Dupont, Adams Morgan & U Street
- 20010Columbia Heights & Mount Pleasant
- 20007Georgetown & Glover Park
- 20008Woodley Park & Cleveland Park
- 20016Tenleytown & Chevy Chase DC
- 20011Petworth & Takoma
- 20017Brookland & Woodridge
- 20020East of the River
- 20013P.O. boxes & federal mail
05 Prices
The trip charge is fixed; the rest depends on the lock
There is a set service call fee for the visit. Lockouts, rekeys, repairs and key extraction on homes and businesses start from the lowest rows on the sheet; new vehicle keys, ignitions and transponder programming start higher.
Starting prices are minimums. A high-security cylinder, a door with no bore hole or a key that needs programming moves the figure up, which is why the dispatcher can only give an estimate over the phone.
06 Questions
Before you call
Who actually shows up when I call 202-753-3643?
A locksmith who works as an independent contractor. This line is a referral service: it takes the call, then passes the job to a contractor who is free to take it. Ask that person for identification and a written estimate before work begins.
Is there a fixed fee just for the visit?
Yes. The price list shows a fixed trip charge, then starting prices for each kind of job. Labor and any hardware are added on top, so ask for the full figure before you agree.
Do you cover my part of the District?
Calls are taken for every residential neighborhood in Washington, DC. The neighborhood hubs list which ZIP codes each one covers. Whether a locksmith is free right now is something only the dispatcher can tell you, so call to ask.
Can I use more than one coupon?
The coupons on this page are printed as the business supplied them. Tell the dispatcher which one you want to use when you call and show it to the locksmith; ask then how they combine.
07 Callback
Rather be called back?
08 Articles
Reading for the next time a key goes missing
Why you should rekey the locks when you move in
Who else might hold a key to your new place, what rekeying actually changes, and when replacement is the better call.
Read the article
Seven lock emergencies and what to do first
Forced doors, snapped keys, failed smart locks, lost keys and locked safes: what to do first and what to ask.
Read the article
The truth about "best locksmith" claims
Why superlatives in locksmith ads mean nothing, and the handful of checks that actually protect you.
Read the article