How much does a locksmith cost?

On this page

How a locksmith works out the price
What it costs, by scenario
What changes the price
What's usually included, and what isn't
Metro and regional differences
Licensing and compliance
Before you accept a quote, check
Frequently asked questions
Sources and method

How a locksmith works out the price

A locksmith usually charges a call-out fee to attend, then labour and parts for the job. For a lockout, many quote one all-in price once they see the door. For a lock change or rekey, the price is per lock or per cylinder, plus the call-out. After-hours, weekend and public holiday work carries a higher call-out. One Brisbane guide warns that a very low advertised call-out fee can rise once labour is added on site, so ask for the total before the locksmith starts.

Call-out fee to attend, higher after hours, on weekends and on public holidays
Labour to get in, or to change or rekey the lock
Hardware: a new lock, deadbolt or key blank, if you need one
Extra keys cut or programmed
GST on the total, if it is not already included

Worked example: Rekey three door locks in business hours and cut extra keys (illustrative, not a quote)

Call-out and attendance, business hours: $130
Rekey 3 cylinders at $55 each: $165
3 extra standard keys at $12 each: $36
Total: $331 total (illustrative)

What it costs, by scenario

Low, typical and high prices. Built on 19 October 2026 from a marketplace price page, two compiled cost guides, a Canberra locksmith's rate sheet and a Melbourne locksmith's cost page. Ranges stay inside figures that at least two sources share where they overlap; safe opening rests on one compiled guide. Some supplier pages state GST included and the marketplace does not, so the GST basis is left unconfirmed.

Call-out fee only, business hours (per call-out)
A Canberra rate sheet gives $110 to $150 and a Melbourne locksmith says $130 to $250 to attend. We use the range they share at the low end.
Low
$110
Typical
$130
High
$150
Locked out of your home, business hours (per job)
A compiled cost guide gives $120 to $300 with a typical $180. A Canberra locksmith quotes $150 total for a daytime home lockout.
Low
$120
Typical
$180
High
$300
Locked out of your home, after hours or public holiday (per job)
A Canberra rate sheet gives $200 to $350 and a compiled guide gives $200 to $500 with a typical $280. We stop at the figure where they agree.
Low
$200
Typical
$280
High
$350
Rekey a lock, per lock or cylinder (per lock)
Plus the call-out. The Canberra rate sheet gives $55 a cylinder, a marketplace page gives an average of $70 and a compiled guide gives $45 to $120. Melbourne's cost page says $70 to $130.
Low
$55
Typical
$70
High
$120
Replace a basic lock, per lock (per lock)
The range two sources share: a compiled guide gives $120 to $350 and a Melbourne locksmith gives $70 to $200 a lock. High-security and digital locks cost more.
Low
$120
Typical
$160
High
$200
Basic deadbolt supplied and installed (per deadbolt)
A Canberra rate sheet gives $180 to $350 and a compiled guide gives $150 to $400 with a typical $250. A high-security deadbolt is $320 to $550 or more on the Canberra sheet.
Low
$180
Typical
$250
High
$350
Spare car key, cut and programmed (per key)
A Canberra rate sheet gives $150 to $350 for a spare transponder key. When every key is lost the same sheet gives $300 to $600 or more, and a Melbourne locksmith says $250 to $1,000 or more for transponder or smart keys.
Low
$150
Typical
$300
High
$350
Safe opening or combination reset (per job)
One compiled guide only. We found no second source, so treat this as a rough guide and ask for a firm price.
Low
$200
Typical
$350
High
$600

Low, typical and high prices by scenario
Scenario	Low	Typical	High
Call-out fee only, business hours (per call-out)A Canberra rate sheet gives $110 to $150 and a Melbourne locksmith says $130 to $250 to attend. We use the range they share at the low end.	$110	$130	$150
Locked out of your home, business hours (per job)A compiled cost guide gives $120 to $300 with a typical $180. A Canberra locksmith quotes $150 total for a daytime home lockout.	$120	$180	$300
Locked out of your home, after hours or public holiday (per job)A Canberra rate sheet gives $200 to $350 and a compiled guide gives $200 to $500 with a typical $280. We stop at the figure where they agree.	$200	$280	$350
Rekey a lock, per lock or cylinder (per lock)Plus the call-out. The Canberra rate sheet gives $55 a cylinder, a marketplace page gives an average of $70 and a compiled guide gives $45 to $120. Melbourne's cost page says $70 to $130.	$55	$70	$120
Replace a basic lock, per lock (per lock)The range two sources share: a compiled guide gives $120 to $350 and a Melbourne locksmith gives $70 to $200 a lock. High-security and digital locks cost more.	$120	$160	$200
Basic deadbolt supplied and installed (per deadbolt)A Canberra rate sheet gives $180 to $350 and a compiled guide gives $150 to $400 with a typical $250. A high-security deadbolt is $320 to $550 or more on the Canberra sheet.	$180	$250	$350
Spare car key, cut and programmed (per key)A Canberra rate sheet gives $150 to $350 for a spare transponder key. When every key is lost the same sheet gives $300 to $600 or more, and a Melbourne locksmith says $250 to $1,000 or more for transponder or smart keys.	$150	$300	$350
Safe opening or combination reset (per job)One compiled guide only. We found no second source, so treat this as a rough guide and ask for a firm price.	$200	$350	$600

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What changes the price

Time of day. After-hours and emergency call-outs cost about 1.5 to 2 times the business-hours rate in one compiled guide. Public holidays are usually the highest.
Type of job. A lockout is a quick attendance. A deadbolt, a high-security lock or a safe takes more skill, time and hardware.
Lock brand and security grade. A standard cylinder is cheap to rekey. A high-security or digital lock costs more to supply, fit or programme.
Car keys. Transponder and smart keys need cutting and programming, and a replacement when every key is lost costs more than a spare.
Location and travel. Outer suburbs and regional areas can add a travel charge, as one Canberra rate sheet notes for the ACT border and nearby towns.
Call-out versus all-in price. A low advertised call-out can become a much larger bill once labour and parts are added. An all-in quote avoids the surprise.

What's usually included, and what isn't

Usually included

Travel to your home and attendance
Labour to get in without damage, where the lock allows it
Rekeying or fitting the lock you agreed on
Testing that the new lock and keys work before the locksmith leaves
A quote for the total before work starts, where you ask for one

Often extra

A new lock, deadbolt or digital lock unless the quote says it is supplied
Extra keys, unless listed
Repairing or replacing a door, frame or window damaged to get in
After-hours, weekend or public holiday loading, if not stated up front
Travel beyond the locksmith's usual service area

Metro and regional differences

Metro: Capital cities have many locksmiths and short travel times, which keeps call-out fees in a narrower band. Wages and parking push the base price up, and city rates in the compiled guides vary a little between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Regional: Our sources give no separate regional prices. A longer drive to reach you can add a travel charge, and a Canberra rate sheet says the ACT border and regional towns such as Yass and Bungendore may need travel adjustments. With fewer locksmiths nearby you may have fewer quotes to compare.

Licensing and compliance

Licensing for locksmiths differs by state, and we could confirm only part of it from regulator pages.

Two regulator pages we opened: Access Canberra says anyone working in the ACT security industry needs a licence under its security licence classes, including a sub-class for installing, maintaining and repairing security equipment, but the page does not name locksmiths; Victoria Police's Licensing and Regulation Division says you must hold a current Victorian private security licence and/or registration to work in Victoria, mentions a security equipment installer licence, and does not name locksmiths.

For the other states we relied on a summary by the Australian Security Industry Association (ASIAL), which we could not check against each regulator's own page.

It says that in New South Wales locksmiths fall under Class 2C of the security licence, with a Master licence for self-employed people, regulated by the NSW Police Force Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate; in Queensland a person performing the general functions of a locksmith needs a Class 2 Security Provider Licence from the Office of Fair Trading; in Western Australia individuals installing security equipment need a Security Installer Licence and businesses a Security Agent Licence, both from WA Police; in South Australia, Consumer and Business Services covers security agents but the summary does not name locksmiths; and for Tasmania and the Northern Territory it lists no licence for installing security equipment.

The Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia says its members in NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland must hold a security licence or registration.

Ask for the licence number and check it on the state register before work starts.

Before you accept a quote, check

Is the call-out fee separate, or is the price all-in?
What is the total for the job, including labour and parts, before work starts?
What is the after-hours, weekend or public holiday loading?
Is the price per lock or per cylinder, and how many are included?
Does the quote say whether GST is included?
Can you see the locksmith's licence number where your state requires one?

Frequently asked questions

How much does a locksmith charge to get you back into your home?

In business hours, about $120 to $300 in total in one compiled guide, and $150 for a daytime home lockout on a Canberra rate sheet. After hours it is about $200 to $350.

Is it cheaper to rekey or replace a lock?

Rekeying is usually cheaper. Our sources put rekeying at about $55 to $120 a lock, against $120 to $200 to replace a basic lock, plus the call-out. Rekeying changes the pins so old keys stop working without a new lock.

Why do some locksmiths advertise a very low call-out fee?

A Brisbane cost guide warns that a quote well under normal levels is usually the call-out only, with labour and parts added on site. Ask for the total before the locksmith starts.

What does a replacement car key cost?

A spare transponder key is about $150 to $350 on one Canberra rate sheet. If all keys are lost it is $300 to $600 or more there, and a Melbourne locksmith says $250 to $1,000 or more for transponder or smart keys.

Do locksmiths need a licence?

In several states, yes. Licensing differs by state, and Victoria Police and Access Canberra both licence the security industry. Check the licence number on your state register. The licensing section sets out what we could and could not confirm.

What does it cost to open a safe?

One compiled guide gives $200 to $600 for safe opening or a combination reset. We found only that one source, so ask the locksmith for a price after describing the safe.

Sources and method

Built on 19 October 2026 from a marketplace price page, two compiled cost guides, a Canberra locksmith's rate sheet and a Melbourne locksmith's cost page. Ranges stay inside figures that at least two sources share where they overlap; safe opening rests on one compiled guide. Some supplier pages state GST included and the marketplace does not, so the GST basis is left unconfirmed. How we calculate our guides.

Airtasker (Oneflare cost pages): locksmith price page (marketplace, 19 October 2026)
What's The Damage: locksmith cost Australia (compiled cost guide, GST not stated) (survey, 19 October 2026)
What's The Damage: locksmith cost Brisbane (compiled cost guide, GST included) (survey, 19 October 2026)
Night and Day Locksmiths: Canberra pricing guide (GST included) (supplier, 19 October 2026)
Vic Locks: how much does a locksmith cost in Melbourne? (supplier, 22 June 2026)
Access Canberra: security industry licences (regulator, 19 October 2026)
Victoria Police: private security eligibility requirements and training (regulator, 19 October 2026)
ASIAL: who needs a security licence? (industry body summary of state licensing) (survey, 19 October 2026)
Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia: membership requirements (survey, 19 October 2026)

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