TRANSPARENT PRICING · UPDATED JULY 2026
Denver Locksmith Price List 2026 — Every Service, Real Numbers
Pricing Guide · Published July 22, 2026 · Colorado Dependable Locksmith
In 2026, typical Denver metro locksmith prices are: home lockout $85–$150, car lockout $75–$140, house rekeying $19–$35 per cylinder plus a $79–$99 service call, car key replacement $185–$480 depending on key technology, smart lock installation from $149, and safe opening from $149. We checked the eight most-visible locksmith websites serving Denver, and only one publishes any prices at all. This page is the full, unhidden list from Colorado Dependable Locksmith — a women-owned local shop since April 2011 with 38 verified 5-star reviews — including exactly what moves each number up or down.
Why we publish every price (and almost nobody else does)
Search “locksmith prices Denver” and you’ll mostly find pages that talk about pricing without ever naming a number. When we surveyed the eight most-visible locksmith websites serving the Denver metro in July 2026, only one published any prices at all. The rest ask you to call — because an unpublished price is a negotiable price, and a negotiable price at 9 PM with your keys locked inside rarely moves in your favor.
We take the opposite bet: publish the whole list, explain what moves each number, and let the math win the customer. Every figure below is a real 2026 range we charge across the Denver metro — the same ranges our dispatcher quotes on the phone. If a range is wide, the section explains exactly why.
Emergency and lockout prices (2026)
Lockouts are quoted all-in: the trip, the labor, and non-destructive entry. Nobody legitimate needs to drill a standard residential lock to open it, so treat “we’ll have to drill it” as a red flag, not a price line.
| Service | Typical 2026 price (all-in) |
|---|---|
| Home lockout | $85–$150 |
| Car lockout | $75–$140 |
| Commercial / office lockout | $95–$165 |
| Broken key extraction (door or ignition) | $95–$175 |
| Storage unit, mailbox, or interior door | $75–$125 |
What moves a lockout inside its range: high-security or smart hardware (picking a Medeco takes longer than a builder-grade Kwikset), distance from Highlands Ranch, and the time of day — see the after-hours policy below.
Rekeying and residential lock prices
Rekeying changes the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working — the highest-value security move after buying a home or losing keys.
| Service | Typical 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Rekeying, standard residential | $19–$35 per cylinder + $79–$99 service call |
| Rekey, smart-lock or high-security cylinder | $45–$95 per cylinder |
| Lock change (labor, per lock) | $65–$125 + hardware |
| New deadbolt install (fresh bore) | $125–$220 + hardware |
| Smart lock installation | from $149 labor (typical $149–$260 + hardware) |
| Lock repair / adjustment | $85–$165 |
Worked example: a typical Denver four-cylinder rekey lands at $79–$99 for the visit plus $76–$140 in cylinders — about $155–$239 all-in, with up to five new keys cut on site. Inside Douglas County our trip fee is lower; Highlands Ranch homeowners should read the local breakdown in our Highlands Ranch rekey guide.
Car key replacement prices by key technology
Car key pricing is really a hardware question — the electronics inside the key set the price, not the badge on the hood. All figures are all-in at your location: hardware, cutting, programming, and the trip.
| Key technology | Typical 2026 price (all-in) |
|---|---|
| Standard transponder (chip) key | $185–$245 |
| Remote-head key (buttons in the key) | $225–$295 |
| Flip / switchblade key, laser-cut | $255–$335 |
| Proximity smart fob (push-button start) | $295–$430 |
| EV and luxury smart keys (Tesla-style cards, encrypted fobs) | $380–$480 |
| All keys lost — add-on for immobilizer reset | +$75–$85 |
| Duplicate of a working key | roughly 30% less than first-key prices |
Dealers price the same job at roughly double once towing is counted, because a car with no working key can’t drive itself to the service bay. Model-by-model breakdowns — F-150, Silverado, RAV4, Altima, Elantra, Sportage, Sierra, and more — live in our vehicle key library, with deeper cost analysis in the car key cost guide.
Safes, commercial, and specialty prices
| Service | Typical 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Safe opening (non-destructive first) | from $149 (typical $149–$395) |
| Business rekeying | $25–$45 per cylinder + service call |
| Commercial-grade lever / deadbolt install | $149–$320 per door + hardware |
| Master key system (small office) | from $199 design + per-cylinder rekey |
| Panic bar installation | $299–$650 labor + hardware |
| Access control (keypad/fob, per door) | from $850 installed |
Commercial work is quoted per project — door count, hardware grade, and fire-code requirements move these more than anything residential. We put the itemized number in writing before work starts; more on scope at our commercial locksmith page.
After-hours pricing policy — in writing
This is where hidden-price locksmiths make their money, so here is our policy, published:
| Time window | Surcharge |
|---|---|
| 7 AM – 9 PM, Monday–Sunday | None — standard prices above |
| 9 PM – midnight (late-evening emergency) | Flat +$30–$50, stated on the phone |
| Overnight | We book you for 7 AM sharp — no marked-up 3 AM invoice |
| Weekends & most holidays | Same as weekday prices |
The surcharge is a flat add for the tech’s late run — it is never a percentage, and it never turns a $95 lockout into a $300 one. If you’re quoted a number at 10 PM, that is the number on the invoice. Emergency details at our emergency locksmith page.
What actually moves a locksmith price up or down
Every range on this page is driven by the same six variables. Knowing them lets you predict your own quote within a few dollars:
- Count — cylinders to rekey, doors to open, keys to cut. The per-unit price is fixed; the count is the multiplier.
- Hardware grade — builder-grade Kwikset sits at the bottom of each range; Baldwin, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and smart locks sit at the top because pin kits, tools, and time all go up.
- Key technology — for cars, the electronics in the key are the price. A chip key and a proximity fob can differ by $200 on the same vehicle.
- Time of day — only after 9 PM, only a flat $30–$50, per the table above.
- Distance — the metro trip fee covers our core area; far-edge runs (Colorado Springs, far-east Aurora) add a stated $15–$25.
- Condition — corroded, damaged, or previously “drilled by the last guy” hardware needs repair before it can be rekeyed, and we quote that before touching it.
How to use this list against any quote you get
Even if you never call us, use these numbers as your benchmark. A phone quote wildly below this page — the famous “$19 lockout” — is a lead-generation ad that converts to $300+ on arrival, a pattern we break down in our locksmith scam guide. A quote far above it should come with a reason you can verify: high-security hardware, unusual hours, real distance. Ask for the all-in number, in writing, before anyone dispatches — a legitimate Denver locksmith will give it without hesitation, because their math survives daylight.
Frequently asked questions about locksmith prices in Denver
Why do most Denver locksmiths refuse to publish prices?
Two business models drive it. National lead-generation networks advertise fake $19–$35 rates, buy the top ad slots, then subcontract your call to whoever pays for the lead — the real price is invented in your driveway. And some legitimate shops simply fear being undercut. We surveyed the eight most-visible locksmith sites serving Denver in July 2026 and only one published any prices. Publishing the full list is our answer: a price you can read before you call is a price that cannot be inflated after you are stranded.
Is the price you quote on the phone the final price?
Yes, for the job you described. Our dispatcher quotes an all-in number — trip, labor, parts — from this same price list. It changes only if the scope changes on site, for example five cylinders turn out to be eight, or a lock is damaged and needs repair before rekeying. In that case the tech re-quotes and you approve before any work continues. The invoice never contains a number you have not already heard.
Does the service call fee stack on top of the per-cylinder rekey price?
The two are separate and both are published, so the math is simple: $79–$99 for the visit anywhere in the Denver metro, plus $19–$35 per cylinder rekeyed. A four-cylinder home lands around $155–$239 all-in, including up to five new keys cut on site. Inside Douglas County the trip fee runs lower — see our Highlands Ranch rekey guide for the local numbers. What you never pay is a per-pin, per-key, or 'labor on top of labor' line invented at the door.
Are locksmith prices higher at night or on weekends in Denver?
With us, weekends and most holidays cost the same as a Tuesday morning. The only surcharge window is 9 PM to midnight, when a flat $30–$50 is added and stated on the phone before dispatch. Overnight we schedule you for 7 AM instead of billing a premium 3 AM run. Be cautious with any locksmith whose after-hours pricing is a percentage or a mystery — that is where a $95 lockout becomes $300.
Why do car key prices range from $185 all the way to $480?
Because you are not buying a key — you are buying electronics. A basic transponder chip key sits at $185–$245; add remote buttons, a laser-cut flip blade, or proximity push-button hardware and the fob itself gets steadily more expensive to source and program, topping out at $380–$480 for EV and luxury encrypted keys. Losing every key adds $75–$85 for the immobilizer reset. The vehicle's badge matters far less than the technology in your pocket.
Do you price-match other Denver locksmiths?
We do not play coupon games, because this published list is already our real price — no bait rate, no arrival markup. If a licensed, insured local shop hands you a written all-in quote that beats ours for identical scope and hardware, show it to us and we will either match it or tell you honestly why the cheaper job is cheaper. What we will not match is a $19 internet special, and our scam guide explains exactly how those end.