Home security & break-ins
Lost or stolen keys: what is actually at risk, and what to do
How worried you should be about lost keys depends on one question: could whoever has them work out where they go?
By Timmy Creighton, founder and licensed locksmith · Major Key Locksmith · October 2026
Lower risk
Keys dropped somewhere public, with nothing attached that identifies you or your address. A stranger who finds a bare key ring has no idea which door in North Jersey it opens. You should still plan to rekey, but it does not need to be tonight.
Higher risk, rekey promptly
- A stolen bag, wallet or car with the keys. A driver’s license, mail or a registration gives away your address.
- Keys with an address tag, or a fob for your building.
- Keys taken in a break-in or from your car in your own driveway.
- Someone you know has them and should not.
In those cases the honest advice is to rekey the exterior locks as soon as you can, and to change garage remote pairings and keypad codes if those were exposed too.
What rekeying costs
The $250 mobile service charge once, plus $55 a cylinder if you still have one working key, or $100 if you have none. A typical three-door house with a working key is $580.
If your car key was on the ring
Many modern car keys can be erased from the car so a lost one stops working. It is worth asking whoever makes your replacement whether that is possible for your vehicle.
Make the next lost key boring
No address on the key ring. A spare somewhere you can reach. And for the main door, a keypad, so a lost key never locks you out in the first place.
Questions people ask
I lost my only house key. Can you get me in and make new keys?
Yes. We open the door, then rekey the cylinders and cut new keys. Without a working key, rekeying is $100 a cylinder.
Is it safe not to rekey if I lost my keys?
If nothing identifies your address, the risk is low but not zero. If you will always wonder, rekey. It is inexpensive peace of mind.
Should I tell my landlord or building manager?
Yes, especially if a building key or fob was on the ring. They may need to rekey a shared door or deactivate a fob.
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Keep reading
Any price mentioned here is the one published on our pricing page as of October 2026. The final price is always confirmed with you before any work begins. More answers from the blog →