Locksmith in
Rutherford, NJ
Licensed, bonded and insured. Mobile to Rutherford ZIP 07070, 24 hours a day — emergencies usually within the hour.
We work in Rutherford constantly
Rutherford was laid out as a railway commuter borough in the 1880s and most of what stands today went up between then and the 1920s. That leaves a town of Victorians, large frame houses and pre-war colonials on a tight grid, with a walkable downtown built around the station. The borough's preservation committee keeps an inventory running into the hundreds of properties, and a historic district along the ridge. For a locksmith none of that is decoration. It tells you what is behind the escutcheon before you park: heavy timber doors, deep stiles, and lock bodies that predate anything sold in a hardware shop today.
A mortise lock sits in a pocket cut into the edge of the door rather than through a bored hole, and it is the default on Rutherford's older stock. Most locksmiths look at one and quote a full hardware replacement, because swapping is easier than servicing and it is a bigger invoice. That is usually the wrong answer. The case is often better made than what would replace it, the trim is part of what the house is worth, and the thing can be stripped, cleaned, adjusted and rekeyed. We do that work, and it is something of a speciality. When a case is genuinely cracked or the bolt is beyond saving we will say so, and we will fit a replacement that suits the door rather than the catalogue.
The second Rutherford pattern is accumulation. A house that has stood for a century has had hardware added to it in every decade of that century — a front mortise set, a mid-century deadbolt on the kitchen door, a rear cylinder somebody fitted in the 1980s, a garage padlock nobody has a key for. Four or five keyways, no plan behind any of it. Consolidating that onto one key is among the most common jobs we do here, and it takes less time than owners expect, because more of the existing cylinders can usually be made to match than they assume. Where a cylinder cannot join the plan we replace only that one.
Rutherford is not only houses. A good share of the older stock was long ago split into two-family use, which means separate entries, a shared vestibule and a common basement door — three different key questions in one building. The borough also carries a downtown of storefronts and offices and a light-industrial zone at its eastern edge, so a shopfront closer and a Victorian front door can be an hour apart on the same day. We are in and out of this borough all week, so one cylinder is still worth the call-out. There is no need to save up a list of jobs before ringing.
We work Rutherford constantly. Arrival windows here are short and small jobs are worth doing, so it is not a wasted call-out for one lock. Call rather than book online if it is urgent — the phone is faster.
What we charge in Rutherford
Real numbers, published up front. You should not have to call three locksmiths to find out what something costs.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Rekey one cylinder you have a working key · keyed alike included | $55 |
| Rekey one cylinder no working key | $100 |
| Mobile service charge daytime, once per visit | $250 |
| House lockout daytime | $250 |
| House lockout after 5 PM, collected before dispatch | $350 |
| Business lockout | $250 |
| Whole-house rekey package up to 6 cylinders, 5 keys, doors tested | $695 |
| Standard lock supplied & installed | $150 |
| MK-1 / MK-2 smart deadbolt installed, on its own visit | $750 |
| Door won't close or lock is sticking | $250–$600 |
| Commercial door & hardware evaluation | $250 |
What the price includes:
- The mobile service charge — every price above includes coming to you
- Keying every lock we touch to a single key
- 5 keys cut and tested in the locks on any rekey
- Testing everything works before we leave, and an itemised receipt with photographs
What costs extra, and how much:
- Each cylinder beyond a package limit — $55 with a working key, $100 without
- A door needing a new bore — $100 per lock
- Keys beyond the 5 included — $5 each
- After 5 PM the mobile service charge is $350, collected before dispatch
- A lock destroyed during an emergency entry, replaced — $150
Prices shown are in effect from August 2026 and remain in effect until updated on this page. Final price is confirmed with you before any work begins. Where a range is shown, the final figure is confirmed on site before work starts. If the job is smaller than quoted, you pay less.
Everything we do in Rutherford
The whole house rekeyed to one key, with keyless and garage upgrades.
From $695 RekeyingKeyed alike at no extra charge, five keys cut and tested at your door.
$55 per cylinder Smart locksThe MK line, with a two-year guarantee on the lock — it fails, we replace and refit it free.
$750 installed High-security deadboltsMul-T-Lock, with a patented key no hardware store can copy.
$825 installed Doors that stickAlignment, strike plates, hinges, and multipoint hardware.
From $250 Commercial & propertyEvaluations, turnovers, master keys, exit devices.
$250 evaluationWhat people in Rutherford actually say
We had excellent service. Timothy, the Locksmith arrived within a half hour of phone call. He repaired two locks for us and new keys for our front door. I would definitely recommend his service and I would definitely call him again if I needed him
Geraldine M.Google review
Timothy from Major Key Locksmith was such a nice and honest guy. He did a great job rekeying the locks at my house in Hasbouck Heights. He explained how the keypad works and was so patient with me. He is a very polite and cleaned up after the job was done. Would definitely recommend him to my friends and family.
Ann M.Google review
Called Tim this morning problem with two anderson French doors locks one not locking one loose handle keeps falling off. Tim was great fast efficient and resolved both issues quickly. We are in north caldwell private home in essex county. Highly recommend Tim he comes out and does the work himself.
Rima N.Google review
Excellent service and attention to detail. Tim was able to troubleshoot a number of mechanical issues with competence and creativity. Got everything working smoothly and efficiently. Tech options explained clearly. Highly recommended!
Julie G.Google review
Those are real, and they are quoted exactly as written — but they are still five we chose. Read them where they live — unedited, in whatever order Google puts them, including any we would rather you skipped.
400+ reviews is not a handful of friends. It is nine years of doors.
Opens Google · nothing to sign up for
Rutherford questions
My front door has an old mortise lock. Do you have to replace it?
Usually not. Most mortise cases fail because they are dry, full of a century of grit, or slightly out of alignment with a frame that has moved. Stripped, cleaned and adjusted, they generally go back to working better than the modern set that would replace them, and they can be rekeyed to match the rest of the house. Replacement is the right call when a case is cracked or a hub is worn past adjustment. We will tell you which of those you have before any work starts.
We own a two-family here. Can the tenant's key be kept separate from ours?
That is the normal arrangement and it is worth setting up deliberately. The tenant gets a key that opens the street door and their own unit and nothing else. You keep a key that opens both units, the basement and the utility room. When a tenancy ends we rekey that unit's cylinders and your key still works, so the change costs one visit rather than a rebuild of the whole plan. Tell us the door layout when you book and we will map it before we arrive.
Can we fit a keypad or smart lock on a Victorian front door?
Sometimes, and often you should not. Those doors were built for a mortise case in a pocket, not a bored hole, and fitting a modern keypad usually means cutting a large hole through an original door and losing the trim that goes with it. If you want keyless, the better move is usually a keypad on the side or kitchen door you actually use daily and leaving the front door original. You get the convenience where it matters and the door keeps its value. We will lay out both options and the cutting involved before anyone commits.
How much does it cost to rekey a house in Rutherford?
Up to six cylinders — the usual three-door house — is $695 as the Rekey & Secure package, which includes the mobile service charge, keying every door alike, five keys cut and tested on site, and every deadbolt checked. Beyond six cylinders it is $55 each with a working key.
Is there a minimum charge?
$250. That is the mobile service charge and it is the floor on any residential or commercial visit in Rutherford. Estimates by text, photo or video are free.
Do you charge extra after hours in Rutherford?
After 5 PM the mobile service charge is $350 and it is collected before a locksmith is dispatched. Everything else is priced the same. After-hours dispatch is subject to technician availability.
Can I book online rather than calling?
Yes, for everything except car keys and active lockouts. Answer three questions about your doors, see a real price, pick a time. Leaving the deposit online takes $25 off.
Are you licensed to work in Rutherford?
Yes. New Jersey Locksmith Business License Number 34LX00020300, bonded and insured through State Farm, and Google Guaranteed. The licence number appears at the bottom of every page of this site, on our invoices and on our trucks, as New Jersey requires.
How soon can you get to Rutherford?
Emergencies are usually within the hour. We run technicians across the coverage area rather than sending everything out from one place, so Rutherford is covered around the clock. We give a realistic arrival window on the phone rather than an optimistic one.
Also serving nearby
Lyndhurst, East Rutherford, Wood-Ridge, Carlstadt, North Arlington