Commercial rekey service covers building-wide rekey, tenant turnover rekey, employee termination rekey, and master key system updates. More efficient than lock replacement when locks are good but key control is compromised. Treasure Coast Locksmith provides commercial rekey service for offices, retail, warehouses, and institutional buildings across the tri-county.
Commercial rekey changes the cylinder pinning so old keys no longer work while existing lock hardware stays in place. More efficient than lock replacement when locks are mechanically sound but key control is compromised - tenant departures, employee terminations, lost keys, or security incidents that could have allowed unauthorized key duplication.
Common commercial rekey scenarios: tenant move-out before new tenant occupancy, employee termination with key access to sensitive areas, lost master keys requiring system-wide rekey, security breach requiring key control restoration, and property acquisition where new owners want to establish their own key control.
Treasure Coast Locksmith provides commercial rekey across offices, retail, warehouses, medical facilities, and institutional buildings throughout the tri-county. Single-door rekey to building-wide master key rekey all within scope. Proper documentation for insurance and property records.
Commercial rekey specialty
- Building-wide rekey - coordinated service.
- Tenant turnover - move-out to move-in.
- Employee termination - sensitive area protection.
- Master key systems - preserved or restructured.
- Documentation provided - insurance ready.
- Efficient service - cheaper than replacement.
- Schedule coordination - around operations.
- Key control setup - restricted keyway options.
Common rekey scenarios
Real commercial rekey situations.
Typical calls
- Port St. Lucie office with suite rekey for tenant turnover.
- Stuart retail with building-wide rekey after master key loss.
- Vero Beach medical office with post-termination rekey.
- Fort Pierce warehouse with emergency rekey after key compromise.
- Jensen Beach Professional office with annual rekey cycle.
- Tradition commercial tenant with move-in rekey.
- Palm City law firm with sensitive area rekey.
- Treasure Coast property acquisition with new owner rekey.
Commercial rekey process and key control
Commercial rekey is more than just changing pin tumblers. It's a key control procedure with documentation, coordination, and security considerations. Understanding the process helps property owners and managers plan appropriately.
Rekey vs Replacement: Rekey changes cylinder pinning - old keys stop working, new keys are issued. Lock hardware stays in place. Replacement removes the entire lock and installs a new unit.
Rekey is significantly cheaper (about 20-30% of replacement cost) and faster (30 minutes vs 60+ minutes per door). Choose rekey when locks are mechanically sound but key control is compromised.
Single Door vs Building-Wide: Single door rekey is simple - one lock, one new key pattern. Building-wide rekey coordinates across multiple doors with potentially master key considerations. Large buildings may need planning for master key integration and scheduling around operations.
Master Key Considerations: Master key systems pin locks to work with both tenant keys and master keys. Rekeying one lock in a master key system must coordinate with the master key pattern. Rekeying requires understanding the master key plan and having control key access.
Some rekey projects require full master key system rebuild rather than individual door rekey.
Key Control During Rekey: Standard pinning can be duplicated at hardware stores once keys are issued. For key-control-sensitive applications, rekey should include upgrade to restricted keyway (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Schlage Primus) preventing unauthorized duplication. More expensive upfront but provides lasting key control.
Documentation: Every commercial rekey documented with date, door list, brand/model of locks, number of keys issued, and key recipients. Documentation suitable for insurance records, property management files, and security audits.
Rekey Scenarios:
Tenant Turnover: When tenant moves out, rekey prevents former tenant from accessing space. Critical for new tenant security. Typical scope: suite entry, any suite-specific doors.
Include any areas the tenant had sole access to.
Employee Termination: When employees with key access leave (especially under negative circumstances), rekey prevents unauthorized access. Scope depends on which areas the employee had access to. Sensitive areas (executive offices, file rooms, server rooms) are priority.
Lost Master Key: Lost master keys are significant security incidents. Scope must include all locks that would have been operated by the lost key. Usually requires rekey of the entire master keyed system since you don't know where the key went.
Security Breach: After break-ins or evidence of unauthorized access, rekey restores key control. Scope depends on what was affected. Coordinate with insurance and security investigation.
Property Acquisition: New owners want to establish their own key control. Scope depends on access desired - exterior doors, specific interior areas, or complete rekey.
Annual Rekey Cycles: Some businesses do annual rekey as preventive security measure. Particularly important where key holders change frequently or where keys might have been inadvertently duplicated. Budget line item for security-conscious operations.
Scheduling: Commercial rekey typically happens around business operations. Single door: 30 minutes. Full suite: 2-4 hours.
Building-wide: planned over days or weekends depending on size. We coordinate to minimize operational disruption.
Commercial rekey process
Phone planning
Call (772) 758-1322.
Discuss scope and schedule.
Onsite rekey
Change cylinder pinning and generate new keys.
Key issuance
Provide specified quantity of new keys.
Documentation
Written record for insurance and property files.
Commercial rekey tips
- Rekey annually as preventive security.
- Rekey immediately after employee termination.
- Consider restricted keyway upgrade during rekey.
- Document rekey for insurance records.
- Schedule around business operations.
- Maintain key control policy for authorized users.
Related services
Other Treasure Coast Locksmith services in this cluster.
Commercial rekey FAQs
Common questions from Treasure Coast property managers.
How much does commercial rekey cost?
Single door rekey: $95-$195. Suite rekey (3-5 doors): $195-$495. Office rekey (8-15 doors): $395-$995.
Building-wide rekey: $1,495-$5,995+ depending on door count. Master key system rekey: quoted by complexity. Free quote with scope details.
How long does rekey take?
Single door: 30 minutes. Suite rekey: 2-4 hours. Building-wide: planned over days depending on size.
Most commercial rekey completed in single visit. Schedule during off-hours to minimize operational disruption.
What's the difference between rekey and replacement?
Rekey changes cylinder pinning - old keys stop working, locks stay. Replacement removes and installs new locks. Rekey is 20-30% of replacement cost and 50% faster.
Choose rekey when locks are good but key control is compromised. Choose replacement when locks are worn or damaged.
Do I need to rekey after employee termination?
Recommended for employees with key access to sensitive areas. Especially important for terminations under negative circumstances. Scope depends on what areas the employee accessed.
Executive offices, file rooms, server rooms, and cash areas are priority.
Can you rekey my master key system?
Yes. Master key system rekey requires control key access and understanding of the master key plan. Small master key adjustments can be in-field work.
Full master key system rebuild may require removing and re-pinning all cylinders - larger project.
What about lost master keys?
Emergency situation requiring immediate rekey of all affected locks. Scope includes any locks that would have been operated by the lost master key. Document the incident for insurance and establish new key control going forward.
Can I upgrade to restricted keyway during rekey?
Yes, recommended for key-control-sensitive applications. Replace standard cylinders with Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Schlage Primus high-security during rekey. More expensive than standard rekey but provides lasting key control benefit.
Do you provide documentation?
Yes. Written rekey record with date, door list, brand/model of locks, keys issued, and recipient information. Suitable for insurance records, property management files, and security audits.
Can you rekey after business hours?
Yes. Most commercial rekey is scheduled during business hours for efficiency. For sensitive operations or when daytime work would disrupt business, after-hours rekey available.
Typically same rates unless emergency dispatch.
What if I need rekey and new keys quickly?
Same-day or next-day rekey service available for urgent situations. Termination rekey, security breach response, and other emergency rekey prioritized. Fast turnaround for time-sensitive situations.
Can you rekey multiple tenants at once?
Yes. Multi-tenant buildings often need coordinated rekey for tenant turnover events. We schedule around turnover timeline to minimize vacant periods.
Common service for commercial property management.
Do you rekey specific lock brands?
Yes. Commercial rekey for Schlage, Corbin Russwin, Sargent, Yale, Best, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and other major commercial brands. Brand-specific service approaches and appropriate tools for each brand.
Tell us the brand during scheduling.