Locksmith Cost Australia 2026
Locksmith costs vary significantly by time of day — after-hours and emergency call-outs cost 1.5–2x business hours rates. Job type (lockout vs rekey vs replacement) also affects pricing.
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National Pricing Overview
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard lockout (business hours) | $120per job | $180 | $300 |
| Emergency lockout (after hours) | $200per job | $280 | $500 |
| Lock replacement (single, basic) | $120per job | $220 | $350 |
| Re-keying a lock | $45per lock | $65 | $120 |
| Key cutting (standard key) | $5per key | $12 | $30 |
| Deadbolt installation | $150per job | $250 | $400 |
| Master key system (residential, 3–5 locks, cylinders supplied and fitted) | $400total | $700 | $1,200 |
| Digital / smart lock (supplied and fitted) | $300per lock | $520 | $800 |
| Car lockout service | $100per job | $180 | $300 |
| Broken key extraction | $80per job | $130 | $300 |
| Security audit (home) | $150per visit | $250 | $400 |
| Safe opening / combination reset | $200per job | $350 | $600 |
| Car key replacement (transponder / remote, cut and programmed) | $150per key | $300 | $550 |
How locksmith prices compare across 17 cities and how they move month to month: Tradie Price Index, October 2026 →
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A locksmith in Australia charges $120–$300 for a standard business-hours lockout and $200–$500 for emergency after-hours service. Rekeying all locks in a home costs $45–$120, and a full lock replacement runs $120–$350 per lock. Smart lock installation costs $300–$800 per lock.
What Affects Locksmith Costs in Australia
Time of day
Business-hours lockouts in Australia ($120–$300) are significantly cheaper than after-hours or emergency call-outs ($200–$500). Weekend and public holiday rates are usually the highest.
Type of job
A simple lockout is quickest. Rekeying ($45–$120 in Australia), full replacement ($120–$350), and smart lock installation ($300–$800) take longer and cost more.
Lock brand & complexity
Standard Lockwood or Gainsborough locks in Australia are cheaper to service than high-security brands (Abloy, Medeco). Commercial locks and master key systems cost significantly more.
Number of locks
Rekeying or replacing all locks in an Australian home attracts a volume discount per lock. Always ask about a whole-home rate compared to per-lock pricing.
Security upgrades
Many homeowners take the opportunity of a locksmith visit in Australia to upgrade to deadbolts, security screens, or smart locks. This is often the most cost-effective time to make these improvements.
Car lockouts
Car lockouts in Australia ($100–$300) are priced differently from home lockouts. Modern transponder key cutting and programming costs more than traditional key cutting.
How to Save Money on Locksmith Cost in Australia
Locksmith Cost in Australia by Job Size
Take a house with four external doors. Say all four are re-keyed at $45–$120 a lock and three spare keys are cut at $5–$30 a key: four locks plus three keys comes to $195–$570. A master key system for three to five locks is $400–$1,200 with the cylinders supplied and fitted, so the two options are worth pricing side by side.
What moves a job of this size is the work around the locks as much as the count. A deadbolt added to one door is its own line at $150–$400, a smart lock is $300–$800 a lock, and a lockout in business hours is $120–$300 if the visit starts with a locked door. Ask whether the per-lock figure changes when every door is done in one visit.
Locksmith Cost in Australia: What the Quote Should Include
A locksmith quote anywhere in Australia reads better when it is split into lines, because one lump sum can cover a lockout, a lock swap or a new set of keys without saying which. Ask for the job, the hours it is priced for, and the number of locks and keys written out separately.
- Name the job in words, such as lockout, re-key or deadbolt, so the figure can be read against its own row, like $120–$300 for a business-hours lockout.
- Ask whether the call-out is its own line or folded into the job price, and whether labour is added on top once the lock has been seen.
- Have business hours and after hours written as two lines, with the after-hours amount shown against $200–$500 instead of blended into one total.
- Count the locks and keys on paper: re-keying is $45–$120 a lock and a standard key cut is $5–$30 a key, so two numbers produce the total.
- Name the lock type or grade in plain words, such as a basic lever set or a deadbolt, and ask for parts to be listed apart from labour.
- For a car, ask for the key type: a transponder or remote key, cut and programmed, sits on its own row at $150–$550 a key, apart from a car lockout.
- Ask for their licence number and insurance, and for the warranty on parts and labour in writing.
- Confirm the day, the arrival window, how payment is taken and whether the total includes GST.