An emergency locksmith is the one you need when you are locked out, the keys are lost or stolen, a key has snapped in the lock or a break-in has left a door that will not close. Most of these calls come at the worst time: late at night, in the rain or with a child or pet inside. Send a short request with what happened and where you are, and independent locksmiths who take urgent call-outs near you will reply with free quotes, with no obligation to go ahead.
When to call an emergency locksmith
These are the calls locksmiths get most often:
- Locked out of the house, flat, office or car, with the keys inside or lost
- Lost or stolen keys, where the locks should be changed or rekeyed the same day
- A key snapped in the lock or a lock that has jammed shut
- Break-in damage: a forced lock, a snapped cylinder or a bent security gate lock that must be made secure tonight
For a car, say so: car locksmith work needs different tools.
What to do while you wait
Stay somewhere safe and lit, with a neighbour, in your car or at the guardhouse of your estate. If you have armed response, tell them a locksmith is coming. Do not force a window or kick the door: the damage usually costs more than the call-out. Find something with your address on it, such as an ID or a bank statement on your phone, because a good locksmith will ask for proof before opening the door.
How a lockout is opened
A skilled locksmith tries non-destructive entry first: picking the cylinder, working the latch or using bypass tools. Most standard house locks open this way. Drilling is the last resort, mainly for high security cylinders or a jammed lock, and then the cylinder is replaced on the spot. After a break-in the locksmith secures the door first and quotes for proper repairs once it is daylight.
Prices and what to ask on the phone
Night, weekend and public holiday rates are higher, and distance adds to the bill. Before you agree, ask:
- the total including the call-out and after-hours rate
- whether a new lock or cylinder is likely, and its price
- roughly when they will arrive
- their PSIRA number, and how you can pay
Pay against an invoice, and be wary of a price that changes once the locksmith is at the door.
What to include in your request
- What happened and when
- The door or gate and the lock type
- Your suburb, estate or complex
- Whether new locks or rekeying are needed
- Ask for the full price before they set out
Emergency Locksmith for different clients
- Homeowners: a lockout at the front door, lost keys or a lock forced in a break-in
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: a unit door lockout or a jammed pedestrian gate lock at the complex entrance
- Offices, shops and practices: a shopfront that will not lock at closing time or an office lockout
- Landlords and letting agents: tenants locked out at night, and locks changed the same day after lost keys
- Factories, warehouses and workshops: a jammed roller door lock or a padlock that seized on the yard gate
- Farms and smallholdings: a farmhouse lockout or a store lock that failed miles from the nearest town
- Schools, clinics, churches and hostels: a locked classroom, clinic store or office that must be open by morning
- Builders, shopfitters and contractors: property managers who need a site or empty unit secured after a break-in
Frequently asked questions
How much does an emergency locksmith cost?
Can I get an emergency locksmith near me at night?
I'm locked out with the key in the lock inside. Can it still be opened?
Should I change the locks after losing my keys?
Emergency Locksmith by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg