Locked Out of Your NYC Apartment: A Real Step-by-Step Guide
Getting locked out of a New York City apartment is different from getting locked out in a suburb. You are in a building with other tenants, possibly with a doorman, a super, and a management company. There are layers of people who might be able to help before you need a locksmith. Here is how to work through them in order.
Step 1: Try the Building Resources First
Before calling a locksmith, try these in order:
- Doorman or front desk. Many full-service buildings in Manhattan keep a master key or have protocol for tenant lockouts. The doorman is your first call. This is usually free.
- Building superintendent. The super is required to respond to emergency situations. NYC tenant law gives you the right to access your apartment. Call the number on file and identify it as a lockout emergency. Many supers will respond within 30 minutes during business hours and within an hour at night.
- Landlord or property management company. If the super is unavailable, call the after-hours number for your property manager. Larger management companies have 24/7 emergency lines for exactly this situation.
- A roommate or family member with a spare key. Is there anyone who has a copy? Getting a spare delivered is always faster than waiting for a locksmith if the person is nearby.
If you have been through all of these and none are available, it is time to call a locksmith.
Step 2: Calling a Locksmith in NYC
The same scam warning that applies to car lockouts applies to apartment lockouts. The $35 residential lockout ads are bait-and-switch. The real price from those operators is $150 to $400 after they arrive, sometimes more.
A legitimate residential locksmith will:
- Give you a firm price on the phone before dispatch
- Accept credit cards (not cash-only)
- Ask what kind of lock you have and whether it is a co-op or rental
- Show up in a reasonable time window they commit to on the call
- Not drill your lock unless it is genuinely necessary (which is almost never for a standard lockout)
Never allow a locksmith to drill your lock without explaining why. Drilling destroys the lock and adds $150 to $400 in lock replacement costs. Standard residential deadbolts can almost always be picked or shimmed without drilling. If a locksmith tells you drilling is the only option within 2 minutes of arrival without actually trying to pick the lock, get a second opinion.
What to Expect to Pay
| Situation | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard knob or deadbolt lockout | $85 to $130 |
| Double-cylinder or multi-lock setup | $120 to $180 |
| High-security lock (Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock) | $150 to $250 |
| Lockout plus rekey same visit | $140 to $220 |
While You Are Locked Out
A few practical things:
- If the weather is bad, find a nearby building lobby, coffee shop, or 24-hour diner to wait in. Give the locksmith your exact address and a cell number so they can call when they arrive.
- Have a form of ID ready. A legitimate locksmith will want to see ID and confirm that you live at the address before opening the door.
- If you are in a co-op, the locksmith may need to interact with your doorman or building staff for access. Let us know this on the call so we can plan accordingly.
After You Get Back In: Prevent It Next Time
- Get a spare key made and give it to a trusted neighbor. This is the simplest solution and it costs $5 at a hardware store.
- Consider a combination lockbox. A small key lockbox mounted near your door lets you store a spare that you can access with a code.
- If you are a renter who just moved in, get a rekey. You do not know how many copies of your key the previous tenant made. A rekey is $60 to $100 and gives you full control of who has access.
Need a locksmith right now? Call (914) 406-4474. We serve all five NYC boroughs and Westchester, 24/7.