Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The phone is answered around the clock, including nights, weekends and holidays. Emergency lockouts are dispatched as soon as a technician is confirmed for your area.

Dispatch checks which technician is nearest you, then factors in traffic, weather and current call volume. You are given a realistic arrival window on the phone before a van is sent, and we tell you honestly if it will be a long one.

We are fully mobile. Keys are cut and programmed and locks are serviced at your location — home, work, roadside or parking lot. There is no shop to visit.

For vehicle work we need photo ID plus proof the vehicle is yours, such as the registration, title or insurance card. For homes and businesses we need ID matching the address, a lease, or documentation showing your right to access.

Standard lockouts use non-destructive entry tools. Drilling is a last resort reserved for high-security or seized cylinders, and it is never done without explaining the situation and getting your go-ahead first.

Major credit and debit cards plus common digital payments, on site. You get a receipt for every job.

We cover Indianapolis and eleven surrounding communities across the metro. Check the Service Areas page for your city and its local coverage details.

No. The tools used are designed to grip the window frame or slide between the weatherstripping, not the painted surface. Panel removal is only used as a last resort on vehicles with no other safe access point.

Yes. The VIN and the vehicle's own door lock or ignition cylinder are used to cut a matching key without needing the old one, and the chip is then programmed separately.

Usually yes, as long as it's the correct part number and frequency for your vehicle. Bring the fob's box or listing details so compatibility can be confirmed before the visit.

The mechanical cut of the key operates the lock, but the chip inside needs a separate electronic handshake with the immobilizer. If that fails, the ignition turns freely without the engine actually starting.

Usually it's worn pins inside the cylinder or a key edge that's rounded off from years of use. Both put uneven pressure on the internal parts, making the turn feel gritty or stiff.

If the cylinder is seized solid, cracked, or was damaged during an attempted theft, cleaning and adjusting internal pins won't fix it. A technician can usually tell within a few minutes of inspecting it.

It's risky. Tweezers or needle-nose pliers often push the fragment deeper or bend the internal pins, turning a simple extraction into a cylinder replacement. It's safer to leave it for a proper extraction tool.

Usually yes, since having the original key on hand means the immobilizer doesn't need a full reset, and the new key is simply added to the existing authorized list.

Often it's a dead fob battery, which can usually be diagnosed quickly by testing whether the emergency backup start procedure works. If that also fails, the issue may be with the vehicle's receiver.

This usually points to a mechanical failure — a broken actuator, disconnected cable, or dead battery — rather than a lock problem, since the key should otherwise operate it fine.

ID matching the address on file, mail, a lease, or a landlord confirming the request over the phone is typically enough. This step protects you as much as it protects the property.

Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and just changes which key operates it internally. Changing a lock replaces the entire mechanism, which takes longer but lets you switch styles or brands.

Yes, this requires boring new holes at the correct backset and mortising the frame for a strike plate, which is a standard part of a fresh install.

If the key issue is the only concern and the hardware still operates smoothly, rekeying is enough. If the lock itself is worn, damaged, or you want different hardware, a full change is the right call.

It can add security on doors with nearby glass, but it also means needing a key to exit from inside, which raises fire-safety concerns some local codes restrict. It's worth discussing your specific door before choosing one.

Most fit standard deadbolt prep without changes, but doors with unusual thickness or existing high-security hardware sometimes need minor adjustment, which is checked before purchase if you haven't bought one yet.

If it's extracted carefully, usually not. The risk of real damage comes from attempts to force the fragment out with the wrong tools, which can bend pins or push the piece in further.

For a standalone curbside mailbox, most standard cam locks work. For USPS cluster box units, the replacement needs to meet postal specifications so it stays compatible with carrier access.

A business license, lease agreement, ID matching an authorized contact list, or confirmation from a property manager or business owner is checked before opening a commercial door.

It depends on the lock hardware's pinning capacity, but most commercial systems comfortably support a grandmaster, one or two sub-master tiers, and individual change keys without issue.

Keycards or fobs use a physical credential read wirelessly at the door, while keypads use a numeric code entered manually. Some businesses use both together for added security on sensitive doors.

It depends on your building's occupancy classification and occupant load — many assembly, educational, and high-occupancy retail spaces require it under local fire code. A quick assessment of your space can confirm whether it applies.

This is often caused by a door closer that's fallen out of adjustment, causing the door to strike the frame at a slight angle rather than a lock failure itself, though both are checked.

In most cases yes, small wafer or disc-tumbler locks used on office furniture can be picked or decoded with the right tools, avoiding damage to the drawer or cabinet body.

Yes, it's one of the most common and worthwhile precautions, since there's no reliable way to know how many keys previous tenants, contractors, or property staff still have.

Typically a patented, non-duplicable keyway, additional internal locking mechanisms like a sidebar, and hardened materials resistant to drilling — all beyond what a standard pin tumbler cylinder offers.

Anything involving a person or pet locked inside a vehicle or space, an unattended running car, or a business unable to open — these get priority dispatch ahead of routine, non-urgent lockout calls.

Yes, every day of the year including major holidays, since lockouts and key emergencies don't pause for a calendar.

Yes, every night including weekends and holidays, since car lockouts don't follow a predictable schedule any more than other emergencies do.

Yes, a temporary securing measure — reinforcing the frame or installing a stopgap lock — is a priority so the property isn't left open overnight while a permanent repair is arranged.