We get this call at least twice a week: a tenant moved out of a retail space or office suite somewhere in Glendale, and the property owner has no idea how many copies of the key are floating around. Maybe the tenant ran a salon on South Glendale Avenue and gave keys to six employees. Maybe they had a warehouse unit near San Fernando Road and handed spares to delivery drivers.
Whatever the situation, you need those locks dealt with before the next tenant moves in — or before someone walks in uninvited. Here are the questions we hear most from Glendale commercial property owners, answered by the Locksmith HQ Team.
Do I Actually Need to Change the Locks, or Can I Just Rekey Them?
Short answer: rekeying is almost always enough after a tenant leaves. Rekeying changes the internal pins of your existing lock so the old keys stop working. Every old copy — whether the tenant had two or twenty — becomes useless. Your hardware stays in place.
Full lock replacement makes sense if the existing hardware is worn out, damaged, or outdated. We see this a lot in older Glendale buildings — especially some of the commercial spaces along North Brand Boulevard and around the Glendale Galleria area where the locks have been through multiple tenants over the decades. If your deadbolt wobbles or the latch doesn’t catch properly, new hardware is the smarter move.
For a standard commercial lock change in Glendale, we can assess the condition of your locks on-site and recommend the most cost-effective option.
How Much Does Commercial Lock Rekeying or Replacement Cost in Glendale?
Rekeying a standard commercial lock typically runs $20–$35 per lock cylinder in the Glendale area. If you’ve got a small office with two doors, you’re looking at roughly $40–$70 plus the service call.
Full lock replacement depends on the hardware grade. A basic commercial-grade knob or lever set runs $75–$150 installed. High-security locks from brands like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock will be $150–$300 per lock. For a multi-suite office building off Central Avenue or a retail strip near the Americana at Brand, the cost adds up — but most property managers find rekeying keeps the bill reasonable.
We always quote a flat price before we start. No surprises when the invoice shows up.
How Quickly Can You Get It Done?
Same day, usually within an hour or two of calling us. Our techs cover Glendale daily — we’re regularly working in buildings along Glenoaks Boulevard, the office parks near Colorado Street, and the industrial pockets around Western Avenue.
Rekeying a single door takes about 10–15 minutes. A full commercial lock change takes 20–30 minutes per door. If you’ve got a whole building with eight or ten doors, we can typically wrap it up in a single visit.
For property managers handling tenant turnover on a tight schedule, we can coordinate with your timeline so the space is secured before the new tenant gets their keys.
Should I Upgrade to a Keyless System While I’m at It?
This is worth thinking about — especially if you’re dealing with high tenant turnover. Electronic or keypad locks let you change access codes in seconds instead of calling a locksmith every time someone leaves. Keypads, key fobs, and card access systems are all solid options for Glendale commercial properties.
We handle for offices, warehouses, and retail spaces. The upfront cost is higher than traditional locks, but you’ll save money over time if you’re rekeying every six months.
A simple keypad deadbolt runs $200–$400 installed. Full card access systems start around $500–$800 per door. For a single-suite office on Wilson Avenue, a keypad might be all you need. For a multi-tenant building, card access gives you centralized control over who gets in where.
Am I Legally Required to Change Locks Between Tenants?
California doesn’t have a specific statute requiring commercial landlords to change locks between tenants — unlike residential leases, which have clearer rules. But your lease agreement probably addresses it. Many standard commercial leases in Glendale include a clause making the landlord responsible for providing new keys or rekeyed locks at turnover.
Legal requirement or not, it’s a liability issue. If a former tenant or one of their employees enters the space and something goes missing or gets damaged, the question of who had access becomes a problem. Rekeying takes 15 minutes and costs less than a consultation with your attorney.
What If I Have Master-Keyed Locks Across Multiple Units?
This comes up a lot with Glendale property managers who oversee multi-unit commercial buildings — say, a two-story office complex off Broadway or a strip of retail bays on Foothill Boulevard. If your building runs on a master key system, you can’t just rekey one unit without considering the whole system.
We can rekey the individual tenant’s locks to work with new tenant keys while keeping your master key functional. It requires a locksmith who understands master key system architecture — not every shop handles this correctly. We’ve maintained master key systems for commercial buildings across Glendale for years, so this is routine for us.
If your master key system is getting complicated after years of tenant changes, we can also rebuild it from scratch and issue a clean set of keys across all units.
Got a vacant commercial space in Glendale that needs new locks? Browse our full range of Glendale locksmith services or give us a call at (818) 398-9391. We’ll get your property secured before the next tenant signs.
