A business does not always need brand-new locks to regain control over its keys. When the existing hardware is operating properly, commercial rekeying can provide a practical and cost-effective security update.

New York Commercial Locksmith offers lock rekeying and controlled key duplication for offices, retail locations, apartment buildings, restaurants, warehouses, property-management companies, and other commercial clients.

What Happens During Rekeying?

Rekeying changes the internal configuration of a lock cylinder. Once the work is complete, the previous key will no longer operate the lock, and newly issued keys will control access.

The exterior lock hardware usually remains in place. This makes rekeying different from replacing the entire lockset.

Rekeying can be completed on many commercial cylinders, provided the hardware is in good condition and compatible with the intended key system.

When Should a Business Rekey Its Locks?

Commercial rekeying may be recommended after:

• Moving into a previously occupied property
• Losing control of a key
• Employee or contractor turnover
• A tenant moving out
• A management or ownership change
• Theft or suspicious activity
• Unauthorized key duplication
• Changes to employee access levels

Even when all known keys are returned, management may not know whether additional copies were created.

Rekeying Multiple Doors to One Key

Businesses often accumulate unrelated locks over time. This can leave managers carrying a large key ring and make key distribution difficult to track.

Where hardware compatibility allows, several locks can be rekeyed to operate with the same key. This is commonly called keying alike.

Properties that require different access levels may benefit from a master key system instead. With master keying, individual users can remain limited to assigned doors while authorized managers receive broader access.

Commercial Key Duplication

Duplicate keys should be made from an accurate original whenever possible. Copying an already worn duplicate may reproduce small errors and create a key that works poorly.

Commercial keys may also require proper authorization before duplication, particularly when the property uses restricted or patented keyways.

A controlled key policy can help businesses track who received each key, which doors it operates, and when it should be returned.

Improving Key Management

A successful rekeying project should be supported by organized key records. Every key can be numbered and assigned to a specific employee, tenant, manager, or contractor.

New York Commercial Locksmith can rekey individual doors, entire commercial properties, and multi-level master key systems while providing accurately cut keys for authorized users.