# Rekey vs Replace Commercial Locks | Huntsville Locksmiths > Should your business rekey or replace its locks? Compare cost, downtime, and the right response to staff turnover, lost keys, or a security upgrade. URL: https://locksmithshuntsville.com/guide/when-to-rekey-vs-replace-commercial-locks/ Last-Modified: 2026-06-09 ![Locksmith servicing a commercial glass storefront door lock](/images/featured/locksmith-servicing-a-commercial-glass-storefront-.webp) When a key event hits a business — an employee leaves, keys go missing, a break-in attempt is reported — the question that lands on the manager’s desk is the same as for homeowners: rekey, or replace? The answer is mostly the same too, but commercial-grade hardware and master key systems add a few wrinkles. ## When to Rekey Most of the time, rekeying is the right call. - **Employee turnover.** Anyone who held keys leaves the company — rekey the cylinders they had access to. Fast, cheap, and any keys they kept stop working immediately. - **Lost or stolen keys.** Same logic. You don’t know where the lost key is, and the cost of rekeying is far less than the risk of someone walking back in. - **End of a contractor or vendor engagement.** A cleaning crew, a contractor, a temporary vendor — when they’re done, rekey the doors they had access to. - **Suspicious activity.** If something feels off — a found door unlocked, a missed inventory item — rekey and review. A standard small office rekey is usually finished in a single visit with minimal disruption. Most cylinders take 5-10 minutes each to repin. ## When to Replace Replace instead of rekey when: - **The hardware is worn.** Sticking, sloppy, or hard-to-turn cylinders aren’t worth pinning new pins into. Replace the cylinder, the deadbolt, or the whole lockset. - **You’re upgrading grade.** Builder-grade or basic commercial hardware on a high-traffic door wears out fast. Move to commercial Grade 1 hardware (Schlage commercial, Medeco, Sargent, Mul-T-Lock). - **You’re upgrading to electronic access.** Time to add keypad locks, prox readers, or cloud-based credentials. See electronic access and smart locks [/electronic-access-smart-locks/ →](/electronic-access-smart-locks/) . - **The lock was forced.** Even if it still turns, a forced lock’s housing and internals may be compromised. - **You’re adding a master key system.** Existing non-system cylinders may not be the right base for a new keying plan. We can sometimes adapt; sometimes new cylinders are simpler. ![Commercial mortise lock cylinder being rekeyed on a bench](/images/maps/commercial-mortise-lock-cylinder-being-rekeyed-on-.webp) ## The Master Key Wrinkle If your business already has a master key system, rekeying is more involved than swapping pins. You have to: - Preserve the master key’s ability to open the lock (or intentionally remove it) - Update the pin chart for the new individual key - Issue new individual keys without compromising the master system We handle this routinely — but it’s why “let me just rekey it” is harder for a business with a master system than for a home with five identical cylinders. ## Interchangeable Cores Make Both Faster If your business has any volume of key turnover, talk to us about **interchangeable core (IC) cylinders**. With IC cores, rekeying doesn’t mean opening up the cylinder and repinning. We just swap the whole core in 30 seconds with a control key. Initial cost is higher, but ongoing rekey cost drops to nearly nothing. Best for: any business with monthly or quarterly key turnover (property managers, multi-tenant buildings, fast-moving offices). ## Downtime and Disruption A small-office rekey (4-6 cylinders) is usually a single 90-minute visit with no downtime. A larger building (15-30 cylinders) typically runs as a half-day visit, scheduled around your operations. We coordinate so that doors are out of service for minutes at a time, not hours. ## Get a Phone Quote Call **(256) 906-3375** with door count and the reason you’re rekeying. We’ll quote a phone estimate and schedule a visit. For the full commercial range, see commercial locksmith [/commercial-locksmith/ →](/commercial-locksmith/) . ## Frequently Asked Questions Should we rekey after an employee leaves? Yes — rekeying is fast and cheap and instantly invalidates any keys they kept. When is replacing commercial locks worth it? When hardware is worn, failing, or you're upgrading to higher-security or electronic access. How much downtime does rekeying cause? Minimal — most office rekeys are done in a single visit with little disruption. ## Related Guides ### How Master Key Systems Work for Businesses Learn how master key systems work: master vs grand master vs sub-master keys, key control, when your business needs one, and how the design process works. [How Master Key Systems Work for Businesses →](/guide/how-master-key-systems-work-for-businesses/) ### Securing a Small Business: Access Control Checklist A practical access-control checklist for Northern Alabama small businesses: master keys, scheduled lockups, door activity, staff protocols, and when to go electronic. [Securing a Small Business: Access Control Checklist →](/guide/securing-a-small-business-access-control-checklist/) ![](/images/cta/branded-locksmith-service-van-arriving-at-a-huntsv.webp) 24/7 Emergency Dispatch ## Need a Locksmith Now? Call us 24/7 for emergency dispatch across Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Decatur, and the surrounding counties. Call (256) 906-3375 [tel:+12569063375 →](tel:+12569063375) Request a Free Quote [/contact/ →](/contact/)