It happens to everyone eventually. The door clicks shut behind you, and your keys are on the kitchen counter. Or you come home from Jacksonville Beach to find the power out, the garage door dead and no house key on your ring.
Take a breath. Most home lockouts end in less than an hour with nothing broken. Here's what to do, in order.
Step 1: Make sure everyone is safe
Before anything else, think about safety:
- Is a young child alone inside, or is anyone inside in danger? Call 911 now. Firefighters can get in faster than anyone.
- Is something on the stove or running a bath? Tell 911 or us right away, so we can treat it as urgent.
- Is it hot, stormy or getting dark? Find a safe place to wait: a neighbor's porch, your car with the AC running or a nearby store. Jacksonville summer afternoons can bring heat and lightning within the same hour. Don't wait it out on the front steps.
Step 2: Check every door and window you can safely reach
It sounds obvious, but in a rush, people often forget the back door, the side door to the garage or a sliding door that was left unlatched.
Check ground-level doors and windows only. Don't climb onto a roof or a second-floor balcony. A fall is far more costly than a lockout.
Step 3: Try your garage and your phone
Many Jacksonville homes have a garage door that's the easiest way in:
- Keypad on the garage door? Try your code.
- Smart garage opener? Try the app.
- Smart lock or video doorbell with a lock? Try the app, or ask a family member to unlock it remotely.
One of our customers had a garage that opened automatically when their car pulled in, and they used their phone as a key. When the power went out, they had no house key and no way to open the garage. We got them inside, and they now keep a physical key somewhere safe. A power outage is worth planning for, especially in hurricane season.
Step 4: Call whoever has a spare key
Think through who might have one:
- A family member or neighbor.
- A friend who pet-sits or house-sits for you.
- Your landlord or property manager, if you rent. Many will let you in for free.
- Your HOA or builder, if you just moved into a new home in a community like Bartram Park or Nocatee. (Rare, but worth asking during the first week.)
Step 5: Call a local locksmith
If nobody with a key can get there soon, call a locksmith. A good one will:
- Answer with a business name.
- Give you the full price on the phone.
- Tell you roughly when they'll arrive.
- Check your ID before opening the door.
When you call us, have ready your address, what kind of lock is on the door (a deadbolt, a knob, a keypad or smart lock) and whether anyone inside needs help. Typical arrival: Most of Jacksonville in 20–45 minutes. You get the full price on the phone before we drive out, and we confirm it before any work starts.
Most house lockouts take a few minutes once we arrive. We pick the lock or slip the latch, so the lock keeps working. Drilling is a last resort, and we only do it with your OK. See our house lockout service for more.
Step 6: Don't break in
It's tempting to break a small window or pry the door. Here's why it's rarely worth it:
- It costs more. A window pane or a door frame repair usually costs more than a lockout.
- Your home stays open. A broken window has to be boarded or fixed right away.
- Florida glass is tough. Many newer homes, especially along the coast, have impact-rated windows that are designed not to break and are expensive to replace.
- You can get hurt. Glass cuts are one of the most common injuries from DIY break-ins.
The same goes for credit cards in the door gap. On a door with a deadbolt, it won't work, and you may damage the latch.
Step 7: Prevent the next lockout
Once you're back inside, spend five minutes making sure this doesn't happen again.
Hide the right kind of spare
Skip the fake rock and the doormat. Anyone checking your porch knows where to look. Better options:
- A trusted neighbor or nearby family member.
- A coded lockbox mounted somewhere out of sight.
- A spare at work or in your car's glove box, without anything that shows your address.
Need copies? See key duplication.
Consider a keypad or smart lock
A keypad deadbolt means you can't lock yourself out, because you can't forget a code. You can also give temporary codes to guests and delete them later. See smart lock installation.
Rekey if your keys were lost
If your keys were lost or stolen along with anything that shows your address, like a wallet or a car registration, rekey your locks. The old keys stop working, and you get new ones on the spot. See lock rekeying.
Locked out of an apartment or condo
The steps are much the same, with a few differences:
- Call the leasing office or property manager first. Many apartment communities keep keys for every unit, and some have an after-hours maintenance line.
- Condos at Jacksonville Beach and downtown often have a building manager or association with emergency access. Check with the front desk if there is one.
- Bring proof you live there. If we open the door, we'll need ID with the address, or a lease and a photo ID.
- Don't change the locks yourself. Most Florida leases require the landlord's OK. We can rekey with their approval and give them a copy of the new key.
What a house lockout costs
We quote every job on the phone before we drive out. The price depends on:
- The lock. A knob lock is quicker than a deadbolt, and high-security or smart locks take more time.
- Extras. Rekeying or new keys after the lockout are priced separately, and only if you want them.
See our pricing guide for what affects the total.
Locked out right now?
Call (904) 509-0907 or text us your address. We're available Mon & Fri 7 AM–2 PM and Tue & Thu 7 AM–6 PM across Jacksonville, from Mandarin and Southside to Julington Creek and Jacksonville Beach. Outside those hours, text us and we'll reply when we open. If anyone is in danger, call 911.