How much does a locksmith service call cost?
A locksmith service call costs $35 to $100 in 2026. What changes your price is below.
The locksmith trip fee is the charge for driving to you. It is separate from the work. A standard house lockout totals about $90-$225 once labor is added; a car lockout $50-$150. After-hours calls roughly double the trip fee.
What you get for the fee
| What the fee covers | Dispatch and drive time only. Unlocking, rekeying or installing locks is charged on top. |
|---|---|
| Hourly labor after the fee | $50-$100 per hour during business hours, or a flat price per task. |
| Typical totals | House lockout $90-$225. Car lockout $50-$150. Rekey $20-$50 per lock plus the trip fee. |
| Nights, weekends, holidays | Trip fee roughly doubles, and hourly labor rises to $150-$250. |
| Distance | Most locksmiths include a set radius. Beyond it, expect a mileage charge or a higher flat rate. |
| Scam warning | A quote of "$19 service call" over the phone that becomes $300 on arrival is the most common locksmith scam. Get the total price, including the trip fee, before they dispatch. |
| Same fee, other names | Trip charge, call-out fee, dispatch fee, mobile fee. |
Is your quote fair?
Type the price you were quoted. We compare it to the usual 2026 range of $35 to $100.
Why locksmith companies charge it
Almost all locksmith work is done at your location, so the drive is a real cost on every job, including a $15 key copy. The trip fee protects the locksmith on short jobs and cancellations. Reputable locksmiths state it up front; the ones who won't are the ones to avoid.
Why this costs more in 2026
A locksmith's shop is the van, and most calls are single trips with no other stops to share the fuel.
Fuel is the common thread. AAA's national average for diesel passed $6 a gallon for the first time on September 11, 2026, up from about $3.70 a year earlier (CBS 8 reporting AAA). Materials moved too. Associated Builders and Contractors reported construction input prices up 4.8 percent in a year as of March 2026, the largest annual gain since January 2023, and the Associated General Contractors said diesel jumped 37.8 percent in one month, the largest one month rise since 1990 (Roofing Contractor, April 2026). Ask how long your quote is good for.
Estimate your locksmith service call cost
Pick what you need and add your ZIP. The price updates as you go. Got a price already? Check it in the last step.
Is this price fair?
A fair price is $35 to $100.
Type a price above to check it.
Middle of the range: $70
What you are paying for
How we calculate this
Prices are for the United States in 2026 from published cost guides, checked September 2026. This is an estimate, not a quote.
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How the calculator works
A service call fee has to cover everything that happens before a repair is approved. The calculator adds those costs and then applies your margin.
- Burdened labor rate = wage × (1 + burden%) ÷ billable%. A $32/hr technician with 35% burden who is billable 70% of the day really costs $61.71 per productive hour.
- Travel labor = burdened rate × drive minutes ÷ 60.
- Vehicle cost = round-trip miles × cost per mile. The IRS business rate is 76¢ per mile from July 1, 2026, up from 72.5¢ in the first half of the year.
- Included on-site time = burdened rate × on-site minutes ÷ 60.
- Break-even = travel labor + vehicle cost + on-site time + dispatch cost.
- Fee = break-even ÷ (1 − margin%). Dividing by (1 − margin) gives a true margin on price; multiplying by (1 + margin) would be markup, which is smaller.
Worked example: $32 wage, 35% burden, 70% billable, 45 minutes of driving, 24 miles, 30 minutes on site, $15 dispatch, 30% margin. Break-even is $46.28 + $18.24 + $30.86 + $15.00 = $110.38. Fee = $110.38 ÷ 0.70 = $157.69, which sits inside the normal HVAC range.
Common questions
How much is a locksmith service call fee?
$35 to $100 nationally in 2026. Some charge as little as $15-$25; emergency and rural calls run $100-$150.
Does the trip fee include unlocking my door?
No. The trip fee is for arriving. Labor to open the lock is extra, which is why a lockout totals $90-$225.
Why was I quoted $19 and charged $250?
That is a bait-and-switch. The low number is only the trip fee. Always ask for the all-in price before the locksmith is dispatched, and use a locally based company.
Do locksmiths charge more at night?
Yes. The trip fee typically doubles and labor rises to $150-$250 per hour after hours.
Is there a minimum charge?
Most locksmiths have a minimum of $50-$100 per visit regardless of how small the job is.
Other trades
Compare prices
Related jobs people check next, with the usual 2026 price.
| Job | Usual price |
|---|---|
| Electrician service call fee | $100 to $200 |
| Appliance repair service call fee | $70 to $130 |
| HVAC service call fee | $75 to $200 |
| Plumber service call fee | $75 to $250 |