Locksmith Cost in 2026: McKinney & Dallas-Area Prices

Most jobs around McKinney, Plano, Frisco and Allen fall into a few clear buckets, and each has a published starting price at Apex Locksmith Pros. Lockouts are the simplest: a car lockout starts from $95+, a house lockout from $110+ and a commercial lockout from $145+. Rekeying starts from $35+ per cylinder, so a home is priced by counting its locks. Car key work is the wide category: a spare from a working key starts from $119+, programming from $129+ and an all-keys-lost replacement from $129+.

Those are starting points, not the total for every job. What moves the number most is how complex your specific lock or key is, so the dispatcher asks a few questions and quotes a flat total before anyone drives out.

A few factors do most of the heavy lifting on your final bill:

Lock and hardware grade. Rekeying a basic Kwikset deadbolt is quick. High-security locks like Medeco or Mul-T-Lock have controlled keyways and tougher cylinders, so they take longer and the key blanks cost more.

Key and fob technology. A plain metal key is cheap to cut. A transponder key has a chip that must be programmed to your car. A proximity fob for push-to-start is the priciest, because the blank, the cutting, and the programming all add up.

How many locks or keys. Rekeying is priced per cylinder, and each extra car key needs its own blank and programming.

Trip fees and surcharges. Many shops add a service-call fee or charge more for evenings and weekends, so ask. Apex Locksmith Pros charges no call-out fee and works 8 AM to 8 PM every day, so the quote you get on the phone is the total.

Car key pricing is the part that surprises people most, so it's worth slowing down here. The price depends almost entirely on what your vehicle uses.

A non-transponder metal key (older cars, some spare door keys) is the cheap end. A transponder key, which most cars built after the late 1990s use, has to be cut and then programmed to talk to your car's immobilizer; at Apex, programming starts from $129+. A push-to-start proximity fob is the top tier, because the fob itself is expensive before any labor. If every key is lost, replacement starts from $129+.

The make and model matter too. A Toyota or Honda is often more affordable to key than a higher-end Lexus or Infiniti, where the fob and programming can run steeper. A good mobile locksmith can cut and program many keys at your location using the VIN and tools like Lishi picks, which is usually faster and cheaper than towing to a dealership.

When you lose a car key, you've basically got two options: the dealership or a mobile locksmith. The dealership route usually means towing the car in, ordering the key, and paying dealer labor rates, which often pushes the total well past what an independent locksmith charges.

A mobile locksmith comes to your driveway, parking lot, or wherever you're stuck around McKinney, cuts the key from your VIN, and programs it on the spot. For most Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia vehicles, that's the faster and cheaper path. Where a dealer can have the edge is on very new models or rare high-security systems still locked behind manufacturer-only tools, so it's worth asking up front whether your specific vehicle can be done in the field.

A trustworthy locksmith can give you a real ballpark over the phone. Here's how to get a clean quote:

1. 1Have your details ready. For a car, that's the year, make, model, and whether it's push-to-start. For a home, know roughly how many locks and the brand if you can see it (Schlage and Kwikset are the common ones).
2. 2Ask for the all-in price. Get the service call fee, the labor, and the parts as separate numbers so nothing's hidden.
3. 3Watch for the too-cheap number. A $19 lockout ad that becomes $200 on arrival is the oldest trick in the book. A fair, specific quote up front beats a teaser price every time.
4. 4Confirm they're licensed and insured. In Texas, locksmith companies are licensed by the Department of Public Safety, and any reputable local company will give you its license number without hesitation. Apex Locksmith Pros holds license #B31197901.

If the answer to your questions is clear and specific, you're probably in good hands. If it's vague and the price keeps moving, keep dialing.

Here's the cheat sheet for Apex Locksmith Pros starting prices in McKinney and nearby cities. Each one is a from price; the exact flat total is quoted on the phone before dispatch.

Car lockout: from $95+. House lockout: from $110+. Commercial lockout: from $145+. Rekeying: from $35+ per cylinder. Mailbox lock replacement: from $85+. Smart lock installation: from $169+. Spare car key from a working key: from $119+. Car key programming: from $129+. Car key replacement when all keys are lost: from $129+. Car ignition repair: from $219+.

The car key categories are the ones that move the most, so if you've lost the only fob to your vehicle, a quick phone call with your year, make, and model will get you a far more accurate number than any chart can.