A locksmith in Ireland usually charges €80 to €150 to get someone back into a locked-out home during working hours and €120 to €250 at night, at weekends or on bank holidays, as an aggregate Irish market estimate including VAT. Replacing a standard euro cylinder lock usually costs €80 to €150 per door, upgrading to an anti-snap cylinder €120 to €220, and repairing or replacing the multipoint locking mechanism on a uPVC or composite door €150 to €350. Changing the locks on the front and back doors after moving house typically costs €180 to €450. Locksmiths in Ireland must hold a licence from the Private Security Authority, which is worth checking before anyone is let in. Households who need a locksmith can post the job under locksmith services and compare quotes from local locksmiths.
Locksmith prices at a glance
The figures below are an aggregate Irish market estimate, VAT included, for a typical domestic job.
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Lockout, gaining entry, working hours | €80–€150 |
| Lockout at night, weekends or bank holidays | €120–€250 |
| Replacing a standard euro cylinder, per door | €80–€150 |
| Upgrading to an anti-snap cylinder, per door | €120–€220 |
| Repairing or replacing a uPVC door multipoint mechanism | €150–€350 |
| Fitting a new mortice deadlock | €120–€250 |
| Changing locks on two doors after moving house | €180–€450 |
| Repairing or replacing window locks, per window | €60–€150 |
| Car lockout | €80–€150 |
| Locksmith hourly rate | €50–€80 |
Most locksmiths charge a call-out fee that covers the first part of the job, with parts on top. Prices are higher at night, at weekends and in rural areas where the locksmith has to travel further.
A worked example: a family in Cork buys a second-hand house with uPVC front and back doors. They decide to change the locks, because they do not know how many keys the previous owners gave out, and the back door mechanism is stiff. A locksmith fits anti-snap cylinders on both doors for €240 to €440 and replaces the worn multipoint mechanism on the back door for €150 to €300. The total comes to roughly €390 to €740 during working hours.
What affects the price
- Time of day. Night, weekend and bank holiday call-outs usually cost 50% to 100% more.
- Type of lock. Euro cylinders on uPVC and composite doors are quick to change; mortice locks, high-security locks and multipoint mechanisms take longer and cost more.
- Security grade. Anti-snap and higher-grade cylinders cost more than basic ones, but are much harder to break.
- Damage. A lock that has been forced or a door that has dropped out of alignment may need more parts and time.
- Location. Dublin and the larger cities are usually dearer, and remote addresses can carry a travel charge.
When to change the locks
- After moving into a new home. There is no way of knowing who still has keys.
- After losing keys or having them stolen, especially if they were with something showing the address.
- After a break-in or an attempted break-in.
- When a tenant or lodger moves out.
- When a lock is stiff, sticking or worn, before it fails completely and locks someone in or out.
On most modern uPVC and composite doors, changing the lock only means replacing the cylinder, which takes a few minutes and is one of the cheapest security upgrades available.
Locksmiths must be licensed
Locksmiths in Ireland are regulated. Under the Private Security (Licensing and Standards) (Locksmith) Regulations 2016, the Private Security Authority has licensed locksmith services since 1 October 2016. The regulations define a locksmith as someone who installs, opens, maintains, repairs or services locks that prevent unauthorised access to premises or vehicles.
The Private Security Authority has warned about unlicensed operators. As reported by The Irish Times, it urged people to check its register of licence holders before calling a locksmith, and warned that unlicensed operators commonly quote a low price and then raise it once they arrive, and can damage locks and doors.
Simple ways to avoid a bad experience:
- Check the locksmith's name on the Private Security Authority register of licence holders.
- Ask for the full price, including call-out, labour and parts, before the locksmith travels.
- Be wary of websites that only say "24 hours" and "competitive prices" with no business name or address.
- Ask whether the locksmith will try non-destructive entry first, rather than drilling the lock.
- Ask for a receipt that shows the business name and what was done.
