Lock Rekeying in Colorado Springs, CO

Why so many old keys are out there

Nearly a third of Colorado Springs homes, 32.6 percent in Census Bureau estimates for 2024, are in buildings from 1970 to 1989. A house of that age has passed through owners, tenants, cleaners and contractors, and any of them may still hold a key.

Rekeying changes the pins inside each cylinder so the old keys stop working. The knobs, levers and deadbolts stay on the door, and several locks can be set to one new key.

New owners, landlords and hosts

• After closing. You cannot know how many copies the sellers handed out. Rekey every exterior door, garage entry included.
• Buying a former short-term rental. Any Colorado Springs property listed on a hosting platform needs an active short-term rental permit, and City Code Section 7.5.1702 issues that permit to a specific owner; it does not transfer with the house. A buyer who wants to keep hosting needs their own permit, and anyone who held a key or code under the old owner is a reason to rekey and reset codes.
• Between tenants. Neither C.R.S. 38-12-505(1)(b)(XI), which makes a rental uninhabitable if it substantially lacks working locks on exterior doors, nor C.R.S. 38-12-510, which bars a landlord from willfully removing locks to shut a tenant out without court process, requires rekeying between tenants. A tenant can ask in writing at move-in whether the locks were changed. This is general information, not legal advice.
• Apartment buildings with a Knox box. If keys to the rekeyed doors are stored in the building's Knox box, Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel complete the lockup, so arrange for the department to lock up the new set.

What to include in a rekeying request

1. How many exterior doors, and whether garage, side or storage doors are included.
2. The brand stamped on the locks, if readable, and whether they already share one key.
3. Whether you want every lock on a single key.
4. Any keypads or smart locks that also need new codes.
5. Any lock that is loose or damaged. Rekeying does not fix wear, so lock replacement may suit it better.

For an overview of the service, see lock rekeying; the Colorado Springs page covers local housing.