Here's the short answer: if you're standing outside your own door right now, you need a lockout service. If you're inside but worried about who has a copy of your key, you need a rekey. Those are two completely different problems — and mixing them up costs you money. This post breaks down exactly when to call for each, what happens on-site, and when you honestly don't need either one.
What a lockout service actually does
A lockout service means a mobile locksmith comes to you — your driveway in Spring Valley, a parking garage near the Strip, a rental unit in Sunrise Manor — and gets you back inside without destroying the lock. The tech uses picks, bypass tools, or a slim jim depending on the lock type. A residential deadbolt is a different job than a car door, and both are different from a commercial storefront with a panic bar.
The phrase we hear most: "I locked my keys inside." That's a pure lockout. You still own the keys, they're just on the wrong side of the door. No key was lost. No security was compromised. A lockout service solves it in under 30 minutes in most cases, and the lock is untouched when we leave.
What it does NOT include: cutting a new key, rekeying the cylinder, or any programming. It's access, full stop. If you want new keys made on the same visit, that's a separate line item — tell us upfront and we bring the right blanks.
What rekeying actually does — and why it's usually the smarter move
Rekeying is the service most homeowners ask about after a breakup, a tenant move-out, or buying a home in Henderson or Green Valley. Here's the mechanism: the locksmith pulls the cylinder out of your deadbolt, replaces the internal pins with a new combination, and cuts you a fresh key. Your existing Schlage or Kwikset hardware stays exactly where it is. Only the pin stack changes.
The result: every old key is now junk. Anyone who had a copy — an ex-roommate, a contractor, the previous owner — can no longer open that door. Same lock body, same security rating, entirely new key combination.
A rekey beats a lock change most of the time. New keys, same hardware — cheaper and just as secure when the locks themselves are in good shape. We'll tell you when an actual lock replacement is worth it and when it isn't. If the deadbolt cylinder is worn, cracked, or a low-security builder-grade unit you want to upgrade, that's a real reason to swap hardware. A rekey because you lost a key? That's not.
Nevada law has a specific angle here too. If you're a landlord dealing with a former tenant who won't return keys, the constable's office handles the formal eviction process — but once that's resolved, a rekey by a licensed locksmith is the standard next step to restore access control. Our NV license is #2008116.056-220.
Is it cheaper to change locks or rekey them?
Rekeying is cheaper. That's not a sales pitch — it's just math. A lock change means buying new hardware plus labor. A rekey is labor and a handful of pins. When the lock body itself is fine, there's no reason to replace it. Call for a quote on either service; we price both on the phone before we roll a truck.
The one time a lock change beats a rekey: when the existing hardware is low-grade, damaged, or missing key security features — like no anti-pick pins, no anti-drill plate, no deadbolt throw reinforcement. In that case we'll tell you straight. Upgrading a builder-grade knob lock on a Summerlin rental to a proper deadbolt with a reinforced strike plate is worth every dollar. Rekeying a loose, worn cylinder is not.
| Service | When you need it | What changes | Hardware replaced? | Typical time on-site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockout service | Locked out right now | Nothing — access only | No | Under 30 minutes |
| Rekeying | Lost a key / new occupant / security concern | Internal pin stack + new key | No | ~20–30 minutes per cylinder |
| Lock change (cylinder swap) | Worn or damaged cylinder | Cylinder only | Partial | ~30–45 minutes |
| Full lock replacement | Upgrading hardware or damaged lock body | Entire lock assembly | Yes | ~45–60 minutes |
Specific situations in Las Vegas — which service fits?
Moved into a new home in Centennial Hills and don't know who has keys? Rekey every exterior deadbolt. A locksmith visits once, repins all cylinders to a single new key if you want, and you're done. You don't know the history of that house — the previous owner could have handed out copies to neighbors, a housekeeper, a contractor. A rekey closes that gap.
Tenant left your rental on Eastern Ave and won't return the key? Same answer — rekey, not a lock change, unless the hardware is worn. The tenant's copy becomes useless the moment the pins change.
Locked out of your car in a parking lot near Flamingo? That's a car lockout — a completely different service from residential rekeying. Our mobile unit carries the tools for both on the same truck. See our car key replacement page if a key was also lost or broken.
Lost your house key somewhere in the neighborhood and can't find it? This one is genuinely your call. If you're confident it wasn't stolen and no one knows your address from the key, a rekey is optional. If there's any doubt, rekey. The cost is low relative to the risk.
Key fob stopped working on a push-to-start vehicle? That's neither a lockout nor a rekey — that's a programming job. Check our key fob programming page or call and we'll sort it out on the phone.
When NOT to call a locksmith for either service
If your key is inside and a window is already open — climb through it. That's not embarrassing, that's free. We'll never judge you for solving your own lockout.
If you need a car key fob battery replaced, that's a $5 fix at any hardware store. Don't pay a locksmith for a battery swap. If the fob works after a new battery, the problem is solved.
If your smart lock has a dead battery and you have the physical backup key, use it. Recharge the lock. No service call needed.
If you're asking "do I need to rekey" because you moved and the old owner is clearly out of state with no connection to the property — it's still worth doing, but it's a low-urgency call. You can schedule it same-day or next morning instead of treating it as an emergency.
And if a locksmith won't quote you a price on the phone before showing up — hang up. That's the oldest bait-and-switch in the trade. A real locksmith quotes upfront. We quote on the phone before we roll. That's baseline, not a feature.
How the on-site visit works for each service
For a lockout: you call, we ask where you are (neighborhood, street, or address), confirm the lock type, give you a price range, and dispatch. On-site, the tech checks ID to confirm you're the resident or authorized occupant — this is standard and protects you as much as it protects us. Then we open the door. No damage, no drama.
For a rekey: same dispatch process. Tech arrives with a rekey kit that covers the most common keyways — Kwikset, Schlage, and others. The cylinder comes out, gets repinned to the new key combination, goes back in. We test it several times before we leave. If you want all your exterior locks keyed alike (one key opens everything), tell us upfront so we bring enough matching pins.
For either service, see our lock rekeying page or our 24-hour locksmith page if you need help after hours. Our after-hours line is a real person, not a voicemail — because 24/7 only counts if a human answers at 2am.
The bottom line for Las Vegas homeowners and renters
Locked out right now: call for lockout service. Worried about who has your key: call for a rekey. Upgrading worn hardware: lock change or full replacement. Those are three different answers to three different problems, and conflating them is how people overpay.
Rhinox covers Spring Valley, Summerlin, Henderson, Green Valley, Centennial Hills, Sunrise Manor, the Strip corridor, and everywhere in between. We're mobile, we quote upfront, and we're not a call center routing you to whoever bids lowest. See locksmith pricing for context, or call (702) 356-0352 and we'll tell you exactly what you need before we show up.