Do I need to change the locks when an employee quits?

Someone with a key to your shop, office, or rental unit has left. They handed the key back, or they said they would. The question is whether that is enough, or whether you need a locksmith. The short answer: a returned key tells you one key came back. It does not tell you how many copies exist.

This guide is for business and residential locks only. Roger does not handle vehicle locks or car keys of any kind.

Why a returned key is not proof

Most standard keys can be copied at any hardware store in a few minutes. A "Do Not Duplicate" stamp is a request, not a lock. Many key counters will copy it anyway. So when a key comes back, you know that key is accounted for. You do not know whether a copy was made last year for a coworker, a family member, or a spare at home.

That does not mean every departure needs new locks. It means the decision is about risk, not about whether the key came back.

When to rekey right away

• The person left on bad terms, was let go, or there is any dispute about pay, property, or conduct.
• The key was not returned, or they say they lost it.
• They had a key to a stockroom, cash office, safe room, records, or medication storage.
• You do not know who else they may have lent the key to, or keys are copied freely in your business.
• Several people have left over the past year and the locks have never been changed. Each departure adds to the unknown copies.

When it is reasonable to wait

If the person left on good terms, returned every key, your keys are a restricted type that cannot be copied without your authorization, and nothing sensitive sits behind those doors, many owners choose to note it and rekey at the next planned change. That is a judgment call, and it is yours to make. If you hesitate, that is usually the answer.

What to change the same day, before the locksmith arrives

Keys are only part of it. Most businesses have several ways in, and the ones that are not keys can be changed in minutes.

• Alarm codes. Delete their user code, or change a shared code.
• Door keypads and smart locks. Remove their code or their user in the app. Do not just change your own.
• Access cards and fobs. Deactivate their card in the access system, even if the card was returned.
• Garage, gate, and loading door openers. Change the keypad code and clear remotes from the opener if a remote is missing.
• Safe and lockbox combinations, and any key lockbox they knew the code to.
• Shared passwords for cameras or the door entry app.

Rekey, master key, or interchangeable cores

Rekeying changes the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working. The hardware stays. It is usually the smaller job compared with replacing locks, and a locksmith can do a small storefront or office in one visit.

A master key system gives each person a key that opens only the doors they need, while you hold a master that opens all of them. When one person leaves, fewer locks are affected. It takes planning up front and works best when it is done as a project rather than in a rush.

Restricted or patented keyways use key blanks that only an authorized locksmith can cut, and only with your signature or card. That is what actually stops copies, which a stamp does not.

Interchangeable cores let the lock cylinder be swapped out in moments with a control key, without taking the lock apart. For a business with regular staff turnover, that makes each future departure a quick swap instead of a full rekey.

What moves the price is how many cylinders, the type of hardware (a standard knob, a commercial lever, a mortise lock, a storefront rim cylinder, or panic hardware), whether you want restricted keys or a master system, and whether it is after hours. You see a range up front, and the locksmith confirms the price in person after seeing the locks.

Two things not to do

• Do not chain, padlock, or block an exit door to keep a former employee out. Exit doors and panic bars have to open from the inside without a key. That is a life-safety rule, and a locksmith can secure the door from the outside without defeating it.
• If you lease your space, check the lease before changing cylinders. Many landlords require a key on file or approval for lock changes, and some require their own locksmith.

Keep it from happening again

Keep a simple key log: who holds which key, the date it was issued, and the date it came back. Collect keys, cards, and remotes on the last day, along with laptops and uniforms. Give out keys only to doors a person actually needs. A written log turns the next departure into a five-minute check instead of a guess.

Booking a locksmith through Roger

Describe the property, how many exterior and interior doors are keyed, and whether you want a quick rekey or a longer-term setup like restricted keys or interchangeable cores. Roger books one vetted local locksmith and confirms the appointment, so you know which company is coming. Home and business only. Customers pay Roger nothing, and Roger does not add a markup on the locksmith's price.

You can describe the problem on rogerrepair.com and get one locksmith booked.