Smart locks
House lockouts
Re-keying
Deadbolt upgrades
Schlage
Kwikset
Car keys & fobsNon-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Get your free estimateLocksmith in Los Gatos, CA
Most Los Gatos calls we handle are for rekeying, and the homes here make that work different from anywhere else in the South Bay. We regularly rekey original mortise locksets on 1920s Craftsman doors, high-security cylinders on newer hill estates, and everything between. The heat on south-facing doors ages hardware fast, and the winding roads up into 95033 mean we plan our route before we leave. If you need a lock changed, rekeyed, or a car key made, call (833) 589-8078 and we will tell you exactly what it costs before we dispatch anyone.
Why Los Gatos Homes Are Different
Los Gatos is a foothill town, and the housing stock spans a century of lock technology. Downtown and the 95030 hills hold 1900s through 1940s Craftsman, Mediterranean, and ranch homes, many still running their original mortise locksets and skeleton-key entry doors. Those locks are not in a modern parts catalog; we stock replacement cylinders, thumb-turns, and trim plates for them because we work on them week after week. The 95032 and 95033 sides add 1950s through 1970s tract homes plus large newer hill estates with detached garages, pool gates, and guest houses. On the Los Gatos – Saratoga border especially, a single property can have three exterior doors, a side gate, and an outbuilding that all need to work off one key.
The climate does real work on exterior hardware. South-facing deadbolts and handlesets get hammered by dry summer heat, which warps trim and seizes cylinders. Winter nights occasionally drop below freezing and jam older mortise locks that have gone decades without service. The hills also mean steep, narrow roads, so a call in the upper 95033 can take longer than a downtown one. We factor that into our timing so you are not stuck waiting without knowing when we will arrive.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Los Gatos Services
Two services make up most of what Los Gatos homeowners and drivers call Citadel for: car key replacement and emergency lockout response. Both are covered below, each with its own page for the full picture.
Car Key Replacement in Los Gatos
When a Los Gatos driver loses a key or needs a spare, the dealership is usually the slow, expensive option. We cut and program replacement keys for most makes and models without a tow, and we come to you, whether you are parked downtown off North Santa Cruz Avenue or at home in the hills. Transponder keys, fobs, and push-to-start systems all have different programming steps, and we carry the equipment to do it on the spot. If your only key is gone, we can also rekey or replace the lock cylinder so the missing key no longer works. For the full rundown, see Car Key Replacement in Los Gatos.
Emergency Locksmith in Los Gatos
Lockouts here are rarely the 2 a.m. bad-neighborhood kind. They are more often a homeowner locked out of a hill house with a dead phone battery, or a driver who locked keys in the car at a trailhead off Highway 17. We respond to those calls at any hour, and we will quote the full price on the phone before we leave, so you are not surprised when we pull up. Being locked out of a house with original single-pane French doors calls for a gentle hand, not a drill. If you need help right now, go to Emergency Locksmith in Los Gatos and call the number at the top.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Rekey Locks in Los Gatos
Rekeying is the fastest way to take back control of who holds a key, and in Los Gatos it is our most requested service. Whether you bought a 1930s Craftsman near downtown, a 1960s ranch in 95032, or a newer hill estate, rekeying means we change the internal pins of each lock so the old keys stop working and one new key operates everything. On older Los Gatos homes, that often means working inside original mortise locksets, which many locksmiths will not touch because the parts are no longer standard. We stock what those locks need and we rekey them without drilling or damaging the door. For a broader look at how rekeying works, see our Rekey Locks hub.
Lock Rekey
Signs you need it
You moved into a Los Gatos home and have no idea how many old keys are floating around from previous owners, cleaners, or contractors.
What it costs in Los Gatos
A standard lock rekey in Los Gatos typically runs $70 to $160 per lock, depending on cylinder type and whether it is a modern pin-tumbler or an older mortise cylinder.
How we do it
We remove the cylinder, swap the internal pins to match a new key, and retest the lock so the old keys are dead while the new one turns smoothly.
Keyed Alike
Signs you need it
Your Los Gatos hill home has three exterior doors, a pool gate, and a detached garage, and you are carrying a keyring that jangles with five different keys.
What it costs in Los Gatos
Keying multiple locks alike runs $15 to $30 per cylinder on top of the per-lock rekey charge, so a five-lock estate property usually lands in the $350 to $700 range all in.
How we do it
We pin every cylinder to the same key code, verify each door and gate works with the same key, and hand you copies cut on durable blanks.
What Rekey Locks Costs in Los Gatos
| Item | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Rekey one standard deadbolt or knob | $70 – $160 |
| Rekey original mortise lockset (1920s – 1940s homes) | $120 – $220 |
| Keyed alike upcharge per additional cylinder | $15 – $30 |
How fast can you rekey a Los Gatos house?
Most Los Gatos homes with two to four locks are rekeyed in under an hour once we arrive. Mortise locks and keyed-alike systems on larger estates may take longer, and we will tell you the expected time when you call.
Is the price you quote on the phone the final price?
Yes. We quote the full job price before we dispatch, and it is the price on your invoice. There is no added call-out surcharge when we arrive, even for evening calls in the hills. Call (833) 589-8078 for an exact quote.
Brands We Service in Los Gatos
Citadel Locksmith works across the brands Los Gatos homes actually use, from Kwikset and Yale on tract homes to Baldwin on higher-end doors and Medeco on security-conscious estates. We carry common cylinders, tailpieces, and trim parts in the van, so most repairs do not need a second trip. For more on the hardware we service, see our brands.
Pricing for Locksmith in Los Gatos, CA
| Service | Typical range in Los Gatos |
|---|---|
| Rekey one standard lock | $70 – $160 |
| Rekey original mortise lockset | $120 – $220 |
| Keyed alike upcharge per cylinder | $15 – $30 |
| Car key replacement (basic non-transponder) | $100 – $200 |
| Car key replacement with transponder programming | $150 – $350 |
| Emergency lockout (residential) | $100 – $250 |
| Emergency lockout (automotive) | $80 – $200 |
| After-hours / hill-area emergency response | $150 – $300 |
Two things push prices up in Los Gatos: original mortise locksets that need specialty cylinders, and hill-area call routes that add drive time. Whatever the number, we quote it fully on the phone before we dispatch, and that is the price on the invoice.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Los Gatos
We cover all four Los Gatos ZIP codes, 95030, 95031, 95032, and 95033, from downtown and the Almond Grove district up into the hills along the Monte Sereno and Saratoga borders.
- Downtown Los Gatos (95030)
- Almond Grove (95030)
- East Los Gatos (95032)
- Los Gatos hills and Chemeketa Park (95033)
- Blossom Hill and Shannon Road area (95032/95030)
Response times run shorter downtown and in the flats, and longer up winding hill roads, especially on summer afternoons when traffic thins. We will give you a straight time window when you call.
Service Area – Cities Near Los Gatos
Our Los Gatos coverage extends to the surrounding foothill and valley towns. We also serve Monte Sereno, CA just north along Highway 9, Saratoga, CA to the west, Cambrian Park, CA to the northeast, and Campbell, CA further down Highway 17.
Serving Los Gatos, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Los Gatos area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Locksmith in Los Gatos
No permit is required for rekeying or replacing residential locks in Los Gatos. HOA rules on hill estates may specify finish or hardware style, so we can match existing knobs and deadbolts to keep you in compliance, but the county does not gate standard lock work.
For non-emergency rekeying, most Los Gatos appointments can be scheduled within one to two days. Hill-area jobs may take a little longer to slot because of drive time. Call (833) 589-8078 and we will give you the first open window.
Yes, we cover all of 95033, including the steep, narrow roads above Los Gatos. Drive time is built into our quote, and we will always tell you a realistic arrival window before we dispatch. There is no extra charge for difficult access unless the job itself requires it.
If you need a rekey, a new car key, or an emergency lockout response in Los Gatos, call Citadel Locksmith at (833) 589-8078. We will quote the full price on the phone before we send anyone, and that price is what you pay.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local locksmith pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Los Gatos Customers Say
"Commercial job, panic bar and a master key system for a small office. Clean install and clear documentation of which key opens what."
— Holly Ackerman"Does good work. Card payment was a bit of a production, so have another option handy."
— Norma Herrera"Programmed a transponder key for a 2014 model that the dealership wanted an absurd amount for. Same key, fraction of the price, took him twenty minutes in my driveway."
— Grace Lin