What should I do if I'm locked out of my store or office?
Try the quick options first. They save a call more often than you'd think.
- Call the owner, manager or anyone else with a key. If someone can bring one soon, that's the cheapest fix.
- Check the other doors: the back door, loading door, or a staff entrance from the building lobby.
- In a shared office building, ask security or the property manager. They often hold a key to every suite.
- If the alarm is armed, find the code or the alarm company's number before anyone opens the door.
- Still stuck? Call us. Tell dispatch the type of door, the lock and what you have for proof.
Don't try to pry a storefront door. Aluminum frames bend easily, and a bent frame or cracked glass panel costs far more than a lockout call.
What do I need to show to prove I'm allowed in?
Opening a business for the wrong person is how break-ins happen, so we check before we open anything. Any of these usually works:
- Photo ID plus a business card, staff ID or pay stub with the business name
- The lease, or a utility bill for the unit in the business name
- The owner, manager or property manager confirming by phone that you're allowed in
If your proof is inside, tell dispatch when you call. If we can't confirm you're authorized, we won't open the door. We'd rather lose the job than let the wrong person into someone's business.
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Call (647) 367-8113Can you open a storefront or office door without damaging it?
Usually, yes. We start with non-destructive methods like picking the cylinder or working the latch or lever from outside with the right tools. How it goes depends on the door:
| Door type | Common lock | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum and glass storefront | Narrow deadbolt or deadlatch with a round mortise cylinder | Usually opened by picking. Drilling is a last resort and means a new cylinder. |
| Office suite door | Commercial lever set, often on a building master key | Picked or opened with lever tools. If building security has a master, that's often quicker. |
| Steel back or loading door | Heavy deadbolt, sometimes a padlock and hasp | Takes longer. High-security cylinders or padlocks may have to be drilled. |
| Door with a panic bar | Exit device with an outside lever or cylinder | We work on the outside trim or cylinder. The exit side is left alone. |
If drilling is the only way in, we'll tell you first and explain what it takes to get the door locking again that day.
What if my key broke off in the store door?
It's common on storefront locks that get used dozens of times a day, and worse in winter when cylinders get stiff. Don't push the broken piece in further, and don't try glue on a stick. It almost always ends with a ruined cylinder.
We pull the broken piece out, check the cylinder, and cut you a working key from the pieces or by reading the lock. If the cylinder is worn badly, we'll recommend replacing it instead of cutting a key that won't last.
A key that needs jiggling to turn is a warning. Get a fresh key cut from the original or have the cylinder serviced before it snaps off in the door at closing time.
Can I get a locksmith for a business lockout after hours?
Yes. Dispatch runs 24/7, so a lockout at 6 a.m. before the café opens or at midnight after closing is a normal call. Late-night calls can cost more, and dispatch tells you the price on the phone. See after-hours locksmith for how night calls work.
Once you're back in, think about how it happened. If the key was lost rather than left inside, rekey. Someone may have it, maybe on a keyring with your business name on it. A lock change or rekey takes care of that on the same visit.
What happens when you call?
Call with your location
Give the address, the type of door and what proof of authorization you have.
Price and arrival time
Dispatch confirms the price and gives you a realistic arrival time, usually about 15-30 minutes.
Proof check at the door
The technician checks your ID and paperwork, or calls the owner or manager to confirm.
Entry and next steps
We open the door, check the lock still works, and fix it or rekey it if you need that.
Page reviewed October 2026 by the LocksmithGT team.