24 Hour Locksmith in Los Angeles and Ventura County

What does a 24 hour locksmith actually mean?

The phrase gets used loosely. Some companies advertise around-the-clock service but run an answering service that takes a message until morning, or a call center that forwards your job to whichever contractor is nearest. Those are different things from a locksmith who is genuinely open at 3 a.m.

At Wilshire Lock & Key, the phone at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year, holidays included. A Sunday night is the same business as a Tuesday morning. We have been in business since 1987, with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and mobile service vans that do the hands-on work at your door.

People who search for a locksmith open now are usually standing outside in a bad moment. This page is for them, and for anyone who wants to understand in advance how after-hours locksmith work is really done, what it can and cannot fix, and what moves the cost. We would rather you know that before you call than find out halfway through the job.

Which situations lead to a middle-of-the-night call?

Most after-hours calls fall into a handful of patterns. Knowing which one you are in helps us send the right tools and give you honest information on the phone.

What these have in common is that the problem is happening now and cannot wait for business hours. The time of day should not decide whether you get careful, competent work.

• A door closed behind you with the keys inside, at a house, an apartment, or an office.
• A locked car with the keys on the seat, in the ignition, or in your pocket across the street from where you left it.
• A key that snapped off in a lock or an ignition, with part of it stuck inside.
• Lost or stolen keys, and the uneasy question of who else might now have access.
• Break-in damage: a splintered frame, a kicked-in deadbolt, or a door that will not latch and has to be secured before anyone can sleep.
• A lock that has started to jam, a key that will not turn, or a deadbolt stuck half-thrown.
• A business that cannot be opened or locked up at the end of a shift, or an employee who left with a key.
• All keys to a vehicle lost, with no spare to copy from.

How does a 24 hour locksmith call work, step by step?

The details vary with the lock, but a well-run call follows the same order every time. Here is how ours goes.

1. You call (213) 577-1366 and talk to a person. We ask where you are, what is locked (a door, a car, a business), what you can tell us about the lock or the vehicle, and whether anyone is inside or in danger.
2. We explain what the job is likely to involve and which factors will move the cost, so you are not surprised by anything once someone arrives.
3. A technician comes to you in one of our mobile vans. Travel depends on where you are and on traffic, and we tell you honestly what to expect rather than quoting a number we cannot stand behind.
4. On arrival we confirm that you are entitled to open the door or the vehicle, usually with ID and something that ties you to the address or the car.
5. Before touching anything, the technician looks at the lock, the door, and the condition of the hardware, then picks the least damaging method that is realistic.
6. We open the door, the car, or the lock. If something has to be repaired, rekeyed, or replaced, we say so and explain why before doing it.
7. We test the result: the lock turns smoothly, the bolt throws fully, the latch lines up with the strike, and every new key works.
8. We tell you what we did and what we found, and separate what needs to be done tonight from what can wait for daylight.

What methods and tools get you back in?

The goal is always to get you in without damaging anything you will then have to pay to replace. That is usually the more economical route as well as the gentler one.

Most residential and commercial locks are pin-tumbler cylinders. A trained technician can open one with a tension wrench and picks, feeling each pin set under pressure. When a door has a spring latch rather than a thrown deadbolt, a thin bypass tool or shim can sometimes release the latch without touching the cylinder. Under-door tools and similar bypass methods work on certain door and handle setups. Which one fits depends on how the door is hung and how the hardware is built.

Vehicles use a different toolset: wedges that create a small gap at the door frame and long reach tools that press a button or pull a handle inside the cabin, used carefully so seals, paint, and wiring are not harmed.

Drilling is a last resort. It is sometimes the realistic answer when a lock is seized, badly damaged, or built with security features that resist picking. When it is, the lock is replaced afterward and we tell you that up front.

What a professional checks before choosing: whether the deadbolt is actually thrown, how tight the gap is between door and frame, whether the lock was already damaged, whether the cylinder is a standard or a higher-security type, and whether there is anything inside, such as a person or a pet, that changes the urgency.

How do different locks, keys, and vehicles change the job?

A lockout is never just a lockout. The hardware on the door or the key in the ignition sets the method, the tools, and the cost range.

• Standard deadbolts and knob locks: the most common case, and often opened without damage.
• Higher-security cylinders and restricted keyways: more demanding to open, and sometimes drilling is the practical answer. Restricted keys also cannot be copied at a hardware-store kiosk.
• Mortise locks and older hardware: a different internal mechanism from modern cylinder locks, which changes the approach and the replacement parts.
• Keypad and smart locks: many still have a mechanical key override. If the electronics have failed and there is no override, the job is different, and we say so.
• Sliding doors, patio doors, and multi-point locks: these latch in several places or in unusual ways, and each type is handled differently.
• Simple metal car keys, transponder keys, remote fobs, and push-button smart keys: each needs different cutting or programming work.

What about car keys and vehicles specifically?

Vehicles are where blanket promises are least honest. What a given car needs depends on its make, model, year, and key type, and some information is not consistent across sources. So we confirm by VIN and in person what a specific vehicle needs before we tell you what can be done.

Some vehicles can be handled on site by a mobile technician. Others, depending on the make, year, and security system, may only be programmable at a dealer. When that is the case we will say so plainly, rather than let you pay for a visit that cannot solve the problem. If you are simply locked out of a car with the key inside, that is a different and usually simpler job; our car lockout page covers it in more detail.

If you have lost every key to a vehicle, expect more steps than a lockout: verifying that the car is yours, identifying the key type, cutting, and programming. We start that process by asking for the VIN and your proof of ownership.

What can a 24 hour locksmith not fix?

There are real limits, and part of doing this work honestly is saying where they are. Sending a locksmith is sometimes not the right call, and we will tell you so on the phone.

If this is a true emergency, such as a fire, a medical event, or someone in danger, call 911 first. For urgent situations that are not life-threatening but cannot wait, such as a break-in that has left a door unsecured, our emergency locksmith page covers that side of the work. This page is about the round-the-clock availability and the craft itself.

• We cannot open a lock for someone who cannot show they are entitled to be there. We ask for ID or proof, and we decline if it is not there.
• Some vehicles can only be programmed by the dealer. We confirm by VIN or in person and tell you before work begins.
• A rotted, warped, or split door or frame can be secured for the night, but replacing it may be a job for a carpenter or door installer.
• In rented homes and apartments, the landlord or property manager may control which locks can be changed. Check your lease or ask them first.
• Alarm panels and electronic access controllers sometimes cause what looks like a lock failure. If the lock is fine and the controller is the fault, you may need the installer.
• If nothing is urgent, a daytime appointment is usually the more economical route than an overnight call.

What affects the cost of a 24 hour locksmith call?

We do not put numbers on a web page. A figure quoted without knowing your lock, your door, or your car would be a guess, and guesses are where surprise bills come from. Our pricing page explains how we think about it, and when you call we talk through the specifics of your job before we start work.

These are the factors that actually move the cost of an emergency call:

• The time of day. Nights, weekends, and holidays carry a different cost than a scheduled weekday visit, and we will explain how that applies to your call.
• How far the technician has to travel to reach you.
• The kind of lock or key: a standard deadbolt is a different job from a high-security cylinder, a transponder key, or a smart lock.
• Whether the lock can be opened without damage, or whether drilling and replacement are the realistic answer.
• What you need after the door is open: nothing more, a repair, a rekey, a new lock, or new keys cut or programmed.
• The number of locks, keys, or vehicles involved.
• The condition of the hardware, because a worn or already damaged lock takes more work.
• Parts, when something has to be replaced.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key at any hour?

Plenty of companies can answer a phone at night. The difference is what happens after you hang up. These are the reasons customers are better off with us:

• We have been in business since 1987. The work, the lock types, and the habits of people who call at odd hours are familiar to us.
• We have a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile vans. You can find us, not just reach us.
• We are one company. There is no dispatch middleman taking a cut and passing your job to a stranger. The person you speak to is part of the same company that sends the technician.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how the work is done.
• The phone is answered around the clock, every day of the year. You get a person, not a recording that promises a callback in the morning.

How can you tell whether a locksmith is legitimate?

Emergency locksmith work attracts some bad actors, because people in a lockout are in a hurry and cannot easily compare options. A few checks protect you.

California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith you call for their license number, and expect a straight answer.

Other things worth watching for:

• Answering the phone with a generic word like locksmith rather than a company name.
• Refusing to explain what the job will involve or what drives the cost.
• Insisting on drilling a standard lock before trying to open it any other way.
• A technician who does not ask for any proof that you belong at the door or in the car.
• Pressure to approve work on the spot without telling you what it is.

Where do we cover?

Our 24 hour service covers 140 cities across Los Angeles County and Ventura County. The mobile vans go out from our Westwood base, and the exact travel depends on where you are and on traffic. We will tell you what to expect when you call rather than promising something we cannot control.

Every city we serve has its own page that covers the area in particular. For example, see our Los Angeles 24 hour locksmith page, the Santa Monica version, or the Pasadena version. The full list of cities is on our locations page.

If you want a technician who comes to you at your house, your car, or your business, rather than having you travel, see our mobile locksmith service.

What should you do before and while you wait?

A few small things make the call go better and keep you safe while you wait.

• Know the exact address or the nearest cross street, and whether the lock is a door, a gate, or a vehicle.
• For a car, have the make, model, and year ready, and the VIN if you can see it through the windshield.
• Have ID ready, plus something that links you to the address or the car.
• Do not force the lock, pry the door, or spray anything into a lock with a broken key in it. It makes the job harder.
• If you are outside at night, wait somewhere safe and lit, and tell us if anyone is inside the building or vehicle.

24 Hour Locksmith near you

• Los Angeles
• Beverly Hills
• Santa Monica
• Culver City
• West Hollywood
• Sherman Oaks
• Marina del Rey
• Ladera Heights
• Encino
• Inglewood
• Studio City
• View Park–Windsor Hills
• Van Nuys
• Lake Balboa
• All service areas

Related services

• Emergency Locksmith
• Mobile Locksmith
• House Lockout
• Apartment Lockout
• Car Lockout
• Business Lockout