Locksmith Invoice Template — Call-Out, Emergency
Call-out fees, lock supply at retail markup, rekey labour, emergency lockouts at premium rates, automotive work. The template handles residential, commercial, and auto.
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What goes on a locksmith invoice
●Call-out / dispatch fee. Fixed; covers travel + first 30 min.
●Labour (per hour / per job). Often a flat rate per service type.
●Locks & hardware supplied. Brand, model, quantity. Marked up from trade.
●Emergency / after-hours surcharge. 1.5× or 2×; quote before dispatch.
●Automotive work (key cutting, programming). Per-vehicle pricing; key blank + programming separately.
●Disposal / removal of old hardware. If applicable.
How locksmiths usually bill
Most jobs paid on completion via card.
Commercial accounts and property managers: monthly statement, 30-day terms.
Always note ID verification on the invoice for residential lockouts (industry best practice and reduces fraud risk).
Tax notes
Both labour and parts typically taxable. Some jurisdictions treat locksmithing as a regulated profession requiring license number on the invoice — check local rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do I price an emergency lockout?
Call-out fee + emergency surcharge + labour. Quote the total to the customer before dispatch — never let them be surprised at completion.
Should I include the license number on the invoice?
If your jurisdiction requires licensing (most do), yes — it protects you and reassures the customer.
How do I invoice for keys cut off-site?
Per key cut, with key blank cost separately. Programming is its own line for automotive (transponder, smart key).
Do I invoice property managers differently?
Yes — monthly statement of all jobs that month, referenced by property/unit. 30-day terms standard.
Sample wording for a locksmith invoice
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items locksmiths typically use. The prices here are ballpark for a mid-cost US market, so adjust them to yours.
●Service call (travel + arrival on-site) $95
●Residential lock-out — non-destructive entry, single deadbolt (15 min labour): $75
●Lock rekey — 4 cylinders, matched to one key (labour + 4 new pin sets): $145
●Replacement hardware — Schlage B60N satin nickel deadbolt (part + cost markup 30%): $89
●After-hours surcharge (call between 21:00–06:00, 1.5×): applied above
●Disposal of compromised hardware (old keyway and damaged cylinders): no charge
●New keys cut — 4 copies (per key + master): $32
Notes: Photo ID verified at scene; service authorised by occupant. All compromised hardware decommissioned and disposed of. Lock function tested and demonstrated to customer. Card and cash accepted; no card surcharge.
When locksmith jobs actually pay
Locksmith work is overwhelmingly pay-on-site: residential lock-outs and emergency rekey are settled by card before the technician leaves. The cash-flow problem is in the commercial and property-management lanes — letting agents who order rekeys on every tenant turnover, landlords clearing units, and apartment-block managers on a recurring schedule. Net 30 is typical; Net 45 is reality. Always require a work-authorisation in writing for property-manager work — verbal 'rekey unit 4' calls get disputed when the unit had three rekeys in a year.
Automotive work (key fob programming, transponder cuts, ignition replacement) pays on completion in the field. Dealership and dealer-network work is the slowest niche: the dealer charges the customer or the manufacturer pays the warranty claim, and the locksmith waits 45-90 days for the cheque. If you do automotive volume, structure deposit work for keys you have to cut to order (especially European-market vehicles).
Five invoicing mistakes that slow you down
●Forgetting to bill for hardware disposal. Damaged cylinders, broken keyways, snapped keys — clients expect them taken away. Add a 'Disposal of compromised hardware — included' line so the customer sees the value, even if you don't charge for it.
●Not verifying authorisation before forced entry. Photograph the photo ID, note the relationship to the property, get a signature on the work order. Locksmiths get pulled into civil disputes when one occupant doesn't want the other in; a signed authorisation is your defence.
●Quoting 'rekey starting at $X' without specifying cylinders. Rekeying one deadbolt vs four interior knobs vs a master-keyed building are very different jobs. Always quote with cylinder count, master-key requirement, and brand.
●Forgetting after-hours surcharge on the invoice. If you got the call at 23:30, you charged 1.5× — but the invoice the next morning shows the standard rate because you wrote it up in the van and forgot. Make the surcharge a default line that you remove rather than add.
●Skipping the 'demonstration' step on the work order. Walk the customer through the new key, the lock function, and the lock-out plan ('you should always have a hidden spare with a trusted neighbour, not on the property'). Documented demonstration prevents 'it doesn't work right' calls 48 hours later.
US tax notes for locksmiths
Locksmith services are taxable in most states because they're treated as personal services with tangible goods — the hardware and the cut keys are taxable in every state, and the labour follows materials-rules in many. Hawaii, New Mexico, and South Dakota tax all services. In Texas, locksmith service to residential property is taxable as a personal service. Get a sales-tax permit and a resale certificate for the hardware you stock; the auditors find the locksmiths who didn't.
Federal: 1099-NEC for any property manager or commercial client over $600/year. Deductibles: locksmith vans (Section 179), pick-set inventory, key-machine purchase (Bianchi, ILCO, Framon are major capital equipment), continuing-ed for state-licensed locksmith status (TX, NV, IL, NC, OK, TN, NJ, CA all licence locksmiths), and the often-forgotten line for automotive-OEM database subscriptions (NASTF, etc.) which are recurring deductibles essential to modern locksmith work.
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
A few more questions from the trade
How do I invoice an after-hours emergency that turns out to be a lock-out the customer caused themselves?
Same way you'd invoice any service call: after-hours surcharge applies regardless of root cause. The customer pays for your time and the convenience of getting back inside. Don't waive the surcharge because they 'should have remembered the spare' — the call-out fee covered availability, not their planning.
Can I charge for diagnosis if I find the lock isn't broken, the customer's key was bent?
Yes. You drove out, you assessed, you proved the lock was fine. That's diagnostic labour. Show two lines on the invoice: 'Service call: $95' and 'Diagnostic — lock function verified, key examined: $45.' Customer sees the value and learns what the actual problem was.
Should I keep a record of keys I cut for a customer's property?
Yes — for warranty and follow-up service, not for re-cutting later. Keep the key code in the customer's file (separate from physical key copies, which you should never retain). State on the invoice: 'Key codes retained in encrypted file for warranty service; no physical key copies held.'
How do I bill for a callback when the customer claims the rekey failed?
If it's a workmanship issue (pin tumbler misset, key won't turn) — free, within reasonable timeframe (90-180 days). If it's customer-caused (forced entry, damaged keyway) — full service call plus repair. The notes block on your original invoice should set the policy so the second visit's a short conversation.
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