UK LOCKSMITH FEE GUIDE · UPDATED FOR 2026

Average UK locksmith call-out fee in 2026 — daytime, emergency, and by city

For a standard UK residential lockout, a fair daytime call-out fee in 2026 is £50 to £120 (£50 to £85 in smaller towns, £60 to £100 in regional cities, £90 to £160 in London and the South East). Add roughly 25% to 50% for evenings, weekends and overnight emergencies. A lock or cylinder replacement adds £60 to £250 on top. Full tier-by-tier grid and the actual named cities below.

Fee grid — time of day × city tier

Each cell is a fair-range, not a single number, because both the trader’s hourly rate and the on-site minutes vary. Anything materially above these ranges, without a specific technical reason, is worth challenging before you agree to the work.

Time of dayLondon / SERegionalSmaller towns
Daytime call-out
Monday to Friday, roughly 08:00 to 18:00.
£90 – £160£60 – £100£50 – £85
Evening call-out
Weekdays after ~18:00, before midnight.
£110 – £190£75 – £130£65 – £110
Weekend or bank holiday
Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays.
£120 – £200£80 – £150£70 – £130
Overnight emergency
Roughly midnight to 08:00.
£150 – £250£100 – £180£85 – £160
Lock or cylinder replacement (parts + extra labour)
In addition to the call-out and labour figures above.
£80 – £250£70 – £220£60 – £200

Figures triangulated from published 2026 UK price guides (Checkatrade, Fantastic Services, MyBuilder) and typical on-site labour ranges for standard uPVC multi-point, mortice deadlock and euro-cylinder residential doors.

Which tier does your city fall into?

Tier A — London & South East
London (all boroughs)ReadingGuildfordCambridgeOxfordSt AlbansBrightonSloughWatford

The highest rates in the UK, driven by traffic, dwell time between jobs, and van-parking costs.

Tier B — Regional cities
ManchesterBirminghamLeedsBristolEdinburghGlasgowNottinghamSheffieldCardiffNewcastleLiverpoolSouthamptonPortsmouthLeicesterCoventry

Established markets with dense locksmith supply, so daytime rates cluster tightly and emergency premiums are smaller.

Tier C — Smaller towns and rural UK
IpswichNorwichExeterPeterboroughChesterYorkSwanseaAberdeenWrexhamCarlisleEverywhere else outside the two tiers above

Lower headline rates, but any overnight call-out often adds a real travel component the trader will name upfront.

What the call-out fee actually pays for

Travel to your door. The trader loading their van, driving to you, and parking. This is what “call-out” literally means.

A diagnostic minute or two on site. Confirming which door, which lock, and what the actual defect is. A genuine trader does this before quoting for the work.

Overhead recovery — indirect costs. Insurance, DBS renewal, tool depreciation, ULEZ where relevant. These sit inside the hourly rate rather than as a separate line.

It does NOT normally cover the actual work. Labour to open the door, and any parts, are separate line items in a properly itemised invoice. If the quoted call-out fee “includes everything up to the door being open”, ask specifically what happens if it takes 45 minutes versus 5.

If your quote or invoice is well above these ranges

Before you agree: ask the trader for the specific technical reason in writing. High-security lock brand, unusual mechanism, physical access constraint. If no specific reason comes back, get a second quote from another trader before letting anyone start work.

After the fact: the ranges on this page are the evidence a UK court would look at when applying section 51 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (reasonable price). Cite this page and the source guides when you challenge the invoice.

To act now: run the dispute-strength check for a case-strength score and pre-filled complaint letter, or if you paid on a credit card go straight to the Section 75 letter builder.

To sense-check the labour minutes: see fair labour time for a UK lockout — the task-by-task minute breakdown, plus the five labour-padding tactics to look for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average UK locksmith call-out fee in 2026?+
For a standard daytime call-out anywhere in the UK, the fair range in 2026 is £50 to £120 — with £50 to £85 typical in smaller towns, £60 to £100 in regional cities, and £90 to £160 in London and the South East. Add roughly 25% to 50% for evenings, weekends, and overnight emergencies. If a locksmith replaces the lock or cylinder, add £60 to £250 on top depending on the lock type.
Does the call-out fee include VAT?+
It should — but confirm in writing before the trader sets off. Reputable UK locksmiths that are VAT-registered quote inclusive of VAT by default, but a headline figure that turns out to have been ex-VAT adds 20% to the bill at the end. Ask: 'Is the total inclusive of VAT and everything?'
Why is my quote higher than the figures on this page?+
Legitimate reasons: high-security locks (British Standard 3621, anti-snap cylinders, multi-point mechanisms), damage that requires additional parts, or a difficult access situation (top-floor flat, sash windows, listed-building constraints). Illegitimate reasons: a bait-and-switch from a low headline figure, a 'difficulty surcharge' invented on-site, or hour-rounding on a 20-minute job. Ask for the specific reason in writing and cross-check the ranges above.
Why is the London range so much higher than the rest of the UK?+
Traffic and dwell time. A London locksmith spends more of their day getting between jobs than a regional counterpart, so the same billable hour has more unpaid travel behind it. Van-parking costs (congestion charge, ULEZ, meter fees) also come into the daily overhead a London trader has to recover.
Is a locksmith allowed to charge more if I called at 3am?+
Yes — an out-of-hours or overnight surcharge is a normal and legitimate part of UK locksmith pricing. What is not legitimate is a headline figure quoted on the phone at 3am that then jumps once the door is open. The out-of-hours rate should be quoted before the trader sets off, in writing where possible, so you can compare it to the ranges on this page.
How can I tell if the fee I have been quoted is fair before I agree?+
Compare against the tier your city falls into on the table above. Ask for the total, in writing, including call-out, labour, VAT and any standard parts, before the trader sets off. If the figure is materially above the tier range and no specific technical reason is given, get a second quote from another trader before agreeing. LockSafe shows the assessment fee upfront and the itemised quote on your phone before any work starts.

Sources and useful contacts

Related: before you call anyone, run the 60-second verification checklist and the verify-by-name tool. Watch for the 8 red flags that mean a locksmith is a scam, especially the “from £39/£49” headline that turns into a £450 invoice on site.

If you have seen the classic “no-call-out-fee” headline in a UK locksmith advert, the honest explainer decodes what the phrase actually means and the one question that collapses every version of the claim.

For the lock change itself (parts + labour, per lock type), see what a lock change should cost in the UK in 2026 — euro cylinder, anti-snap upgrade, uPVC multi-point, BS3621 mortice, nightlatch, smart-lock, rekey, all in one table.

If the trader has added a weekend or bank-holiday premium, see weekend and bank-holiday locksmith surcharge — what is fair — fair-range percentages by time slot, plus four surcharge patterns that are not fair.

Ranges on this page are updated annually. This edition is for 2026 and reflects UK market rates as of that year. A specific quote for your job depends on your address, time of day, and the lock type — get the total in writing before the trader sets off.

See the specific fee before you book

LockSafe shows the assessment fee for each verified locksmith upfront, then delivers the itemised quote to your phone before any work starts. The invoice matches the numbers you agreed — not a headline that becomes something else on site.

Book a verified locksmithCall +44 20 4577 1989
WhatsAppCall now+44 20 4577 1989