Imperial Locksmith & Security works throughout Manhattan and is open 24/7, for urgent and planned jobs alike. An urgent job usually means a lockout. Planned work covers lock changes and rekeys, high-security and smart locks, safes and vaults, automotive locksmith work, and building systems such as master keys, access control, intercom and video entry, and security cameras.

Which Imperial service fits your situation?

Start with what you need, not the name of the job. Imperial's services in Manhattan fall into five kinds of need:

  • Getting back in: 24/7 emergency lockout when you are shut out of a home or business.
  • Changing or upgrading a lock: lock change and rekey, high-security locks, smart lock installation.
  • Protecting valuables: safes and vaults.
  • Running a building or business: master key systems, access control systems, intercom and video entry, commercial door hardware, CCTV and security camera installation.
  • Vehicles: automotive locksmith work on car keys and locks.

Needs overlap. A lockout after a lost key often turns into a rekey once you are inside, because the lost key still opens the lock.

One door, or every door in the building?

A resident's job usually concerns one door. Rekeying changes the small pins inside the cylinder, the part the key turns, so old keys stop working. A high-security lock uses restricted keys that are harder to copy. A smart lock opens by code or phone, so you can change who gets in without cutting new keys.

Property managers and business owners face a different question: who needs which doors, and what happens when someone leaves. A master key system lets each tenant key open only its own door while one master key opens many. Access control replaces keys with cards, fobs, or codes. Intercom and video entry let you see a visitor before releasing the door. Cameras record entrances, and commercial door hardware is built for heavy daily use.

Urgent lockout or planned upgrade

The deciding question is whether you need access now. A locked-out home or business is an emergency lockout. If the door opens but you want new keys, a stronger lock, or a building system, that is planned work. Either way, have these ready:

  • The door or lock type, plus anything visible, such as a keypad or a bolt that will not retract.
  • Whether it is a home, building, business, or vehicle, with make, model, and year for a car.
  • Who can approve the work: the owner, the building manager, or the business owner.
  • Whether you need entry now or are planning an upgrade.

For either kind of job, call Imperial Locksmith & Security at (917) 500-1145, any hour.

Neighborhoods with their own pages

This page looks at the borough as a whole. Imperial also works in Midtown Manhattan, the Financial District, Chelsea, Tribeca, the Upper East Side, and Murray Hill, which each have their own page, and across all five boroughs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I schedule lock work in Manhattan in advance, or is the service only for emergencies?

Imperial Locksmith & Security handles both in Manhattan. Emergency lockouts are taken 24/7, and planned jobs such as a rekey, a smart lock, a safe, or a building access system can be arranged ahead of time. If the door still opens and you only want to change how it is secured, that is planned work.

What is the difference between rekeying a lock and replacing it?

Rekeying keeps the existing lock on the door and changes its inner pins so old keys stop turning it. Replacing a lock swaps the hardware itself. Rekeying suits a lock that works well when you only need to retire old keys. Replacement makes sense when the lock sticks or is damaged, or when you want a different type, such as a high-security or smart lock.

When does a building need a master key system or access control rather than separate locks?

A building usually outgrows separate locks when many people need different access or keys change hands often. If one lost key would mean rekeying a dozen doors, that is the sign. A master key system keeps mechanical keys while giving staff one key for many doors. Access control suits frequent turnover, because a lost card or fob is switched off rather than rekeyed. Imperial Locksmith & Security offers both in Manhattan.

Does Imperial Locksmith & Security work on car keys as well as doors?

Yes. Imperial Locksmith & Security offers automotive locksmith work on car keys and locks alongside its door, safe, and building services. Because the business is open 24/7, a car key problem in Manhattan can be brought to Imperial at any hour, the same as a locked door.