Service
Access control
Access control replaces or backs up keys with codes, fobs, cards or a phone. A locksmith's fitting time is charged at £65 to £85 an hour in daytime across the Master Locksmiths Association's 2026 list, Checkatrade and Bark, with hardware on top. Battery-powered and mechanical code locks are locksmith work; mains-powered systems need an electrician.
What this covers
Typical price. Fitting is usually charged as labour, at £65 to £85 an hour in daytime across the MLA's 2026 list, Checkatrade and Bark, with locks, readers and fobs on top and any mains wiring done by an electrician.
What the job covers
- Fitting a battery-powered keypad or fob lock to an office door
- Fitting a mechanical push-button code lock that needs no power
- Fitting the lock hardware for a maglock or electric strike, with an electrician wiring the supply
- Adding or deleting fobs and codes when people join or leave
- Fitting exit buttons and green emergency door releases as part of a system
What is involved
Access control decides who can open a door and when, without handing out keys. A fob, card, code or phone is read at the door, and the lock is released if that credential is allowed. Losing a fob means deleting it, not changing the locks, and most systems keep a log of who opened what.
Systems come in three broad kinds. Mechanical code locks use push buttons and need no power at all; they suit staff doors, stores and back offices. Standalone electronic locks, with a keypad or fob reader built into the handle or lock, run on batteries and fit much like an ordinary lock. Both are fitting work for a locksmith. Wired systems use a separate reader and controller, a power supply, and an electric lock: a magnetic lock (maglock) that holds the door shut with an electromagnet, an electric strike in the frame, or a motorised lock. These need mains power, and that wiring should be done by an electrician; many locksmiths fit the door hardware and work alongside one, or refer the whole system to a specialist installer.
Escape routes need care. A maglock releases when its power is cut, which is why it is used on exit routes, but it must also release when the fire alarm sounds and have a green emergency door release beside it. A door that needs a fob to get out is not acceptable on a fire exit.
Door entry systems (an intercom or video panel at the main door of a block of flats) often tie into access control, and they are wired systems too. A careful locksmith says plainly where fitting ends and electrical work begins.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask for the total before work starts: the lock, reader, fobs or cards, fitting and VAT. Ask whether the system is mechanical, battery-powered or wired, and if it is wired, who does the electrical work and whether that is in the price. For any door on an escape route, ask how it releases on a fire alarm or power cut and whether a green emergency release is fitted. Ask who can add and delete fobs or codes, and whether there is a monthly fee for software. And ask what happens to the door when the batteries run low.
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Common questions
Can a locksmith install access control?
For mechanical code locks and battery-powered keypad or fob locks, many can, because these are fitted like ordinary locks. Wired systems with maglocks, electric strikes or door entry panels need an electrician for the mains supply, and often a specialist installer for the system.
What is a magnetic door lock?
A lock that holds a door shut with an electromagnet on the frame and a steel plate on the door. It releases when power is cut, which suits escape routes, but it needs a constant mains supply wired by an electrician and must release when the fire alarm sounds.
Are maglocks allowed on fire exits?
They are used on exit routes because they release when power is lost, but they must also release on the fire alarm and have a green emergency door release beside the door. A door that needs a fob or code to get out is not acceptable on a fire exit.
What happens if someone loses a fob?
The fob is deleted from the system, so it no longer opens anything, and a new one is issued. That is the main advantage over keys, where a lost key may mean changing cylinders. Ask who can delete fobs and how quickly it can be done.
Is a keypad lock better than a fob system?
It depends on the door. A keypad needs no fobs to manage, but codes get shared and need changing when people leave. Fobs and cards can be deleted one by one and logged. Mechanical push-button locks need no power at all and suit low-traffic doors.
Do access control systems work in a power cut?
Battery-powered locks and mechanical code locks carry on as normal. Wired systems usually have a backup battery; when it runs out, a maglock releases and a fail-secure strike stays locked. Ask how your doors behave without power before choosing hardware.