The short answer. Yes, many Ace Hardware stores will rekey a lock. Most of them work on Schlage and Kwikset, and you have to take the lock off the door and carry it in. Some Portland stores list the service on their websites. Every store is different, so call first. If you are locked out, have a brand they do not handle, have a lot of doors, or need it done tonight, a locksmith at your door is the better call.
The Quick Version
- Many Ace stores rekey locks. Not all of them. Call the store before you drive over.
- Schlage and Kwikset are the usual brands. Those are the two names the store pages we checked list.
- You do the hard part. The lock comes off your door, goes to the store, and goes back on.
- It can be cheap. One Lifehacker writer paid $10 a lock with two keys in 2023. Your store sets its own price.
- A locksmith comes to you. Any brand, every door, no removal, and often the same hour.
- Oregon treats the two differently. A locksmith must be state certified. A lock seller's staff do not need that certificate.
What Rekeying Is, in One Minute
Every pin tumbler lock has a row of small pins inside the cylinder. Your key lifts those pins to just the right height so the cylinder can turn. Rekeying swaps those pins for a new set. The old keys stop working. New keys cut to match the new pins work fine.
The lock itself stays the same. Same knob, same deadbolt, same finish. That is why rekeying costs less than a new lock. Lifehacker put a full lock change at $50 to $300 and a rekey at $10 to about $160 in its December 2, 2023 guide. Our residential locksmith page covers when a rekey is the right call in a Portland home.
People rekey for a few common reasons. You bought a house and have no idea who still has a key. A roommate or an ex moved out. A key was lost or stolen. Or you are tired of carrying three keys for three doors.
Will Ace Hardware Rekey a Lock? What the Stores Say
Ace Hardware stores are not all run the same way, so the honest answer is store by store. We read the service pages of Ace stores that rank for this question on October 10, 2026. Here is what they say.
- A group of Oregon Ace stores says it rekeys Schlage and Kwikset deadbolts and door locks. It lists a store in Canby and two in Portland, Hyland Hills and St. John's. (Broadway Hardware Group)
- An Ace store in Wisconsin says typical Schlage and Kwikset locksets are easy to rekey. It will do locks you bought there or locks you bring in. Often it is done while you wait. (Kortendick Ace Hardware)
- An Ace store in Florida rekeys Kwikset and Schlage and also sets up simple master keys for landlords. (Toole's Ace Hardware)
Notice what is missing. None of those pages posts a price. None of them names a brand past Schlage and Kwikset. And none of them comes to your house. That is not a knock on the stores. It is just what a counter service is built to do.
Hardware Store, DIY Kit, or Locksmith
There are four real ways to get a lock rekeyed. Each one fits a different person. Here is how they line up.
| Way to rekey | Who takes the lock off | Brands | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware store counter | You | Mostly Schlage and Kwikset | One or two common locks, no rush, and you are handy with a screwdriver |
| DIY rekey kit | You | One brand and key type per kit | Patient people with several locks of the same brand |
| Kwikset SmartKey | Nobody, it stays on the door | Kwikset SmartKey locks only | Anyone who still has a working key |
| Locksmith at your door | The locksmith | Most brands, plus high security and commercial cylinders | Lockouts, many doors, odd brands, master keys, or same day security |
The Hardware Store Counter
This is the cheap route when it fits. You pull the cylinder or the whole lock, drive it in, and wait or come back later. Lifehacker's writer said her Ace rekey took about 15 minutes. If your lock is a plain Schlage or Kwikset and you have an afternoon, it is a fair deal.
A DIY Rekey Kit
Kits come with pins, a few keys, and the small tools to open the cylinder. Lifehacker priced brand specific kits at $12 to $15 for up to six locks. It also warned that this is not a beginner job. The pins are tiny. Drop one on the carpet and you will be hunting for it a while.
Kwikset SmartKey
If your lock has a small SmartKey slot next to the keyway, you can rekey it yourself in place. Kwikset says it takes three steps and a few seconds. The catch is that you need the current working key and the SmartKey tool. Lost the key? This path is closed.
A Locksmith at Your Door
A locksmith brings the pins and tools to your house or office. The locks never leave the door, and most brands are no problem. It costs more than the counter, because you are paying for the trip and the labor. With us, you get the price on the phone before anyone drives out.
When the Hardware Store Is Not the Right Fit
We send people to the hardware store when it makes sense. These are the times it usually does not.
- You are locked out. You cannot take a lock off a door you cannot open.
- The brand is not Schlage or Kwikset. Older Portland homes are full of other brands and odd cylinders.
- You want one key for two brands. A Kwikset key will not fit a Schlage lock. One of them needs a new cylinder or a new lock first.
- You have a lot of doors. Front, back, side, garage, and a shop door means five locks off and five locks back on.
- It is a business door. Mortise locks, rim cylinders, push bars, and master key systems for offices are locksmith work.
- You want keys nobody can copy. Restricted keyway systems stop copies at the kiosk. A counter rekey does not give you that.
- The lock is worn out. A sticky, loose, or broken lock does not get better with new pins. It needs repair or replacement.
- It cannot wait. After a break in, a lost purse, or a bad breakup, most people do not want to sleep on it.
What Oregon Law Says About Who Can Rekey
None of the top pages for this question mention this part. Oregon certifies locksmiths. Under ORS 701.480, a person who does locksmith work for pay must be certified by the Construction Contractors Board, and the business must be licensed by the board. Under ORS 701.485, the board can only certify someone who passes a test.
The law also lists who does not need that certificate. ORS 701.490 leaves out people who only copy keys, and people working for a maker, wholesaler, distributor, or seller of locks. It also leaves out landlords and property managers working on their own buildings.
So the person at the counter may be very good at it. They just are not held to the same state test. That matters less for a simple Kwikset on a back door. It matters more when someone is coming into your home or your business. Before anyone works on your locks as a locksmith in Oregon, ask for their certification. A real locksmith will not mind.
How to Bring a Lock to the Store
If the counter is the right fit for you, a little prep saves a second trip.
- Call first. Ask if they rekey your brand, what they need you to bring, and how long it takes.
- Pull it in daylight. Most deadbolts come off with a screwdriver. The screws are on the inside plate.
- Take a photo before you start. It helps when you put the parts back.
- Bring every lock you want on one key. They can only match what they can see.
- Secure the door while it is open. A missing deadbolt is a hole in your door. Do it on a day someone is home.
- Test every key at home. Try each new key in each lock, from inside and outside, before you toss the old ones.
Our Take
The pages that rank for this question say yes, call ahead, and stop. That is true, but it leaves people stuck at the hard part. The store rekey is a good deal for the right lock. It is a bad plan for a lockout, a mixed set of brands, a business, or a night when you need the old keys dead right now.
ABC Lock and Safe has rekeyed locks in Portland since 1993. We are licensed, bonded, and insured, open 24 hours, and typically reach you in 15 to 30 minutes. Read our locksmith FAQ for more on rekey vs replace.
Need your locks rekeyed today? Call (503) 766-5541.
Sources
- Broadway Hardware Group, Door Lock Rekey, read October 10, 2026
- Kortendick Ace Hardware, Lock Rekeying, read October 10, 2026
- Toole's Ace Hardware, In Store Lock Servicing, read October 10, 2026
- Lifehacker, When Rekeying Your Lock Makes More Sense Than Replacing It, December 2, 2023
- Kwikset, SmartKey Security, read October 10, 2026
- Oregon Revised Statutes 701.480, 701.485 and 701.490