Locksmiths in Chester County, PA: new homes, builder keys and police help
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What stands out about Chester County for lock work?
New houses. In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates, 10.7 percent of Chester County's housing was built since 2010, the highest share of the five counties, against 8.1 percent in Montgomery, 6.2 percent in Philadelphia, 5.7 percent in Bucks and 3.5 percent in Delaware. The county Planning Commission says that in most years since 2010 about 1,500 new housing units have been added, and that the mix has shifted away from detached houses toward twins and apartments. In 2025 the most new units went up in Downingtown, West Brandywine, West Goshen, East Brandywine and East Whiteland.
That matters for one specific lock question, covered below.
Why should buyers of new Chester County homes rekey?
Because the locks may have been set up for the builder. ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, says many new houses are built as part of a development and that their locks often have a feature called construction keying. It describes this as a convenience for the developer during construction that becomes a security risk once the owner moves in, and says rekeying is the only way to make sure the developer no longer has access. That is the association's account, and it is specific: it applies to the first owner of a new house, not only to buyers of older ones.
For older homes ALOA gives a different reason with the same answer: when a house is sold, the keys are rarely all handed over. Chester County has both kinds of buyer. About one in ten homes is new since 2010, and 12.6 percent were first built in 1939 or earlier. In 3.6 percent of occupied homes the householder moved in since 2023.
Rekeying keeps the existing hardware and changes the key. The cost guide compares rekeying with replacing locks, using national cost surveys, since no survey publishes a Chester County price.
What do local police departments offer?
Chester County is made up of 73 municipalities: one city, 15 boroughs and 57 townships. Two of the police departments that serve them publish services that bear on locks.
- Home security help in Kennett Square. The Kennett Square Police Department offers house checks while residents are away, a self-conducted home security audit form, and the chance to talk to an officer about home security on 610-444-0501.
- Car lockouts in southern Chester County. The Southern Chester County Regional Police Department provides a vehicle lockout service as a courtesy to residents and visitors. It says these calls are given lower priority when more serious incidents are pending, and that if officers cannot open a car in reasonable time or without damage they stop and help you contact a locksmith or tow service. Non-emergency calls go to Chester County Police Radio at (610) 268-3171; emergencies go to 911.
That is one department's service. Nothing read for this guide says other Chester County departments offer it, so ask yours before you count on it.
How do you check a locksmith in Chester County?
Pennsylvania has no locksmith license. The Attorney General says locksmiths who do repairs, replacements or installations on homes are contractors who must register under the state's home improvement law, within the law's limits for small jobs and small businesses. The Attorney General's contractor search can be filtered to Chester County and has a "Locksmith" type of work, but the office says that field is new and data is limited, so search by the business name or its PA registration number. The full rules are in the Pennsylvania rules guide.
Renters occupy about a quarter of Chester County's occupied homes, 24.9 percent in the Census figures. For them ALOA advises renters to check the rental office's lock change policy before changing anything, since the landlord may need a working key or may require new locks to fit a master key system.
Where do you complain in Chester County?
No Chester County consumer protection office was found on the county's website, so complaints go to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, which accepts them online or on a printed form. Local businesses are on the Chester County locksmiths page.
Sources
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- Housing Report - Units By Type, Chester County Planning Commission
- Facts About Chester County, Chester County
- Should I Change My Locks When I Move Into a House?, ALOA Security Professionals Association
- Home Security, Kennett Square Police Department
- Vehicle Lock-out Services, Southern Chester County Regional Police Department
- Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Submit a Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General