Locksmiths in Montgomery County, PA: apartments, recent movers and police advice
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What stands out about Montgomery County for lock work?
Scale, apartments and people moving in. Montgomery is the largest of the four suburban counties by housing, with 350,351 units in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates (the county's own figure is more than 353,000), spread across 62 townships, boroughs and municipalities. It has the largest share of homes in apartment buildings outside Philadelphia: 26.1 percent of units are in buildings with two or more apartments, against 24.0 percent in Delaware and 18.6 percent in both Bucks and Chester. And in 3.7 percent of occupied homes the householder moved in since 2023, the highest share of the four suburban counties; only Philadelphia is higher, at 5.2 percent.
Why do recent movers matter?
Because moving in is when police and the trade association both say to deal with the keys. A township police department in the county says it in so many words (see below), and ALOA, the locksmiths' trade association, says that when a house changes hands all the keys are rarely turned over, so the locks should be rekeyed as soon as possible after you take possession, including the garage and any sheds.
Apartments raise a different question. ALOA says a tenant who wants new locks should first check the rental office's policy: the landlord may require any new lock to fit an existing master key system, or may need a working key. It advises tenants to insist on the change, or to get in writing why the owner refuses. That is the association's advice; no Pennsylvania rule on tenants and locks was found for this guide.
What do Montgomery County police advise?
Lower Moreland Township, one of the municipalities on the county's list, has a police department that posted a set of burglary prevention tips in March 2026. Its points about doors and keys:
- use solid or metal exterior doors that are properly installed, never interior doors, which are weaker;
- anchor the strike plate to the framing of the house with 3 inch screws;
- put a deadbolt on every exterior door, because a key-in-the-knob lock by itself is not enough, and lock both every time you leave;
- use a blocking device on sliding doors and windows;
- never hide a key outside; leave a spare with a trusted neighbor;
- change the locks whenever you move into a new home or apartment.
The department also asks residents to call 911 about any suspicious activity.
Those points line up with advice from police elsewhere. The King County Sheriff's Office in Washington State, for instance, recommends a heavy-duty four-screw strike plate with 3-inch screws and single-cylinder deadbolts on exterior doors. When you ask a locksmith for a quote, the Lower Moreland list is a reasonable checklist of what to have priced.
How old is the housing?
Older than Bucks or Chester, newer than Delaware or Philadelphia. In Montgomery, 16.0 percent of homes were first built in 1939 or earlier and 8.1 percent since 2010. Owners occupy 71.4 percent of occupied homes and renters 28.6 percent.
How do you check a locksmith here?
Pennsylvania has no locksmith license, and the county cannot create one for home improvement work. 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, subject to its limits on small jobs. Its contractor search can be filtered to Montgomery County and lists a "Locksmith" type of work, though the office says that field is new and data is limited. The Pennsylvania rules guide sets out what the law requires, and how to choose a locksmith covers the checks to make before and during a visit.
Where do you complain?
No Montgomery County consumer protection office was found on the county's website. Complaints go to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, which takes them online or on a printed form. Businesses that serve the county are on the Montgomery County locksmiths page.
Sources
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Montgomery 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: Chester 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: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- Montgomery County by the Numbers, Montgomery County
- Municipal Websites, Montgomery County
- Prevent Burglaries with these tips from Chief Smith!, Lower Moreland Township Police Department
- Should I Change My Locks When I Move Into a House?, ALOA Security Professionals Association
- Doors and locks, King County Sheriff's Office
- 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