Can I choose a smart or keypad lock instead of a key?

Yes. Smart and keypad locks can be fitted and set up where you want them, including on an exterior door alongside a deadbolt. The locksmith will tell you first whether your door and frame suit the model you have in mind.

Do locksmiths need a state licence in Florida?

Florida does not issue a statewide locksmith licence and has no state locksmith licensing board. The trade is regulated at county or municipal level instead, and requirements vary, so check current rules with the county or city consumer protection or licensing office where the work is done.

My door is in a gated or HOA community in Orlando. Does that matter?

It can. HOA-governed and gated communities are very common in Orlando subdivisions built after about 1985, and some have rules about exterior hardware or finish. Mention it when you call so the options discussed fit what you are allowed to install.

Will humidity affect the new lock?

Constant humidity, UV and heavy rain in Central Florida work on exterior cylinders and outdoor hardware over time. That is part of why the locksmith looks at the door and its exposure before recommending anything, rather than fitting the same lock everywhere.

What identification will I be asked for?

Government-issued photo identification plus something connecting you to the address, such as a lease, deed or utility bill, or confirmation from a landlord or property manager. Standard practice in Florida is to document this on the work order.

New locks and deadbolts fitted in Orlando, FL

You want new locks on your door, and probably a deadbolt with them. Maybe the old hardware is worn, maybe the door came with locks you never chose, maybe you just want something stronger than what is there now. Whatever the reason, the job is straightforward: the door gets looked at, the right lock gets chosen, and it gets fitted properly.

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In Orlando that assessment matters more than most people expect. Concrete block and stucco walls are the dominant build here, and entry doors are often metal or fiberglass, which changes what can be fitted and how. Long hot summers and high humidity nearly year-round swell wood doors and frames, so a deadbolt can bind against the strike plate even when the lock itself is fine. Constant moisture and heavy summer rain also work on exterior cylinders over time. A new lock should suit the door you actually have, not the door in a catalogue.

While you wait — please don't

Do not assume a strong lock fixes a weak frame. A good deadbolt in a soft or split jamb gives way at the frame, so the strike plate and the screws matter as much as the lock you pay for.
Do not force a new deadbolt that binds. If a bolt drags or will not throw fully, something in the door or frame has moved, and forcing it repeatedly damages the bolt and the strike.
Do not enlarge the holes yourself. Drilling a door or jamb to make a lock fit usually leaves the hardware sitting loose or off-centre, and the repair costs more than the fitting would have.
Do not ignore glass next to the door. A sidelight or a glass panel beside your door changes which locks make sense, so mention it when you call rather than after the lock is chosen.

What the technician does

Identification is checked firstThe locksmith will ask for identification and proof that you are entitled to the property before opening or changing anything. In Florida that normally means photo ID plus something tying you to the address, such as a lease, deed or utility bill, or confirmation from a property manager.
The door and frame are assessedBefore anything is chosen, the locksmith looks at the door material, how it is built, the frame condition and the way the door sits. That decides what can be fitted and what is worth fitting.
You get the price before work startsThe estimate is free, and the locksmith gives you the price and explains the options first. Nothing begins until you approve it.
The deadbolt goes in with a reinforced strikeA deadbolt is fitted with a reinforced strike plate and long screws driven into the stud rather than just the jamb trim. That is what stops the frame becoming the weak point.
The handle set is matchedThe handle set is matched to the new deadbolt so the door works as one piece and, where you want it, the same key works both.
The door and jamb are reinforced where neededIf the door or the jamb is the weak point rather than the hardware, that gets reinforced as part of the job.
Smart and keypad locks set upIf you want a keypad or smart lock, it can be fitted and set up, with codes and keys handed over and the operation shown to you before the locksmith leaves.

Why this happens in Orlando, FL

Orlando housing runs from 1920s to 1950s bungalows near downtown through large waves of 1970s to 2000s suburban subdivisions and new construction out on the south and east sides. That range is the reason the door gets assessed first. A downtown-adjacent bungalow in College Park or Lake Eola Heights and a recent build in Lake Nona are not the same job, and the construction era largely decides what hardware suits the door. Condos and townhomes near downtown and the tourist corridor add another layer, since shared entries and management-controlled access can affect what you are allowed to change.

Climate shapes the work too. Central Florida humidity, UV and heavy rain drive rust on exterior lock cylinders and gate hardware, and prolonged heat and moisture swell wood doors and frames so bolts bind against strike plates. Hard freezes are rare and brief here, usually a few nights in January or February, so frozen cylinders are not the issue they are further north. Hurricane and tropical-storm season runs June 1 to November 30, and wind-driven rain reaches well inland, which is why secured openings and weather-suited hardware are worth thinking about on any exterior door in Orlando.

Questions people ask

Can I choose a smart or keypad lock instead of a key?: Yes. Smart and keypad locks can be fitted and set up where you want them, including on an exterior door alongside a deadbolt. The locksmith will tell you first whether your door and frame suit the model you have in mind.
Do locksmiths need a state licence in Florida?: Florida does not issue a statewide locksmith licence and has no state locksmith licensing board. The trade is regulated at county or municipal level instead, and requirements vary, so check current rules with the county or city consumer protection or licensing office where the work is done.
My door is in a gated or HOA community in Orlando. Does that matter?: It can. HOA-governed and gated communities are very common in Orlando subdivisions built after about 1985, and some have rules about exterior hardware or finish. Mention it when you call so the options discussed fit what you are allowed to install.
Will humidity affect the new lock?: Constant humidity, UV and heavy rain in Central Florida work on exterior cylinders and outdoor hardware over time. That is part of why the locksmith looks at the door and its exposure before recommending anything, rather than fitting the same lock everywhere.
What identification will I be asked for?: Government-issued photo identification plus something connecting you to the address, such as a lease, deed or utility bill, or confirmation from a landlord or property manager. Standard practice in Florida is to document this on the work order.

One call

One Call Locksmiths is a referral and scheduling service that arranges locksmith work with independent locksmiths across all fifty states — we are not the locksmith and we do not do the work ourselves. Call (866) 690-5848 for a free estimate on fitting new locks and deadbolts in Orlando, and the locksmith gives you the price before any work starts, for you to approve first.

Call now · (866) 690-5848

Something else in this area

One Call Locksmiths arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.