You inherited a ring of mystery keys
Some keys have tape labels, some have nothing, and every lock has its own key. We walk the property, note every door and build one clear system.
Key hierarchy planningOne Master Key Opens Every Door You Manage in Greater Atlanta
Each cylinder pinned to your floor plan by our 10-person team from Dunwoody.
Same-day response
We come to your property YES
Greater Atlanta area
When a master key system helps
Most master keying jobs start with a property manager or building owner who has too many keys and too many doors. These are the situations we plan around.
Several buildings on one property
Garden-style apartments, office parks and strip centers can give each building its own master, with one grand master covering them all.
Multi-building systemsA tenant moves out
In a master system, only that tenant's cylinder needs new pins. The rest of the building and the master keys stay as they are.
Cylinder re-pinningExit doors need to be on the system
Doors with exit hardware can join the master key system too, so one key still covers every door you manage.
Panic bar doorsProperties we master key
Tiered key plans suit buildings with many doors and many people who need different access. Tell us about your property and how many doors you manage.
- Office suites
- Apartment buildings
- Office parks
- Strip centers
How we set up a master key system
Walk the building
We visit every door and note each lock's brand and cylinder type, so we know up front which locks take new cylinders and which may need new hardware.
Map doors to people
We list who needs each door: tenants, staff, vendors and maintenance. This decides how many keys your property really needs.
Assign levels
We build the hierarchy of grand master, masters and change keys, keeping it only as deep as your building needs and marking spare slots for growth.
Pin the cylinders
We open each lock cylinder and set the pins to match the chart, so every cylinder fits its exact spot in the hierarchy.
Cut and test keys
We cut every key from the chart and test each one in its own door, the neighboring doors and across its master group.
More commercial lock services
Master keying is one of our commercial services. We can also help with:
Master key system service areas
- Dunwoody
- Greater Atlanta
- Alpharetta
- Roswell
- Decatur
- Peachtree City
- Surrounding communities
- Commercial locksmithLock work for offices, stores and multi-unit properties.
- Panic bar installationExit hardware for doors that need it.
- High-security locksLocks built for doors that need more protection.
- Lock installationNew locks fitted where old hardware won't take a new cylinder.
- Residential rekeyRekeying for stand-alone locks outside a master system.
Master key system FAQ
What is a master key system?
It is a set of locks where each person carries one key for exactly their doors. A change key opens one lock, a master key opens every lock in its group, and a grand master opens several master groups at once.
Will each tenant's key still open only their own door?
Yes. Each cylinder is pinned for two keys, the tenant's change key and the master. A neighbor's key is cut differently, so it won't line up. We check the chart for overlaps before cutting keys and test change keys in neighboring doors.
Do all my locks have to be replaced?
Often not. Much of the change happens inside the cylinder, so the locks can stay on the doors. During the walk-through we note each lock's brand and cylinder type and tell you if any need new hardware.
What happens when a tenant moves out?
Only that tenant's cylinder needs new pins. The rest of the system stays as it is.
How should we label the keys?
Tag keys with a code, not a suite number. A lost key marked with a suite number tells a stranger exactly where it goes. Keep your key chart somewhere safe, since it is the map for every future key and cylinder change.
Where do you set up master key systems?
Across Greater Atlanta, dispatched from Dunwoody, including Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Smyrna, Marietta, Kennesaw, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Alpharetta, Roswell, Decatur and Peachtree City. Call +1 678-338-8566 to plan your system.