Under Texas Property Code Section 92.156, a landlord must rekey a rental’s security devices, at the landlord’s cost, within seven days after each tenant turnover date: the day a new tenant moves in once earlier occupants have left. Extra rekeys a tenant requests are at the tenant’s cost. WOW Locks rekeys at $30 per lock, 3-lock minimum. General information, not legal advice. Call (844) 969-5625.
The Turnover Rekey Rule in Plain English (Texas Property Code 92.156)
The landlord rekeys any security device that works by key, card or combination, and the landlord pays. The deadline is no later than the seventh day after each tenant turnover date. That date is not the day the old tenant hands in keys. It is the day a new tenant moves in under a lease, once every earlier occupant is gone. So the clock starts at move-in, not at move-out.
This is a residential rule. Chapter 92 of the Property Code covers residential leases. If you lease commercial space, read your lease and talk to an attorney, because this rule is not written for you.
| Situation | Who pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rekey after a tenant moves out | Landlord | Due no later than the seventh day after the tenant turnover date |
| Tenant asks for another rekey or device change | Tenant | The landlord must do it on request, and there is no cap on how many times a tenant can ask |
| Rekey needed because of the landlord’s master key use or change | Landlord | The landlord alone pays |
| Tenant leaves in breach of a written lease | Can be deducted from the deposit | Only if the lease has an underlined or boldface clause that allows it, and only a reasonable cost |
Because the clock runs from move-in, many landlords rekey in the gap between tenants, so the job is finished before keys change hands. If your timing is unusual (a same-day turnover, a long vacancy, a tenant who moved in early), check with an attorney instead of guessing.
Managing more than a few doors? Call (844) 969-5625 or request service. Tell the dispatcher how many units and locks you have.
What Counts as a Door to Rekey and What Does Not
The rule covers security devices operated by key, card or combination. It does not cover closet doors or other interior doors. For a typical unit, the working list looks like this:
- Front door knob lock and deadbolt
- Back or patio door lock
- Garage entry door, if the unit has one
- Any other exterior door with a keyed lock
Count locks, not doors. A front door with a knob lock and a deadbolt is two locks, and each one is billed as a lock. Interior bedroom and closet doors stay off the list.
If a device is unusual, such as a keypad on a shared gate, ask an attorney whether the statute reaches it. What the law requires is a question for your lawyer. What the hardware allows is a question for the dispatcher.
Tenant Requests: Extra Rekeys and Who Pays
The turnover rekey is the landlord’s job. After that, a tenant who wants another rekey or a device change can ask, and the landlord has to do it at the tenant’s cost. The statute puts no limit on how often a tenant can ask. If the work is caused by the landlord’s use or change of a master key, the landlord pays instead.
Two practical points:
- Keep a paper trail. Log the date of every turnover rekey and every tenant request, along with who paid.
- Let the landlord choose the locksmith. A renter who wants a lock changed should ask the landlord first, because the lock belongs to the landlord and most leases require notice. Whether a tenant may change a lock on their own without permission is not something to assume. Tenants should ask the landlord or an attorney, and landlords should say what they allow in the lease.
If you are on the tenant side of a lockout, our guide on what to do when locked out of an apartment covers that situation.
Rekey Cost Walk-Through: 1 Unit, 10 Units, a Fourplex
Residential rekeying follows the published flat-rate price list: $30 per lock, with a 3-lock minimum per visit. A new two-key set is $15. Tax and parts are additional.
The table below assumes each unit has three locks and the whole job is one visit. Every total is an example worked out from the rate card, not a package price.
| Units (3 locks each) | Rekey (example) | With one new two-key set per unit (example) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | $90 | $105 |
| 2 units | $180 | $210 |
| 4 units (a fourplex) | $360 | $420 |
| 6 units | $540 | $630 |
| 8 units | $720 | $840 |
| 10 units | $900 | $1,050 |
Two notes. The 3-lock minimum applies once per visit, not per unit, so a multi-unit visit is billed for the locks actually rekeyed as long as the visit totals three or more. And a unit with five locks is five times $30 plus tax, so adjust the row.
Keyed-Alike and Master Key Options for Multi-Unit Properties
Inside one unit, you can often key the locks alike so a single key opens the front and back doors. That works when the cylinders and keyways are compatible. It cuts the number of keys a tenant carries.
Across units, do not share a key. If one key opens several apartments, one lost key exposes every one of them. A master key system is the safer route: each tenant has a key to their unit only, while you hold a key that opens all of them. A master key system is a custom quote, and the master key systems page explains how they are set up. Remember that a rekey caused by your master key use or change is on you, not the tenant.
Turnover Day Workflow: Rekey, Test, Log, Hand Over
Use this order for every unit. It works the same for a single-family rental and a 10-unit property.
- Confirm the move-in date. The tenant turnover date sets your deadline.
- Count the locks. Front, back, garage entry, any other exterior door. Skip closets and interior doors.
- Rekey and test. Every key must work in its lock, and every old key should fail.
- Cut and count the keys. Decide how many keys the tenant gets, and write the number down.
- Log it. Record the date, the unit, who did the work, and who paid.
- Hand over. Give the tenant the keys and a note of the rekey date.
WOW Locks has local technicians in Austin, so property managers from West Campus to South Austin can book a turnover job straight through the Austin service areas. We hold Texas DPS (TOPS) license B10595301 and are insured and bonded. Any add-on is quoted on the call before a technician is dispatched.
When to Replace a Lock Instead of Rekeying It
Rekeying is the right move when the lock is in good condition. Replace it when:
- the key sticks, the bolt drags, or the lock wiggles on the door,
- the finish is worn through or the hardware is broken,
- the cylinder will not take a rekey, or
- the lock is low quality and fails often.
A new deadbolt or doorknob installation is $90 for the work, with hardware additional if we supply it. If you are on the fence, the guide on whether to rekey or replace locks when moving walks through the questions to ask. The lock rekeying page covers the process itself.
Turnover week coming up? Call (844) 969-5625 or request service with your unit and lock count.