Mon–Fri 9:00–5:30
San Diego's oldest locksmith · Est. 1926
A hundred years of getting San Diego back in.
Lockouts, car keys and fobs, rekeying, and safes — from a family shop that's been cutting keys since 1926 and has served North County since 1996.
- 4.8★ · 100+ reviews
- CA licensed, FBI background-checked
- Family-run since 1926
- Founded in San Diego
- 1926
- 100+ reviews
- 4.8★
- Minutes, typical arrival
- 15–30
- North County towns served
- 6
Locked out right now?
A technician typically reaches you in 15–30 minutes in most of North County. We open the lock without damage whenever it can be done.
Shop hours Mon–Fri 9:00–5:30. After hours, a technician is on call for lockouts — not 24/7 for everything, and the after-hours fee is quoted on the phone before we dispatch.
Services
Keys, locks, and safes — done properly.
Car keys & fobs
Chip keys, remotes, and fobs cut and programmed — usually under dealer price.Learn more about car keys & fobs
Lockouts
Home, auto, and business lockouts. No-damage entry, fast North County response.Learn more about lockouts
Rekeying & master keys
Rekey after a move or lost key. Master key systems for offices and rentals.Learn more about rekeying & master keys
Safes & vaults
Home, gun, and fireproof safes. Openings, lost combos, moving, installation.Learn more about safes & vaults
Mailbox Medic
USPS F-spec cluster boxes sold, repaired, and replaced for HOAs and apartments.Learn more about mailbox medic
Commercial hardware
Panic bars, ADA hardware, buzzers, access control, and door closers.Learn more about commercial hardware
One hundred years
1926 — 2026
Generations of San Diego customers have trusted A-1 with their keys. We're marking the centennial the way we've always worked: answering the phone and showing up.
Read our story1926
Founded in San Diego
A-1 opens as a key and lock shop in San Diego, cutting keys and servicing locks for homes and storefronts across a fast-growing city.
1996
Carlsbad Security Center
The shop moves north and opens the Carlsbad Security Center, adding safes, vaults, and commercial hardware.
2026
One hundred years
A century in, still family-run, and still answering the phone when someone is locked out.
Reviews
What North County says.
4.8
100+ reviews across Google & Yelp
106 reviews on Yelp alone.
“I was locked out of my car. In less than 15 minutes the locksmith showed up and had my car open in 5.”
“Everyone who works here is friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Truly masters at what they do.”
More reviews
100+ reviews and counting.
Read what North County customers say on Google and Yelp.
Licensed & background-checked
Know who's making your keys.
Out-of-area call centers advertise as local locksmiths across San Diego. Four checks protect you — whoever you call.
Ask for the LCO license number.
California licenses every locksmith company. Look it up before they arrive.
Expect a company name.
A real shop answers with its name — not “locksmith services.”
Beware bait pricing.
A cheap “service call” quote on the phone can turn into hundreds at the door. Get the total first.
Drilling is a last resort.
Most locks can be picked or bypassed. Drill-first is a replacement-lock upsell.
The shop
A-1 Lock & Safe
Serving Carlsbad and North County San Diego
- License
- CA licensed locksmith
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 9:00–5:30
- After hours
- On-call for lockouts
For attorneys & insurers
Forensic locksmith & expert witness.
Lock and safe examinations, written findings, and testimony in insurance and law-enforcement cases.