Locked Out in Pompano Beach? What to Do, Step by Step
Updated: November 2026
If you're locked out in Pompano Beach, FL, deal with any danger first, then try the people who may hold a spare, and only then call a locksmith — after hearing the full price including the trip. Ours starts at $95 for a house or condo (usually $95–160) and $89 for a car, the same at 3 a.m. as at noon. Here is the order we'd follow ourselves.
- Licensed & insured
- 6-month workmanship warranty
- About 20 min to you
Step 1: Is anyone in danger?
A child, a vulnerable adult or a pet shut inside a car is a 911 call, not a locksmith call. The inside of a vehicle can heat up by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, and Florida's highway safety department says to call 911 right away (FLHSMV). The same goes for a stove left on or someone ill inside a house.
Step 2: Who might have a key already?
- Condo owners: many condo documents and board policies require owners to give management a copy of the unit key (Siegfried Rivera). In a beach tower or a Palm Aire building, the front desk or manager is the first call.
- Vacation-rental guests: Pompano requires every short-term rental to name a Local Designated Representative with a 24-hour phone number (City of Pompano Beach). Call that number before anyone else; hosts can read our vacation-rental page.
- Everyone else: family, a neighbor, your landlord.
- Locked out of the car instead? At the pier garage, a Pompano Citi Centre lot or after a show at the Amp, tell us the lot and row; car lockout has the details.
Step 3: Is the problem a dead keypad?
If the keypad is dark, the battery may be flat. Some Schlage models wake up when a 9-volt battery is held to contacts under the keypad (Schlage support). Check your lock's manual before you try it.
Step 4: Don't force it
Prying a slider or climbing through a window usually costs more than the lockout itself, and a cut hand costs more than both.
The phone check: four questions for any locksmith
Before anyone drives to you, ask these and jot down what you hear:
- "All in, with the drive here, what will I pay?" You want the complete figure for your kind of lock, not a call-out fee.
- "Do you charge more at night or on weekends?"
- "Do you start with non-destructive entry?"
- "Is the quoted price locked in before you touch the door?"
Also ask for the business name. If whoever answers will give only a generic name, the FTC's consumer guide suggests calling someone else (FTC consumer guide, archived).
Our answers: the total is given before we drive; there's no night or weekend fee; we open without damage first on almost every standard lock; and nothing starts until you've agreed to the price. Turn the on-site figure down and the visit costs nothing; say no to drilling and the attempt costs nothing either.
How to spot a locksmith scam
- An ad with a "$19" or "$29" service call. That number covers showing up, not opening your door. The real bill arrives later.
- The price jumps on arrival. In a Palm Beach County consumer-affairs case, the technician came in an unmarked van and demanded the service call plus a one-hour minimum (Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs).
- "We have to drill it" before any attempt to pick it. The FTC guide says to think about hiring someone else when a locksmith insists on drilling and replacing.
- No invoice with a company name, listing labor, parts and fees.
What ID should you have ready?
- House or condo: photo ID with this address on it; if your ID shows another address, bring a utility bill, deed or lease with your name.
- Car: photo ID whose name matches the car's registration, title or rental agreement. If your ID is inside, tell us on the phone — we'll check it once the door is open, before we leave.
What does a lockout cost with us?
| Lock | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard house or condo lock | from $95, usually $95–160 |
| Car | from $89, usually $89–154 |
| Smart, high-security or multipoint | quoted on the phone before we drive |
| How long until we arrive: about 20 minutes to most Pompano Beach addresses, with the time confirmed while you're on the phone. Lost the key rather than locked it in? A rekey the same visit makes the old key useless. Full list on prices. |
Quick answers
Is it cheaper to call during the day?
Not with us; one price list runs day and night.
Will you drill my lock?
Only when picking and bypass tools have failed, and you've said yes to the new figure first.
Can the condo association let me in?
If it holds a key under your documents, yes — call management first.
What if I think someone got in while I was away?
Pompano has no city police department; the Broward Sheriff's Office has handled policing here under contract since August 1, 1999, from its district office at 100 SW 3rd Street (BSO Pompano Beach). If nobody is in danger, use the county's non-emergency line, (954) 764-4357 (BSO); if someone may still be inside, dial 911. Rekey once the deputies are done.
· More: [house lockout](/house-lockout/) · [car lockout](/car-lockout/)
Locked out? Call — the price comes first.
Same price at any hour. A Pompano Beach technician comes to you.
Call (954) 906-3733