During a painting project last January I decided to replace my old EMTEK front door lock assembly that was not working well. I figured my best shot at success was Rex Key & Security in Berkeley, CA. I had never been there before. I think they must have everything lock related and the most knowledge people I have ever met to help. They found a lock assembly for me and had it shipped. Unfortunately it was not an exact replacement and to acquire an exact replacement was more $$$. Why this review? Perhaps when you have a need for a speciality part you will think of these people or just go there and see their shop. It is amazing. If your business will require extra time as my visit did they may even let you park in their lot. read more

Rex Key & Security - EMTEK front door lock. - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Berkeley, California

I had an issue with my Baldwin mortise lock and reached out to Rex Key. It was a 30 second fix - Instead of pushing a service call, they kindly walked me through the fix over the phone--step by step, no charge. With just basic tools, it worked perfectly. Their honesty and professionalism blew me away. I'll be using Rex Key for everything from now on. read more

Rex Key & Security - Cylinder was slightly twisted - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Berkeley, California

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These guys really know what they are doing! I brought in an old lock box - probably at least 70 years old with no key to be found. With patient and careful work one of the gentlemen was able to get it unlocked for me. It meant so much to me. They are good at what they do and have a great deal of integrity. I love this place and highly recommend it. read more

Amazing customer service and very knowledgeable and helpful people. I have been here a few times for repairs and security services and never disappointed. read more

Very dangerous driving - stay away! I had a terrible experience with a driver from this company. They cut me off aggressively on the road, putting my safety and others at serious risk. There was no signal, no regard for traffic rules, and it was completely reckless behavior. If this is how their employees or contractors act on the road, I'd be very concerned about the professionalism and responsibility of the company overall. I would never trust them with any kind of service. Safety should be a priority -- clearly, it isn't here. read more

Rex Key & Security - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Berkeley, California

The team handled my request quickly. I was in and out in minutes. They are friendly and the cost was reasonable. I will return if I need more keys made. read more

After putting 40 minutes on the parking meter, I was prepared to wait. This funky nightstand key took me from Albany and Kensington to Berkeley. I walked into this place, and a wall of keys greeted me with their shiny teeth. I made contact with one clerk, shared my challenge, and unveiled the key that every duplicate machine rejected. The man took one look at my key, twisting it between his fingers. Less than thirty seconds later he hands me my original key and three duplicates. I heard no machines. This guy had perfect pitch...just in terms of keys. I played one key, so to speak and he knew that exact key. For those of you with running stopwatches, I was in and out with in 3 minutes tops! These guys, pleasant and professional, here at Rex Key and Security have the keys to success. Lock in with these guys if you need duplicate keys. Teacher-approved. read more

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I lost car/house keys in Tilden and needed replacements. Rex Key made it so easy and even drove my car into their sketchy alleyway and parking lot because I lacked the skills to navigate that tight space. They obtained the key code by taking out the lock mechanism (Honda El Cerrito gave me the wrong key code!). Best price and service in town. read more

The employees there are one great group of gentlemen. They are truly kind and very courteous. Every time I go to have a key made or a cabinet unlocked they are fast and very kind. As customers they value every customer that comes in. They are fast at what they do read more

Had a lovely experience here getting copies of keys for my apartment. The person who helped me was extremely nice, and the keys were really quick to copy. Great value and he offered a student discount which was very appreciated. I highly recommend this business if you need keys copied! read more

Got a new car key at a fair price. I got a little sticker shock when I heard how much it was gonna be for a replacement car key. TBH, I wasn't that much of a fan of the attitude the guy gave me when I told him I wanted to call around real quick. I stepped outside and made a quick call to Art's automotive and they quoted me basically the same price, give or take $10. I was here already so I had them do the work. The dude was courteous and did a good job at that point. The key works fine. On my side I think it was fair to at least get another quick estimate on a ~300 service. I'd go there again. read more

My dad has been a loyal customer to Rex Key for years. I had my 1st experience recently and I highly recommend. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Pricing is competitive. I recently purchased a used car (push to start) and only received 1 copy of the key. The first day I went in, I was made aware they would need to order the key fob and would call when they had it in stock. Two days later I received a phone call and they took care of me upon arrival. The entire process of cutting the metal key and programming for 'push to start' was completed in less than 30 minutes! I also went to the dealer a few days prior for an estimate and it would have been much more costly! read more

They did an excellent job in appropriate style, all through a few carefully-posed questions that got to the heart of my existing setup, what I needed changed, how to do it, and what else they could help with. read more

Used them before on service calls for our rentals, and their service has always been excellent. However, this was my first time inside the store, and trust me - they have anything and everything you need for security locks. We purchased a lock from an *online* retailer and after several months decided to install them. However, the keys that came inside the box didn't open the lock! I asked Rex if they could simply re-key the lock and in all honesty they declined the job because the labor alone would cost much more than the lock was worth. I really appreciated the honesty and integrity that staff demonstrated. read more

This was my first time coming to this place to get my car door lock repaired, and they were very enthusiastic and quick. I highly recommend this place. 5 stars read more

I had a deadbolt that wouldn't budge. I called Rex. What a phenomenal experience. Even the person who made my appointment was wonderful - kind, clear, personable and she made sure I knew what I was going to be charged, which was so appreciated. Then I got Ian as my locksmith. What a godsend. He was somehow both very professional and put me completely at ease. He was efficient, quick but thorough, and flexible. I kept adding things on to what I wanted and he easily pivoted. He also called me before the appointment to make sure he knew what he would be doing. I was completely happy with the results. I will always use them moving forward. read more

Great service - technician went above & beyond to get my doors lined up so the deadbolts would fit into the recesses correctly.

It's been awhile since I've needed house keys copied and to my shock even Home Depot has a machine, not a person to help you and not a price anywhere. Ace Hardware wasn't open on a weekend. There are key machines everywhere but what would I do if the key wasn't fitting? My sister insisted I try Rex on University on Monday. Okay Okay. Glad I did! I love old school businesses with a bunch of guys at 8:31am all clicking along, moving the line and doing the work, joking and actually seemed happy. I actually left feeling happy. A great discovery and I'll use them from now on with fixing locks in the house and locksmith needs. read more

Josh at Rex Key was absolutely phenomenal. Had a Honda Accord fob that was malfunctioning. He not only got the problem solved on the quick and cheap - he also fixed an issue with driver's side door lock that had been plaguing the car for years (FOR FREE). @Josh I hope that doesn't get you in trouble. You've got a Rex Key customer for life. Thanks! read more

The person who answered the phone gave me a tip which fixed the problem with my lock! This saved me a service call! The next time I have a real lock issue, I will use Rex Key & Security for sure! read more

Great shop. Everything you need re locks etc etc etc. Very professional, courteous staff.

Dan was EXTREMELY knowledgeable about cutting a new car key. Wonderful to work with him.

Best place to get keys made. Wouldn't ever go any place else. They cleaned up the old locks, then they took old, badly made keys from the hardware store that hadn't worked well for years, they ground new keys keys, and now everything works! read more

I am so thankful for this place! I've been driving around town for the past couple months with a key and fob that was broken. I called the dealership and they wanted to charge me $400 to replace and program my key fob. Because of my key being detached from the fob, the only way I could turn the car key was to use pliers lol life has been stressful until I found Rex Key. I was recommended to this place from another locksmith who couldn't program or cut my key. I gave them a call and the staff was friendly and helpful. I purchased the new key fob online and they were able to help me cut and program the new key. I was in and out Rex Key's in 20 mins and paid $35 only (prices can vary depending on what you need). Highly highly recommend! read more

Rex Key & Security - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very efficient kind and well priced services! They helped me get my keys copied and it only took a minute.

I came needing two copies of four keys. The service was Courteous. Quick. And all key copies work. Large inventory to draw from.

I walked in and received immediate key duplication service. Super friendly. I almost left there without waiting for my receipt. They said I can get warranty even without a receipt if I return with a non-functioning key they duplicated. Now, that's what i call standing by their workmanship! read more

I have an old house with old doors with old locks that not everyone can work on locks but Rex has always been my go for to spot keys at a great price. read more

Too bad, just way more $$ than other places for key copies. I've got businesses in Berkeley and Oakland with suites that often require new commercial keys. I'm always on the lookout for reputable places around town. I've found a good one in SF that charges $10/key and a good one in Oakland for $6/key. These guys wanted $18.50/key for the exact same keys. read more

when I tell you this is the best locksmith place in California, I mean just that! these gentlemen go over and beyond to give amazing customer service and their prices are are better then fair don't waste your time anywhere else. Do yourself a favor and just go straight there. they even gave me a free keychain. just amazing people at an amazing business read more

Rex Key used a cheap aftermarket key blank (instead of an OEM one) and the programming didn't fully work with my 2012 Nissan Leaf, and then they gave me a hard time about refunding my money. At first they told me it must be an issue with my car, so I took it to my mechanic who charged me $135 to examine it and find nothing wrong. When I went back to Rex and asked for a refund, they didn't believe me and said they would only refund my money if I went to the dealer and got an OEM key that fully worked, and came back to them with my receipt. So I did that, and finally Rex did refund my money, but the owner was pretty grouchy about it. In fact, he should have been grateful that I did all the legwork and research to demonstrate that the aftermarket key blanks that they are using do not always work with 2012 Nissan Leafs. It may be worth the extra $200 to go to the dealer straight off. read more

I reached out to a number of Yelp listed businesses asking for a quote for a single copy of a 2008 Nissan Versa car key and three copies of our house key, and most places were between $190 and $199. I ended up going to a local Home Depot to copy the house keys for less than $20, and then my husband remembered Rex Key & Security from when he lived in Berkeley. We ended up dropping by on a Friday afternoon and the person behind the counter, who I assume is the owner, was able to duplicate the car key for around $50 in less than 10 minutes. Afterward, we went to Belmo Cafe and enjoyed a bunch of different pastries with the money we "saved" not going with other places. Berkeley is a little out of the way for us, but the prompt and professional service at Rex is unbeatable. read more

they are so friendly i stepped in while waiting for the bus and had a great shopping experience, they had just what i needed read more

Rex Key & Security - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came in to replace lost key for a car fuel cap. Turns out that they have no blank that fits it. Fine, it is a classic European - so I agreed for a $50 price for a key. Four hours later I am getting a call: "we can't open the lock. So we can't make a key". OK, I came in and opened/picked the lock for them (it is a simple 3-pin lock). I was nice to them, despite their apparent ineptitude as locksmiths, but they became very aggressive and basically told me to do it myself as I "know more than they do about the locks". Very unprofessional. As I see it - the place has a lot of fancy equipment, but no locksmith expertise. Probably ok for "standard job" (that incidentally can be done for way cheaper by a machine at Home Depot), but not for custom/nonstandard work. Personnel attitude is bad. read more

Ryan was great. And Pat was even better. Ryan was VERY helpful in 2-3 phone conversations, before I came in. We made an appointment for 1PM. Then when I got there and Ryan had left because of an emergency. Everyone was busy, so nobody was able to keep Ryan's appt. Until Pat realized that they really didn't wanna leave the customer high & dry, after I scheduled an appt. So he MADE time for me. Fixed my car. He also noticed my left rear tire was low. He filled it with air. Also gave me a ton of VERY helpful suggestions....advice....professional takes on how to avoid car break-ins. Took the time to make sure he answered all of my questions. I HIGHLY recommend this place. read more

Great! Quick! Reasonable price. They replaced the battery in my key fob, which had run out at point Isabel. Thank goodness I found them!

Same day response. Arrived within promised hour. Diagnosed and solved a front door lock problem at quoted rate. Great local business. I will use them again when needed. Nuf said? read more

Three months ago I needed to replace a lost car key, which Rex did at a cost of $265. The new key just broke, because the housing was poorly designed and weak. I went back this afternoon and had it replaced with a much more solid and sturdy key with a better housing. I asked for a discount on the replacement key because the key they had sold me was weak and inferior -- by their own admission. The store manager subjected me to tirades, insults and abuse, including throwing the receipt at me as I paid, reluctantly. All to the snickers of the staff. DON'T USE THESE GUYS, THEY'RE RUDE, ABUSIVE, AND DISRESPECTFUL, AND THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR WORK read more

I needed a spare key fob. They were very accommodating and had the key fob programmed in about an hour. The staff were very friendly and helpful. read more

Went in for a key replacement. The service was great and at a reasonable price. Personable and friendly.