Is this locksmith quote fair?

Check it line by line

Line	Published range	What to ask
Trip or service call	$25 to $100 trip, $100 to $200 service call (Fixr)	Is this included in the total?
After-hours surcharge	$150 to $250 (Fixr)	Does it apply right now?
House lockout labor	$50 to $175 all in (Fixr)	Will you pick it or drill it?
Rekey	$70 to $160 a job, $20 to $30 per extra cylinder (Fixr)	What is the price per lock?
New lock	$150 to $550 changed (Fixr)	Which brand and grade? Can I supply it?
Car key or fob	$125 to $250 transponder, $200 to $400 smart key (KBB)	Original or aftermarket? Is programming included?

Red flags

• The price went up on arrival. The BBB's advice: if the price on site doesn't match the phone quote, use someone else.
• "It has to be drilled." ALOA says a locksmith who goes straight to drilling is often a scammer. Standard locks can usually be picked.
• A blank form to sign. The FTC warns against signing a blank authorization.
• Cash only, and no invoice. Pay by card and get an itemized invoice with the business name and address.
• No name, and no license number. In North Carolina a locksmith's ads must show the board license number, so a business that can't give you one is a problem.

A range is not a quote

"$95 to $400, depending" is a common phone answer in the stories people post about locksmiths, and it tells you almost nothing. A range is fair when the locksmith hasn't seen the lock. Narrow it: describe the lock or the car exactly, send a photo, and ask for the most it could cost and what would push it there.

You can say no

If the price on site is higher than you agreed, you can decline before work starts. Some locksmiths charge the trip fee if you send them away; that is why you agree on the trip fee on the phone too. Once a lock is drilled, the argument is over, so ask first.

If it already happened

Keep the invoice and any texts. Dispute a card charge with your bank. File a complaint with the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board and the North Carolina Attorney General's consumer protection division, 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. Where and how.