Guide
Do locksmiths charge a call-out fee?
Most do. Fixr lists a trip fee of $25 to $100 and a service call of $100 to $200; Thumbtack lists $30 to $150 just to come out. A fair quote folds the fee into one total. A very low fee quoted as if it were the whole price is the classic warning sign.
On this page
Trip fee, service call, minimum
| Job | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trip or service-call fee | $25 to $100 trip; $100 to $200 service call | Fixr, Jan 2025 |
| Emergency or after-hours surcharge | $150 to $250 | Fixr, Jan 2025 |
The names vary. A trip fee covers the drive; a service call or minimum often covers the first part of the job. The FTC tells consumers to ask about late-night, mileage and minimum fees up front.
The low fee that isn't the price
A quote of $15 to $35 is usually only the trip. The BBB describes scammers quoting as little as $15 and adding fees on site, and the Raleigh cases WRAL covered in 2010 started at $29 and $35. Ask: "What is the total, with labor, for this job?" How the scam works.
How long does a locksmith take to come?
There is no standard. It depends on where you are in Wake County, the time of day, traffic on the Beltline or I-40, and how many calls are ahead of you. Ask for an estimate when you call. Once there, a standard lockout usually takes minutes.
If you cancel
If you get in another way before they arrive, call right away. Some locksmiths charge the trip fee if they are already on the road. One poster on a locksmith forum described being billed a $29 service-call fee after declining the job, before anyone had arrived; agreeing on that fee on the phone, and on when it applies, avoids the argument.
Questions people in Raleigh ask
Do I pay the call-out fee if they can't open it?
Ask when you book. Many charge the trip fee regardless, and nothing more if they can't do the job.
Is the trip fee higher outside Raleigh?
It can be, if the locksmith is driving farther. Ask whether your town is inside their normal area.
Sources
- Fixr: Locksmith Prices (updated January 31, 2025)
- Thumbtack: Locksmith Prices (updated October 20, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Information: Finding a Locksmith (archived copy)
- Better Business Bureau: BBB Scam Alert, Locked out? Don't fall for a locksmith scam (July 24, 2020)
- WRAL: State licensing board cracks down on phony locksmiths (February 15, 2010)
- WRAL: Raleigh police arrest two unlicensed locksmiths (July 29, 2010)