Best Locksmiths in Exeter & East Devon: 2026 Guide

Locked out in Exeter? Start here

Being locked out is miserable. You might be cold, late, low on phone battery and trying to work out whether the first sponsored result on Google is about to rescue you or ruin your evening. You don't need to become a lock expert in the next five minutes. You just need a real local business, the right person for the job and a price that doesn't mysteriously triple at the door.

Here is the quick version. For a safe, vehicle or commercial-security problem, ASAP Locksmith Services has the broadest independently listed service range. If you want an owner-led MLA-approved mobile service, try David Wilkie. Lockforce Exeter & East Devon combines recent MLA approval with a substantial Checkatrade review profile. Exeter Locksmiths is useful when you want a real city shop as well as an emergency number.

East of the city, J-Bee Locksmith, The Lock Monkey, Angus & Davey and Roberts/East Devon Lock & Key cover different parts of Exeter, Exmouth, Cranbrook, Sidmouth, Honiton and the surrounding towns. Auto Lock Devon is the specialist for car and van keys. At night, ring two suitable businesses and compare the complete quote. Calling the same unanswered number six times won't make anyone drive faster.

Can you trust the businesses in this guide?

We don't want to send you across Devon to a shuttered shop or leave you ringing a dead number from the doorstep. So, on 2 September 2026, we checked each business's own website, the Master Locksmiths Association directory, Companies House where we could identify a limited company, and independent review platforms. To make the list, a locksmith needed a real local base or named operator, a live first-party website, a direct contact route, clear coverage, useful service detail and positive third-party reviews.

Every business below appeared to be actively trading online when we checked. In plain English, its website and contact details were live and we could corroborate the service elsewhere. We didn't phone every number at midnight or test anybody's workmanship, so we can't promise who'll answer tonight or how quickly they'll reach your postcode. This is careful desk research, not a mystery shop, and nobody has paid for a place or a higher position.

Where a trade body independently lists a business, we say so. Where the business itself makes a claim about DBS checks, insurance, response times or guarantees, we say that too. We left out generic location pages with no identifiable local operator, and we didn't treat a copied badge or a few hand-picked testimonials on the company's own site as proof.

What did the independent review check show?

Five stars can mean two happy customers or hundreds of them, which is why the number beside the score matters. All ten businesses had a positive score on at least one third-party platform when checked on 2 September 2026. These figures are a dated snapshot rather than a promise: reviews can be added, removed or challenged, and every platform calculates its score differently.

Reviews are useful, but they aren't a locksmith qualification. A five-star average from two people tells you much less than dozens of detailed recent reports, and even a large profile can contain irrelevant or incentivised feedback. Read the newest reviews, then the worst ones, then a couple that describe the same job you need. That five-minute check can tell you far more than the shiny average at the top.

Who are the best locksmiths in Exeter and East Devon?

ASAP Locksmith Services — best for independently approved specialist work

ASAP Locksmith Services is based at Ashton Business Centre on Marsh Barton Trading Estate. Its current Master Locksmiths Association listing records approval number 003920, a 24-hour call-out service and capabilities covering mechanical and electrical access control, safes and vehicle locksmithing as well as ordinary home lockouts and replacement locks.

If the job is unusual — a safe, a car key, an aluminium shop door, a master-key system — this is where ASAP starts to stand out. It is one of the most versatile choices here rather than simply a domestic lockout service. The published number is 01392 715353.

Choose ASAP if: you want a currently listed MLA-approved Exeter business or the job is more specialised than opening and replacing a domestic lock.

Lockforce Exeter & East Devon — best for approval plus a deep review profile

If you would rather know the name of the person likely to turn up, this is an easy one to understand: the local operator is Nigel Manning. Lockforce covers Exeter, Cullompton and the eastern EX postcodes. In 2026, the Master Locksmiths Association announced that the business had joined its approved-company network. Its current Checkatrade search profile displays 10.0 from 61 reviews, giving it one of the clearest combinations of third-party approval and review depth in this shortlist.

The published service includes lockouts, lock fitting and repair, uPVC door and window work, digital or smart locks and commercial access-control jobs. Lockforce says there is no call-out charge, that Nigel is DBS checked and insured, and that work carries a guarantee. Its Exeter number is 01392 244094 and the direct mobile is 07423 420845.

The business also publishes unusually detailed notes from local jobs: door alignment, gearbox repair and lock work in Exeter, Honiton, Cullompton, Seaton and Ottery St Mary. They are the company's own posts, so treat them as such, but they are much more useful than a vague “we cover Devon” page.

Choose Lockforce if: you want a named local locksmith with current MLA approval and a substantial Checkatrade history, particularly for uPVC, smart-lock or door-alignment work.

David Wilkie Master Locksmith — best for an owner-led MLA service

David Wilkie Master Locksmith operates from Exminster, just south of Exeter. The business appears in the MLA's 2025 handbook under approval number 002712, and its own site publishes a 24-hour emergency service covering Exeter and towns across Devon. Services include gaining entry, lock repair and replacement, key cutting, safes and vehicle work.

Some people want a large workshop; others just want to speak directly to the person doing the job. David Wilkie is the latter, with the added reassurance of MLA approval. The general number is 01392 825711 and the published emergency number is 07740 874042.

Choose David Wilkie if: you want a direct owner-led service, you are south of Exeter, or you want an MLA-approved locksmith without going through a larger workshop.

First Choice Locksmiths — best for Trading Standards approval

First Choice Locksmiths is a family-run Exeter business available seven days a week. It covers emergency entry, replacement locks, uPVC and composite-door mechanisms, British Standard locks, on-site key cutting, digital locks and domestic or commercial security work. It publishes no call-out fee, although you should still ask for the total labour-and-parts price before booking.

First Choice's site states that it belongs to the United Kingdom Locksmiths Association and the Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Buy With Confidence scheme; Yell separately displays both credentials on its business profile. The scheme assesses participating traders against its code rather than acting as a simple review badge. Recheck the scheme's live directory if formal approval is important to your decision.

The business publishes 01392 275389 and 07846 507947. One small but important distinction: “seven days” does not mean “every hour”. Its stated opening times vary through the week, so check before treating it as a middle-of-the-night option.

Choose First Choice if: you value Trading Standards approval, need residential or uPVC work, and can agree a time within its published availability.

Exeter Locksmiths — best for a real shop and key cutting

Sometimes you don't need an emergency van. You need to put a strange key on a counter and ask another human what on earth it is. Exeter Locksmiths has something most mobile-only listings can't offer: a physical shop at 39 Cowick Street, St Thomas, EX4 1AW. It publishes weekday opening from 10am to 3pm for key cutting, lock supplies, surveys and general enquiries, plus a separate 24/7 emergency number.

The business says it has traded locally since 1997. The current limited company, Exeter Locksmiths Limited, is also visible as an active company at Companies House, incorporated in 2019 at the same Cowick Street address. That combination of a shopfront, matching public record and direct contact details makes the business unusually easy to verify.

The shop number is 01392 272725 and the published out-of-hours line is 07711 133850.

Choose Exeter Locksmiths if: you need keys cut, want to visit a real premises, or prefer an established city business with a separate emergency line.

J-Bee Locksmith — best for East Devon and clear terms

J-Bee Locksmith is run by Jim, an HM Forces veteran offering a direct mobile service across Exeter, Exmouth, Sidmouth, Honiton, Budleigh Salterton, Ottery St Mary, Topsham, Cullompton and Teignbridge. The published service includes domestic and commercial lockouts, uPVC repairs, security upgrades, some vehicle entry and on-site cutting of selected keys.

A small thing we liked here is the clarity. J-Bee says there is no call-out fee, that costs are discussed before work starts, and that parts and labour carry a 12-month guarantee. Its normal working window is 7am to 11pm every day; the site describes an emergency service but does not promise round-the-clock attendance. It also says Jim is insured, DBS checked and a member of Certified Locksmiths & Security. Those are claims from the business rather than an MLA listing, so ask for evidence if that matters to you.

The direct number is 07935 552927.

Choose J-Bee if: you are in East Devon, want to speak to the person attending, or have a uPVC door or window problem as well as an ordinary lockout.

The Lock Monkey — best if a female locksmith would feel more comfortable

Lockouts can feel especially horrible when you are alone or already anxious about a stranger coming to the house. The Lock Monkey is an independent family business based in Exmouth and serving Exeter, East Devon, Teignbridge and Torbay. It publishes a 24/7 emergency service, no call-out charge, free estimates and non-destructive entry where possible. The team includes an experienced female locksmith, which may help an older person, somebody living alone or anyone who would simply feel more comfortable asking for her.

The site states more than ten years in the trade and gives 07950 148390 as the direct number. Its East Devon emergency page quotes a 30-minute response around Exmouth, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Topsham, Cranbrook and Exeter, with 30–70 minutes for more distant parts of Teignbridge and Torbay. Treat those as estimates, not guarantees; traffic on the A30, M5 and Devon's smaller roads has opinions of its own.

Choose The Lock Monkey if: you are east of Exeter, want a 24-hour independent service, or would prefer to request a female locksmith.

Roberts/East Devon Lock & Key — best for an East Devon shop counter

If this isn't an emergency and you'd rather take the key or lock into a shop, Roberts is the useful East Devon option. Roberts (Ottery St Mary), trading with East Devon Lock & Key, publishes a shop at 13 Broad Street, Ottery St Mary, EX11 1BU and services through the related Honiton shop. The Honiton Business Network lists that branch as Honiton Hardware at 104 High Street, Honiton, EX14 1JW. The current website refers to both shops and says they open six days a week, but its branch wording isn't perfectly clear. Ring before making a special journey.

This is more than an emergency call-out number. The business cuts ordinary and older-style keys, sells locks and padlocks, builds keyed-alike and master-key systems, and sources brands including Yale, Union, ERA, Legge and Asec. Its independent review snapshot was 4.82 from 25 aggregated reviews, with recurring praise for key cutting and helpful service.

The Ottery St Mary number is 01404 813240; the Honiton and engineer-booking number is 01404 47052.

Choose Roberts/East Devon Lock & Key if: you are around Honiton or Ottery St Mary, want to take a key or lock into a shop, or need a planned master-key or keyed-alike system.

Angus & Davey Locksmiths — best for doors, windows and mechanisms

Sometimes the lock is not really the problem. The door has dropped, the window mechanism has jammed or the handle is turning without doing anything useful. Angus & Davey Locksmiths is a local independent service covering Cranbrook, Exeter, Exmouth, Honiton, Sidmouth, Cullompton, Budleigh Salterton, Seaton, Dawlish and Crediton. The current operator says he worked with founder Garry Angus before taking over when Garry retired in 2022.

Its useful speciality is the hardware around the lock: uPVC, aluminium and composite doors, multipoint gearboxes, window hinges, misted glazing, door closers and aluminium shopfronts. The site states that the operator is DBS checked and insured, offers clear pricing, and attempts non-destructive entry where possible. Yell displays 5.0 from 20 ratings, although that profile spans the business's earlier ownership as well as the current one.

The published direct number is 07521 392548.

Choose Angus & Davey if: the door or window itself is misaligned, jammed or damaged, or you need a commercial door closer or shopfront repaired alongside the lock.

Auto Lock Devon — best specialist for car and van keys

Car keys are their own expensive, electronic little world. If the problem is a transponder, remote or missing last key, you want somebody who deals with vehicles every day rather than a general locksmith hoping their kit supports your model. Auto Lock Devon is a mobile vehicle locksmith based in Exeter. It publishes car-key cutting and programming, replacement keys when every copy is lost, non-destructive vehicle entry, broken-key work and van deadlocks.

The independent review evidence is comparatively broad: Trustpilot displayed 4.6 from 21 reviews, including recent 2025 reports about replacement VW keys and vehicle-key fault finding, while Cylex aggregated a larger cross-platform footprint. Its site identifies Richard as the operator and publishes an Exeter base at St Lawrence Crescent.

The direct number is 07403 639918. Give the registration, make, model, year and whether every key is lost when requesting a quote; capability and price vary by vehicle.

Choose Auto Lock Devon if: the problem is a car or van key, remote, transponder, ignition barrel or vehicle lock rather than a door at home.

Which locksmith is best for your particular job?

You don't need the “best locksmith in Devon” in the abstract. You need the right person for the lock in front of you, somewhere near enough to help. Match the problem first:

• Locked out of a home in Exeter: compare David Wilkie, Lockforce, First Choice and Exeter Locksmiths.
• Locked out late at night: start with a provider that explicitly publishes 24-hour attendance—ASAP, David Wilkie, Exeter Locksmiths' emergency line or The Lock Monkey.
• uPVC door will not lock: Lockforce, First Choice, J-Bee, The Lock Monkey and Angus & Davey publish specific uPVC repair experience. A failed multipoint mechanism may need repair, not an entirely new door.
• Car or van lockout: ASAP has independently listed auto capability; J-Bee provides vehicle entry but says it does not currently cut or programme vehicle keys. Confirm the exact make, model and service before dispatch.
• Replacement vehicle key or programming: Auto Lock Devon is the dedicated local specialist; ASAP also has auto capability independently listed by the MLA.
• Keys copied while you wait: Exeter Locksmiths, Roberts in Ottery St Mary and Honiton Hardware provide physical retail options. ASAP also publishes workshop and key-cutting services.
• Safe, master-key or access-control problem: start with ASAP. These are specialist jobs, and an ordinary domestic call-out service may not carry the equipment or manufacturer knowledge required.
• East Devon village or coastal town: J-Bee, The Lock Monkey, Lockforce and Angus & Davey publish broad named coverage; Roberts adds shop counters in Ottery St Mary and Honiton.

How much does a locksmith cost in Exeter?

Here is the frustrating answer: it depends. There is no official Exeter tariff, and a locksmith cannot always know what has failed until they see the door. The total changes with the lock, the time of day, travel, labour, replacement parts and whether the door can be opened without drilling. As a rough market reference rather than a quote, Checkatrade's current Exeter page displays £119 to £220, with an average of £159.

The Which? Trusted Traders locksmith cost guide gives a more useful job-by-job national comparison. Its published ranges include labour and materials but exclude VAT:

Please don't read that table as a menu. These are national guide prices, not Exeter quotes, and a whole multipoint mechanism, specialist safe, unusual vehicle key, bank-holiday visit or remote rural journey can sit well outside them.

The number you actually care about is the likely total. Before anyone sets off, ask about:

1. any call-out or attendance fee;
2. the labour charge and whether it changes out of hours;
3. the estimated price of any replacement lock or mechanism;
4. whether VAT is included;
5. what could change the estimate after inspection; and
6. the guarantee on parts and workmanship.

The Master Locksmiths Association recommends three quotes when the job is not urgent. If you are stranded outside at midnight, nobody expects you to run a procurement exercise. Two clear quotes are still much better than accepting a suspiciously cheap headline from the first advert you see. Our guide to enjoying Exeter on a budget was not written for emergencies, but the same rule applies: know the full price before committing.

Are locksmiths licensed in the UK?

Oddly, no. There is no government licence somebody must earn before advertising as a locksmith in the UK. That is why the boring checks — a traceable business, current reviews, a named operator and a clear price — matter so much when you are choosing in a hurry.

MLA-approved companies are vetted, inspected and required to employ somebody with the association's qualification. Trading Standards' Buy With Confidence scheme provides a different kind of third-party check. Other memberships may still be useful, but do ask what was actually assessed. A logo on a website is easy to copy; a live directory entry is harder to fake.

A DBS claim is not a substitute for locksmith competence, just as a qualification is not a price guarantee. The strongest combination is a traceable local business, appropriate technical approval, clear terms, current reviews across more than one platform and a named person who will attend.

How can you avoid a rogue emergency locksmith?

Being locked out makes you a perfect target for pressure: you are stressed, you need the problem gone and the person on the phone knows it. The Master Locksmiths Association's consumer guidance warns about £39, £49 and £59 adverts that turn into much larger bills after attendance. Its examples include customers charged more than £500 for a simple lockout. A low quote is not automatically dishonest. A suspiciously low hook followed by vague answers is your cue to stop.

Before booking, ask these questions:

• What is the trading name and who will attend? A direct local locksmith should be willing to give you both.
• Are you sending an employee or a subcontractor? If it is a subcontractor, ask who your contract and payment will be with.
• What is the total likely charge? Include attendance, labour, parts, VAT and the out-of-hours rate.
• Will you try non-destructive entry first? Drilling is sometimes necessary, but it should not be the automatic first move on an ordinary working lock.
• Can I see current accreditation? Check it in the issuing body's directory rather than trusting a badge copied onto a website.
• What proof will you require from me? A responsible locksmith should establish that you have the right to enter the property.

If the answers get fuzzier with every question, call somebody else. You are not being difficult. You are asking what the job might cost and who is coming to your home.

What should you do if you are locked out right now?

Deep breath. First, move somewhere safe and well lit. If a child, vulnerable adult, active cooker, fire risk or medical emergency is inside, call 999 rather than waiting for a routine locksmith.

Then do the annoying obvious checks, because occasionally one of them saves the evening: another authorised entrance, a housemate, your landlord, the letting agent or a trusted person with a spare key. Do not climb, smash glass or try lock-picking advice from a video. You can hurt yourself and turn one repair into three.

When you ring:

1. give your exact postcode and describe the door and lock;
2. say whether the key is lost, inside, snapped or turning without opening;
3. send photographs if requested;
4. agree the likely total and arrival window;
5. ask the name of the person attending; and
6. have photo identification or proof of occupancy ready if accessible.

If you are outside alone, tell a friend where you are. Better still, wait in a nearby cafe, pub, neighbour's home or other open public place. The Lock Monkey gives the same advice, and it is good advice: you do not get bonus points for shivering on the doorstep while the van crawls through traffic.

Should you change the locks after moving home?

Changing locks is not the exciting bit of moving house. It is, however, worth doing when nobody can tell you where every old key ended up. Previous owners, tenants, cleaners, tradespeople and neighbours may all have been given copies over the years. Ask whether the existing hardware can be rekeyed or really needs replacing, and check your tenancy or insurance policy before altering a rented property.

Devon and Cornwall Police advises checking that timber or composite doors, frames, hinges and locks are secure and British Standard approved. For uPVC doors, an exposed euro cylinder should not project far enough to be easily snapped; the police guidance suggests replacing a protruding cylinder with a shorter one. For a new door, ask about PAS 24:2022 accredited products.

If you have recently arrived, our new-to-Exeter starter guide covers the rest of the practical settling-in work, while the Exeter neighbourhoods guide explains the character of each area. Once the door locks properly, exploring the city's independent shops and makers is a much nicer way to spend the afternoon.

Save a number before you need it

The best time to choose a locksmith is while you are inside, warm and not staring at your keys through the wrong side of the glass. Pick two suitable local numbers from this guide and save them under Locksmith – Exeter. It is a tiny favour for future you, who may one day be cold, phoneless and extremely grateful.

Then get back to the better parts of local life: knowing your neighbourhood, supporting the people who work in it and occasionally leaving the house on purpose.