Best Locksmiths in New Plymouth
We assessed 6 locksmiths in New Plymouth and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 210 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 22 September 2026. How we rank
Top 5 Locksmiths in New Plymouth
The 5 highest-scoring businesses from 6 analysed, ranked by Top5 Score.
How far is each one from you?
Straight-line distance, shown on each card.
Distances from ·
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1
Taranaki Locksmith
★ 4.9 48 reviews Top5 Score 147Highest5★ 46 4★ 1 1★ 1180 Barrett Road, Whalers Gate, New Plymouth
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2
Sopersmac | ARA Hardware
★ 4.6 42 reviews Top5 Score 1416.8 behind5★ 31 4★ 8 3★ 2 1★ 1Sopersmac cuts car keys, removes broken keys from locks, and advises on replacement locks and handles, typically turning jobs around while you wait.
145 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth
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3
The Mad Irish Keyman
★ 4.4 78 reviews Top5 Score 1379.9 behind5★ 60 4★ 7 3★ 2 2★ 2 1★ 7The Mad Irish Keyman gets to stranded drivers fast, covering car lockouts, stolen key replacements, ignition barrel swaps, and new car key cutting across the Taranaki region and beyond.
11 Devon Street East, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth
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4
Big Daddy Locksmith
★ 4.7 13 reviews Top5 Score 12225.5 behind5★ 12 1★ 1Big Daddy Locksmith covers house lockouts, car lockouts, and key cutting across the Taranaki region, travelling from South Taranaki to Bell Block to reach people who are stuck.
46 Penrith Street, Westown, New Plymouth
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5
Moturoa Locks 2020
★ 4.7 13 reviews Top5 Score 12225.5 behind5★ 12 1★ 1Moturoa Locks fits people who need a lock changed, a barrel replaced, or a hard-to-find lock sourced for an unusual door, and want it sorted without having to be home.
5 Smith Street, Lepperton
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Locksmiths elsewhere in New Zealand 5 links Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, and more
Also recommended locksmith in New Plymouth
Ranked 6 on the same public review record.
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6
Alpha Locksmiths Limited
★ 4.5 16 reviews Top5 Score 11235.0 behind5★ 14 1★ 2Alpha Locksmiths handles house lockouts, lost key replacements, car door lock repairs, and key cutting, with David regularly responding on short notice including weekends.
4 Bideford Street, Brooklands, New Plymouth
Before you book a locksmith in New Plymouth
Anyone can call themselves a locksmith in New Zealand, since the trade has no licence. Membership of the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia means the business employs trade-qualified locksmiths and has passed police and insurance checks, and its member search is public. For a lockout, get the full price before they set off, including the call-out fee and any after-hours surcharge, and ask whether they will try to open the lock without drilling it first. Expect to be asked for proof that you live there.
The questions below are drawn from 141 customer reviews collected for this page.
What does a locksmith typically cost in New Zealand?
No regulated price scale exists, so costs vary widely between providers and time of day. A standard residential or car lockout during business hours runs $80 to $160 as a call-out fee, with the total landing between $150 and $300 once labour and any parts are counted.
After-hours, weekend, or public holiday work adds roughly $50 to $150 on top, and travel distance pushes that further in regional areas like Taranaki. Car key replacement is the most expensive common job, ranging from around $150 for a basic cut key to $200 to $600 for a transponder key, and past $1,000 for a smart or proximity key depending on the make and model.
Does a locksmith need a licence in New Zealand, and how do I check one is legitimate?
Locksmithing is not a licensed trade in New Zealand and the title is not protected, so anyone can call themselves a locksmith without formal qualification. The one statutory boundary sits under the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010: a business that installs or repairs alarms, safe or strongroom locks, or security cameras qualifies as a security technician and must hold a licence or certificate of approval from the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA), which runs a public register you can search online.
Ordinary door locks, rekeying, and car keys fall outside that Act. The practical check is membership of the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia (MLAA), whose members must employ trade-qualified locksmiths holding the New Zealand Apprenticeship in Locksmithing at Level 4, pass police checks, and meet insurance requirements, with a public member search at findamasterlocksmith.co.nz. A legitimate operator will ask for proof of ownership or tenancy before opening your home or vehicle, which is a good sign rather than an obstacle.
How do I tell a genuine local locksmith from a call-centre operator?
A genuine local operator has a named owner or a physical address, answers the phone directly rather than routing through a national booking line, and the person who quotes the job is the person who arrives. Review patterns here show the experiences people rated highest were ones where the tradesperson came out personally, named themselves, and charged exactly what was quoted over the phone, with no additions on arrival. Watch for providers that advertise as local but dispatch a subcontractor, since that is where quoted prices tend to multiply once someone is standing at your door.
What are the warning signs of a locksmith you should not use?
- –A phone quote that rises significantly once the locksmith is on site with no clear explanation of what changed.
- –Drilling a lock without attempting to pick or decode it first, then charging for a replacement lock at a premium.
- –No invoice provided after the job, or pressure for cash payment with no receipt.
- –No request for any proof that you own or are entitled to access the property or vehicle.
- –Ignoring contact attempts across multiple channels, whether phone, text, or web form, particularly for urgent jobs.
- –Rude or dismissive responses when something goes wrong, such as a fault caused during the job being dismissed as not their concern.
What should you ask before booking a locksmith?
- –Ask for the total price upfront: call-out fee, labour, any after-hours or weekend surcharge, and the cost of parts if a lock or key needs replacing.
- –Ask how long until they arrive, and confirm whether that estimate accounts for their current location, since travel time in and around Taranaki can be significant.
- –Ask whether they will attempt non-destructive entry before drilling, as a skilled operator should open most residential locks without replacing them.
- –Ask whether they carry replacement locks on the van or need to order, since some jobs get deferred if stock is not on hand.
- –Ask whether rekeying the existing lock is an option rather than a full lock change, as it is usually cheaper and reviews here confirm it is a service local operators offer.
- –If you need a car key, ask whether they can cut and program a key for your specific make, model, and year before they travel to you, as not every operator carries equipment for all vehicles.
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About this ranking
What the 6 locksmiths listed above hold, at the 22 September 2026 check.
How are the top locksmiths in New Plymouth chosen?
We build this page from Google Maps results for locksmiths in New Plymouth. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record, using the same published method on every page. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. See how we rank for how rankings are made and who is left out.
Are you a locksmith in New Plymouth?
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying your listing is free: it adds a small trust bonus (+3 points) to your score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing, and gives you a dashboard showing how your score is made up. A paid subscription adds a website link, a profile page and your ranking history. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Not listed? The usual reasons are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Check where you rank first, and if you think we missed you, get in touch.