Keying plans that let selected keys open selected doors, set up for buildings across the Atlanta area.
A master key system lets one key open many doors while each user's key opens only their own. It is used in offices, multi-tenant buildings, schools, and managed residential property to reduce the number of keys people carry while keeping access controlled.
The technician works from a keying chart: which doors each person needs, who holds a master, and how the building may grow. The chart matters more than the hardware, because a poorly planned system is hard to expand later.
A master key conversation usually starts from one of these situations:
Reach our team at (866) 472-3979 and describe the lock, door, or vehicle and what is happening.
Give your address or location so we can send a locksmith working that part of the metro.
Before any work starts, the technician looks at the lock or vehicle and explains what the job involves.
Once you are clear on the scope, the technician carries out the lockout, rekey, repair, or installation.
A keying chart maps every door in the building against every key that will exist, defining which keys open which doors and how many levels of master key sit above individual door keys. This is drafted before any cylinders are touched.
Systems can be simple, a single master plus individual keys, or layered with sub-masters for departments, floors, or building sections. The right structure depends on how the building is actually used day to day, not just its floor plan.
Restricted keyway hardware, which limits where blanks can be legally duplicated, is often part of a master system specifically to keep control over how many keys exist in circulation.
Expand any of the sections below for the detail behind a visit.
Multi-tenant office buildings and mixed-use developments common in corridors like Midtown and the Perimeter frequently need a master system that separates common-area access, shared by building staff, from individual suite access held only by that tenant. Property management companies overseeing several buildings across the metro often standardize on a single keyway and system structure across their portfolio, which makes rekeying and key issuance more consistent from site to site. For HOA and condo buildings, a master system covering amenity spaces, mechanical rooms, and common doors, separate from individual unit keys, is a frequent request from board members and management companies.
Before touching hardware the technician surveys which doors exist, what cylinders are fitted, and who currently needs access where. They check whether existing cylinders share a keyway and are in good enough condition to be re-pinned into a plan, and identify which doors would need new hardware to join. The keying chart is drafted and agreed before any cylinder is opened.
Have a list or floor plan of the doors involved and a sense of the roles that need access: who should hold a master, who needs a department or floor level key, and who needs only their own door. Any existing key records are extremely useful, even if incomplete.
A few words that come up during this kind of visit, without the jargon.
Often, if they share a compatible brand and keyway and are in good condition. The technician checks each cylinder and identifies which doors need new hardware to join the system.
A lost master is a significant event, because it may open every door. Planning for that, through restricted keyways and a rekey path, is part of designing the system.
Build the chart around the building as it may be in a few years, not just today, so new doors and roles can be added without rebuilding the system.
Not necessarily, but keeping the keyed cylinders within a compatible family makes the system far easier to design and expand.
Yes. Layered systems with department or floor-level sub-masters above individual door keys are a common structure for larger buildings.
The technician can leave a written record of the keying chart and who holds which level of key, which your team can maintain going forward.
No. Even a small office with a handful of doors can benefit from a simple master arrangement if multiple people need different levels of access.
It depends on the number of doors and whether cylinders can be re-pinned or need replacing. The survey and chart come first; the physical work is scheduled once the plan is agreed.
Yes, if the chart was designed with growth in mind, which is why the planning stage matters more than the hardware. Retrofitting an unplanned system is considerably harder.
Call and describe your situation and location, and one of our locksmiths serving your area will come out to you.
