You need a spare key for your flat, the storeroom or the mailbox. Simple job — except in Israel there is one thing worth knowing before you set off: a lot of front-door keys here cannot legally be copied at a kiosk, and that is by design. Here is how to tell which kind you have, and what it costs.
Two kinds of key, and it changes everything
- Standard key. A flat blade with cuts along the edge. Copied in minutes, cheap, no authorisation needed. Most interior doors, storerooms, mailboxes and older front doors.
- Patent / restricted key. Usually thicker, with grooves inside the blade or dimples on the face — Mul-T-Lock, Rav Bariach, Yardeni. A kiosk cannot copy it, and that is exactly the protection you paid for. Copying requires the security card that came with the lock.
Tell them apart in one second: if the key head carries a serial number or brand name and you were handed a plastic card with it, it is a patent key. If it looks plain with nothing stamped on it, it is standard.
Lost the security card?
Very common, especially in rented flats that have been through several tenants. Two options:
- Apply to the manufacturer with proof you own the property. Possible, but slow, and it does not always succeed.
- Replace the cylinder and get a fresh set of keys with a new card. This is what most people end up choosing — under an hour of work, and you regain full control over who holds a key. See lock replacement in Haifa.
Why a cheap copy sometimes does not work
If your new key "almost" goes in, or you have to jiggle it, that is not the lock being difficult:
- Copied from a copy. Every duplication adds a tiny deviation, and a copy of a copy is well off the original. Always duplicate from the original key, not the one in your pocket.
- Soft blank metal. Cheap alloys wear and snap — and then you need the fragment extracted from the lock.
- An uncalibrated machine. The difference between a good copy and a bad one is tenths of a millimetre.
Prices
| Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard key — flat, storeroom, mailbox | from ₪25 |
| Patent key (card required) | ₪60–₪150 |
| Full set for a new flat | by quantity |
| Cylinder replacement + new set | ₪150–₪600 |
We are a mobile service — we come to you, so there is no hunting for parking at a shopping centre. Send a photo of the key on WhatsApp and we will tell you straight away whether it can be copied and what it costs.
When copying is the wrong answer
- You have just moved in. Do not copy — replace. You cannot know how many copies exist with the previous tenant, their family, a builder or a cleaner.
- A flatmate or tenant moved out. A new copy does not cancel the one they already have.
- You lost a key along with something showing your address. Wallet, bag, post — change the cylinder and stop arguing with yourself.
- You rent out short-term. A smart lock removes the whole problem — a fresh code per guest, no physical keys at all.
🔑 Renting? Changing a cylinder is completely normal — keep the old one and refit it when you leave. Tell the landlord in one sentence and that is the end of it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to copy a key in Haifa?
Why won't a kiosk copy my key?
I lost the security card — what now?
My copy doesn't turn properly — why?
I've just moved in — should I copy or replace?
Can I change the lock if I'm renting?
Need a key copied in Haifa? Send a photo on WhatsApp or call 050-878-7589 — English spoken, and we come to you.