![]() If the lock is made of hardened steel, it may not be possible to drill it out. Unless the lock mechanism is made of hardened steel, this will take only a few minutes. Home Depot has a wide selection of mailbox locks for about $10 to $20. To get into the mailbox, you can drill out the lock with a standard electric drill and a metal-cutting bit. However, it’s likely to be less expensive and not much more difficult to install a new lock. Drill It OutĪlternatively, you can open the mailbox yourself and take the lock to a locksmith for re-keying. When I was managing properties, we replaced locks for $60 flat. If you’re going to use a locksmith, call around and get three quotes. Add the cost of making a new key, which could be $20 or so. It will cost more if you’re in a hurry and it’s after hours or on the weekend.Įmergency locksmith services can start at around $200, with additional services such as installing a new lock or making a new key and travel time adding to that. One approach is to call a locksmith to open the mailbox and make a new key.Ī locksmith visit may cost anywhere from $30 to $150, depending on your location. In this case, the solutions are relatively straightforward. It’s important to know who owns the mailbox because the next steps to get a new key are different for each one. The organization’s management office will be able to tell you who owns the mailboxes. If the mailbox is part of a cluster unit serving many homes and displays a blue Postal Service eagle on it or says “United States Postal Service” anywhere on it, it belongs to the USPS.ģ) A n apartment complex, homeowner’s association, or condominium association. If the mailbox is by itself on a post in front of your house or attached to your house near the door, you own it.Ģ) The Postal Service. Step One is to determine ownership of the mailbox. The solution, of course, is to replace your lost mailbox key. It could contain a prescription, a postcard from a friend, or other time-sensitive material. By peeking through a gap in the door, you may see a letter Internal Revenue Service that could contain your tax refund check. On the other hand, that’s your mail in there. The penalty for this is a fine of up to up to $250,000 or imprisoned for up to three years. You may be convicted of damaging a mailbox. Say you are so anxious to retrieve the mail in your locked mailbox that you use a crowbar to pry open a United States Postal Service-owned box. Some of these are federal laws, which means violating one could be a federal offense. This service is free and can be scheduled so both party's do not have to wait for hours for someone to show up.Many laws, rules, regulations, policies, and practices govern the replacement of mailbox keys. A maintenance person from the PO or supervisor/postmaster comes out with the arrow key which opens the entire cluster box and allows you to remove and replace the lock. They let them know a lock needs to be changed. The condo association calls the post office servicing their cluster box. When someone spoke of a master key I assume they mean the arrow key the carriers have so they can open the entire cluster box so they can put the mail in. They do not keep individual keys for every mailbox at the PO or have a master key that is able to open all the individual mailboxes in our neck of the woods. They own the cluster boxes and are responsible for changing the locks when someone leaves or looses the key, or whatever. We had a similar situation with a condo association. I know every place the procedure may be a little different. Here is how it works in our neck of the woods (upstate NY). If I scratch that surface or bend the mailbox door, I’m going to be charged big money by my condo board. I can’t use a hammer or pry that box open. Yes I have a replacement ready to aren’t carbide and diamond grit bits for tile, masonry, glass etc. ![]() While I’m waiting for her, I’m going to try to drill the lock again. I’m going to go there this week and change the lock once she opens the entire box. She came 30 minutes before her usual 3 hour window. I drove to the rental site last week and waited for the mail person. The board gave me 3 copies of the keys (can’t find my spare). The condo board hired a private company to install the mailbox. Will this drill bit work better than a diamond or carbide bit? It says it’s for hard - There’s no master key with the manager’s office. I’m also going to bring some cutting oil. I’m going to hold a drill block in the desired location and start the hole. I believe I’m drilling in the wrong location. ![]()
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