What Every New Facility Manager Should Know About Key Control

Congratulations on your adventure. Stepping into a facility management role comes with a long list of responsibilities. You may be overseeing maintenance, vendors, repairs, budgets, inspections, tenant needs, staff concerns, and day-to-day building operations.

One responsibility that is easy to overlook is physical key control.

Whether you manage an office building, church, school, retail space, warehouse, medical office, or commercial property, knowing who has access to your facility is one of the most important parts of protecting the building. A strong key control process helps reduce risk, prevent confusion, and support better long-term security decisions.

Start by Learning Who Has Keys

One of the first questions a new facility manager should ask is simple:

Who currently has keys to this building?

The answer may not be as clear as you expect. Keys may have been issued to employees, managers, vendors, cleaning crews, contractors, former staff members, property managers, or department leaders over many years.

Your goal is to identify:

• Who has exterior door keys
• Who has office or department keys
• Who has master keys
• Which vendors or contractors have access
• Whether any former employees may still have keys
• Whether key records are current or outdated

If your building does not already have a key holder list, creating one should be a top priority.

Understand Your Master Key System

A master key system can make building management much easier, but it also requires careful oversight. A master key may open several doors, departments, suites, or restricted areas. If too many people have master keys, your facility may have more access risk than you realize.

As a new facility manager, you should learn:

• How the master key system is organized
• Which doors each level of key opens
• Who currently has master keys
• Whether master keys are documented
• Whether the system still matches the building layout

For more guidance, read:
Who Should Have a Master Key in Your Business?

You can also learn more about our commercial master key services here:
Master Keying Locksmith Dallas & Fort Worth

Conduct a Key Audit Early

A key audit is one of the best ways to understand the current condition of your building’s physical access. It helps you identify who has keys, what those keys open, and whether any access needs to be changed.

A key audit should review:

• Current key holders
• Former employees or vendors who may still have keys
• Missing or unreturned keys
• Master key assignments
• Restricted or sensitive areas
• Whether rekeying is needed
• Whether the key system still supports daily operations

If your facility has not reviewed keys recently, start with our guide:
How Often Should Businesses Audit Their Keys?

Review Employee Offboarding Procedures

When employees leave, their keys should be returned and documented as part of the offboarding process. Unfortunately, key return is often missed during busy transitions.

If a former employee still has a key, your building may still have an access risk. This is especially important if the key opens exterior doors, restricted areas, offices, storage rooms, or is part of a master key system.

Every facility manager should make sure employee offboarding includes:

• Returning all assigned keys
• Returning access cards or fobs
• Disabling alarm codes or electronic credentials
• Updating the key holder list
• Reviewing whether rekeying is necessary

For more detail, read:
What Happens When Employees Do Not Return Their Keys?

Watch for Common Key Control Mistakes

Many key control problems develop slowly. A business may start with a simple, organized system, but over time, keys are copied, departments change, managers leave, vendors rotate, and records become outdated.

Common warning signs include:

• No written key holder list
• Unknown master key holders
• Former employees with possible access
• Vendors with permanent keys
• Employees sharing keys
• Unapproved key duplication
• No routine key audit schedule
• No written key control policy

These problems are common, but they can be corrected with the right process.

Related article:
Common Key Control Mistakes Businesses Make

Control Vendor and Contractor Access

Facility managers often coordinate access for outside vendors, including cleaning crews, HVAC companies, electricians, plumbers, IT providers, fire alarm companies, pest control services, and general contractors.

Vendor access should be intentional, limited, and documented.

Before issuing a key to a vendor, ask:

• Does this vendor truly need a physical key?
• Which doors or areas do they need to access?
• How long will they need access?
• Who is responsible for returning the key?
• Will subcontractors also have access?
• Should access be temporary instead of permanent?

When vendor relationships end, keys should be collected and records should be updated. If keys are not returned, rekeying may need to be considered.

Create a Key Control Policy

A key control policy gives your facility a clear process for issuing, tracking, copying, returning, and reviewing keys.

Your policy should define:

• Who can approve new keys
• Who can request duplicate keys
• How keys are documented
• How master keys are limited
• How vendor keys are managed
• What happens when a key is lost
• When locks should be rekeyed
• How often key audits are performed

A written policy helps protect the facility and gives future managers a system they can continue using.

Know When Rekeying Is the Right Step

Rekeying changes the lock so old keys no longer work. It is often more practical than replacing all hardware, especially when the locks are still in good condition.

Facility managers should consider commercial rekeying when:

• Keys are missing
• Employees did not return keys
• Vendors no longer need access
• Tenants move out
• Master keys are unaccounted for
• Key records are unreliable
• There has been a security concern

Learn more about our commercial locksmith services here:
Commercial Locksmith Services

Think Beyond Today’s Building

A good facility manager does not only think about today’s keys. They also consider how the building may change over time.

Your key system may need to be reviewed when:

• Departments move or expand
• New offices or suites are added
• Tenants change
• Renovations are completed
• New leadership takes over
• Security responsibilities change
• The business grows into additional locations

Key control should grow with the facility, not lag behind it.

Partner with a Commercial Locksmith You Trust

You do not have to figure out your building’s key system alone. A commercial locksmith can help you understand your current access, identify security concerns, review your master key system, and recommend practical next steps.

At Texas Master Locksmiths, we help facility managers, business owners, churches, schools, offices, warehouses, retail stores, and property managers throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area manage commercial rekeying, master key systems, key control, and physical security needs.

Our goal is not to sell unnecessary hardware. Our goal is to help you make wise security decisions for your facility.

Need Help Reviewing Your Facility’s Key Control?

If you are new to managing a facility, now is the right time to review your keys, master key access, vendor access, and rekeying needs.

Texas Master Locksmiths can help you understand your current key system and create a practical plan for better physical security.

Contact Texas Master Locksmiths
today to schedule a commercial locksmith consultation or key control review.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facility Key Control