Last updated: February 2026
Stuart Locksmiths has completed over 340 electric and magnetic door lock installations across Martin County, and the average job runs $350 to $1,800 per door depending on lock type, door framing, and whether you need a new power supply. Most installations finish in 2 to 4 hours. If you're running a business on US-1, downtown Stuart, or anywhere off Kanner Highway, electric door lock installation in Stuart, FL is one of the fastest upgrades you can make to control who gets in and when.
These aren't smart locks for your house. Electric strikes, magnetic locks (maglocks), and electrified exit hardware are purpose-built for commercial doors, high-traffic entries, and any situation where a key just doesn't cut it anymore.
The Problem: Traditional Locks Don't Work for Most Commercial Doors
A standard deadbolt is fine for a single-family home. For a Stuart medical office, marina facility, or retail shop with 12 employees on rotating shifts, it's a liability. Rekeying every time someone leaves gets expensive fast. Physical keys get copied at hardware stores without your permission. And there's no way to know who unlocked the back door at 11 PM on a Saturday.
That's the core issue. Physical keys offer zero audit trail. If something goes missing from your Confusion Corner storefront or your Port Salerno warehouse, you have no record of who was where.
Electric and magnetic locks solve this directly. They integrate with Access Control Systems that log every entry, let you revoke access in seconds, and operate without a single key being cut. The hardware is also significantly harder to pick or bump than a conventional lock cylinder.
Why Businesses in Stuart Keep Running Into This
Stuart's commercial mix is part of the reason this comes up so often. You've got marinas, medical offices along SE Ocean Boulevard, light industrial near the Witham Field airport, and a dense strip of retail downtown. Each of those building types has different door configurations, different traffic volumes, and different compliance requirements.
Florida building code (FBC Section 1010) and NFPA 80 both have specific rules about how electrically locked egress doors must behave in a fire or power failure. Most maglocks, for example, must fail-safe, meaning the door releases automatically when power cuts. Getting that wrong during installation isn't just a security problem, it's a code violation.
A lot of installers who aren't licensed locksmiths skip that part entirely. We don't. Every job we do in Stuart meets FBC and NFPA standards from the first wire run to the final test.
Electric vs. Magnetic Locks: Which One Does Your Door Actually Need?
This is where most business owners get confused. Here's the short version.
Electric strikes replace the strike plate on your existing door frame. They work with your current lockset and release the latch when power is applied (or removed, depending on the fail mode you choose). Best for office suites, storage rooms, and interior doors where you want access control without changing much hardware.
Magnetic locks (maglocks) mount at the top of the door frame and hold the door shut using electromagnetic force, typically 600 to 1,200 lbs of holding force. No moving parts. Nothing to pick. Great for aluminum storefront doors, server rooms, and high-traffic entries. They require a compliant exit device like a push bar or motion sensor to release.
Electrified panic hardware combines egress compliance with electric control. Used on doors that require a panic bar by code, common on Stuart restaurant exits and event spaces near the waterfront.
Not sure which fits your door? We assess the frame, power availability, and your access control setup before recommending anything. See our Panic Bar Installation page if your doors require egress hardware specifically.
Electric Door Lock Pricing in Stuart, FL
Costs vary based on lock type, door prep work, and whether you already have a power supply and access control panel in place. Here's what most Stuart jobs actually run.
| Lock Type | Hardware Cost | Installation Cost | Total Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Strike (basic) | $95 - $220 | $150 - $250 | $350 - $600 |
| Magnetic Lock (600 lb) | $180 - $350 | $200 - $350 | $500 - $850 |
| Magnetic Lock (1200 lb) | $280 - $500 | $250 - $400 | $650 - $1,100 |
| Electrified Panic Hardware | $550 - $900 | $300 - $500 | $900 - $1,800 |
Multi-door discounts apply for 3 or more doors on the same visit. Power supply and conduit work, if needed, adds $75 to $200 per door on average. We quote everything upfront, no surprises at the end of the job.
How We Do the Installation: Our 5-Step Process
- Door and Frame Assessment. Before ordering anything, we check your door material (aluminum, steel, wood, hollow core), hinge configuration, and whether the existing frame can support the hardware. Stuart's humidity and salt air near the St. Lucie River can corrode cheaper hardware fast. We spec for the local environment.
- Power Supply and Wiring Plan. We locate the nearest power source, determine if you need a dedicated power supply unit, and map the wire route. Maglocks draw 3 to 6 watts continuously, so this step matters for your electrical load.
- Hardware Mounting. The lock gets mounted, templated, and aligned so the door operates correctly under power and at rest. Misaligned maglocks lose holding force fast. We test pull strength after mounting.
- Access Control Integration. If you're connecting to a keypad, card reader, or fob system, we wire and program the interface. This ties into your existing Keyless Entry Systems or a new panel if you're starting fresh.
- Code Compliance Test. We simulate a power failure to confirm fail-safe operation, test the egress release, and verify the door resets properly. You get documentation of the test results.
Industry Data: Why Businesses Are Switching to Electric Locks
| Metric | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial burglaries via forced entry | 60% of all commercial break-ins | FBI UCR Crime Data |
| Maglocks (1200 lb) vs. standard deadbolt resistance | 4x higher forced-entry resistance | ALOA Security Professionals |
| Businesses using electronic access control | Up 34% since 2021 among SMBs | ALOA Industry Report 2024 |
| Average cost of commercial break-in loss | $3,400 per incident | FBI UCR / SBA estimates |
A $650 maglock installation pays for itself the first time it deters a break-in. That's not a sales pitch, that's just math.
Why Choose Stuart Locksmiths for This Job
We're a licensed Florida locksmith operation, not a national chain dispatching an out-of-town contractor to your door. Our technicians know Martin County's commercial building stock, the door hardware challenges that come with waterfront humidity, and the specific quirks of older downtown Stuart buildings that weren't built with conduit runs in mind.
We've completed over 340 commercial electric lock jobs in the area. Response time for non-emergency commercial jobs runs 24 to 48 hours. For urgent situations, same-day service is available most days. We also service Palm City, Jensen Beach, and Port St. Lucie with the same lead times.
If your doors also need a broader security review, pair this service with our Office Lock Upgrades assessment. We'll look at everything, not just the front door.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to a magnetic lock when the power goes out?
A properly installed fail-safe maglock releases automatically when power is cut. This is required by Florida building code for any door on an egress path. Fail-secure locks (which stay locked during outages) are used only on non-egress doors like server rooms or storage areas. We configure this correctly based on your door's role in the building.
Can I add a magnetic lock to an existing glass storefront door in Stuart?
Yes, but aluminum storefront frames need specific mounting brackets since you can't drill directly into the glass header in most cases. We use surface-mount channel brackets designed for frameless and aluminum-framed doors. It's one of the more common jobs we do for downtown Stuart retail locations.
How much holding force do I actually need for a maglock?
600 lb maglocks work for standard interior doors and low-traffic entries. 1,200 lb units are the standard for exterior commercial doors where forced entry is a real concern. For double doors, you need either two locks or a single 1,500+ lb unit. We measure door weight and traffic volume before recommending a spec.
Do electric door locks work with my existing keypad or card reader?
Usually yes. Most electric strikes and maglocks accept a standard dry contact signal, which is what nearly every access control system outputs. If you have a proprietary system from a specific manufacturer, we verify compatibility before installation. We've integrated with HID, Allegion, Bosch, and several smaller systems common in Martin County offices.
Is electric door lock installation in Stuart FL covered by building permits?
Low-voltage wiring for locks typically doesn't require a separate permit in Martin County, but any work touching 120V power supply circuits may need an electrical permit depending on scope. We flag this during the quote phase so there are no surprises with the county.
How long does a maglock actually last?
Quality maglocks from manufacturers like Seco-Larm or Securitron have rated lifespans of 1 million-plus cycles. The electromagnetic coil itself rarely fails. What wears out faster in Stuart's salt-air environment is the armature plate surface, which can corrode and reduce holding force over 5 to 8 years without maintenance. We recommend an annual check of contact surfaces and holding force.
Can electric locks be tied into a fire alarm system?
They must be, on any egress door. Florida fire code requires that all electrically locked egress doors release upon activation of the fire alarm. We wire a relay connection between your fire alarm control panel and the lock power supply so this happens automatically. If your building doesn't have a fire alarm panel, we flag that separately.
What's the difference between an electric strike and a magnetic lock for my office suite door?
Electric strikes mount in the door frame and work with your existing lockset, so the door looks and functions normally from the outside. Maglocks mount at the top of the door and have no mechanical latch at all. For interior office suite doors, electric strikes are usually the cleaner choice. For exterior doors or doors where the latch hardware is already worn, maglocks are often simpler to retrofit.
How do employees exit through a magnetically locked door?
Three options: a push bar (panic hardware) that cuts power to the lock on contact, a request-to-exit (RTE) motion sensor above the door that releases the lock when someone approaches from inside, or a dedicated exit button mounted on the wall. The right choice depends on your traffic flow and whether the door is on an egress path.
Can Stuart Locksmiths install electric locks on multiple doors in one visit?
Absolutely. Multi-door jobs are actually more