Yes, in most cases, but only with the right permission and the right lock. Strata owners must follow their scheme’s registered by-laws, tenants need the landlord’s consent (get it in writing), and any lock on a fire-rated apartment door must be a type-tested, fire-rated model. Skipping any of these can mean removing the lock at your own cost.
Key takeaways
- Check whether your front door is lot or common property: if it is common property, your scheme’s registered by-laws set the rules.
- Pre-1996 strata schemes give owners a by-law right to fit a security lock, within limits on installation and appearance.
- NSW tenants and landlords can only change or add a lock with each other’s consent or on reasonable grounds, and must hand over a key or access device within 7 days.
- If the door is a fire door, only a lock tested for that type of door can be fitted.
- Keyless entry door lock systems need a plan for codes, a mechanical override and emergency access before installation day.
Who owns the front door? Lot property vs common property
In many NSW strata buildings the apartment front door is common property, not part of your lot, so the owners corporation has a say in what is fitted to it. Your strata plan and registered by-laws confirm where your lot boundary sits. Lot boundaries are set by the strata plan. In many Sydney apartment blocks the boundary follows the inner face of the walls, which leaves the entry door, frame and hardware in common property. Your strata manager can confirm how your scheme treats the door. This matters for keyless entry. Even where the by-laws allow a new lock, the work must not damage the door, change how it looks from the corridor or weaken its fire rating. In older Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and Kings Cross blocks, original timber doors and existing hardware can make that harder than owners expect.What approval do owners, tenants and landlords need?
Strata owners need to check their by-laws and usually seek owners corporation approval. Tenants need the landlord’s consent, and landlords need their tenant’s consent during a tenancy plus strata approval where the door is common property. Schemes still running on the pre-1996 by-laws give owners an extra right. By-law 5 in Schedule 2 of the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 lets an owner install a locking device to protect the lot against intruders, as long as it is fitted competently, looks in keeping with the building and is maintained by the owner. Newer schemes may have different wording, so read your registered by-laws rather than a summary. Outside that by-law, work on common property that goes beyond cosmetic changes generally needs owners corporation approval under the NSW strata renovation rules. For renters, NSW Fair Trading’s guidance on keys, locks and security devices in a rental property says a landlord or tenant can only change or add a lock with the other party’s consent or on reasonable grounds, such as an emergency or an NCAT order. Whoever changes it must provide a key or access device within 7 days. Separate rules, strengthened by reforms passed in October 2025, give tenants affected by domestic violence broader rights to change locks without the landlord’s consent.| Role | Approval needed | Who pays | Key risks |
| Strata owner-occupier | Registered by-laws first; owners corporation or strata committee approval for work on common property unless a by-law allows it | Owner | Ordered to remove the lock; fire-rating breach; door drops off the building master key |
| Landlord (owner of a rented unit) | Strata approval as above, plus the tenant’s consent during a tenancy | Landlord | Tenancy dispute; must give the tenant a working access device |
| Tenant | Landlord’s consent in writing; the landlord then deals with strata | Tenant, generally, if the tenant asked for the change, unless agreed otherwise | Bond claim to restore the old lock; breach of the tenancy agreement |
| Owners corporation (building-wide upgrade) | Decision made under the scheme’s by-laws and meeting rules | Owners corporation through levies | Product must suit every fire door; who controls admin codes and user data |
Do fire and building rules affect apartment door locks?
Yes. If your front door is a fire door, every piece of hardware on it, including the lock, must have been fire tested on that type of door. A keyless lock that is not certified for your door can compromise its fire rating, however secure it looks. Apartment entry doors that open onto a shared corridor or fire stair are often fire-rated doorsets. The leaf, frame, seals, closer and lock are tested together under Australian Standard AS 1905.1, and a different lockset should only be substituted if it has been tested on a doorset of similar construction. Buildings that lodge an Annual Fire Safety Statement have their fire safety measures assessed by an accredited practitioner each year. A non-compliant lock can be flagged at that inspection, and the owners corporation may then ask the owner to remove it. Fire-rated keyless locks do exist. Some manufacturers publish AS 1905.1 test results for specific door types, and some fire-rated versions drop features such as digital deadlocking to stay compliant. Match the certificate to your door, not just the brand.Fire door checklist before you buy
- Find the tag or label on the door edge and note the manufacturer and rating
- Ask the strata manager whether entry doors are listed on the building’s fire safety schedule
- Get the lock maker’s fire test certificate for your door type and rating
- Confirm the lock self-latches every time the door closes
- Keep the door closer working; never disconnect it
- Send the documents to the strata manager before any drilling
Which keyless systems suit apartments?
The safest keyless entry door lock systems for apartments are fire-rated electronic entrance locks or keypad units that keep a mechanical key override. The right choice depends on your door’s fire rating and what your by-laws allow.- Keypad lock. Pro: codes can be shared and deleted without cutting keys. Con: many low-cost keypad models are not tested for fire doors.
- Fob or card reader. Pro: simple for families and can match a building’s existing access system. Con: lost fobs must be deleted promptly or they remain a working key.
- Retrofit smart deadbolt. Pro: fits over the inside of an existing deadbolt, so the outside of the door looks unchanged. Con: it still alters door hardware, so fire-door and by-law checks still apply.
- Fire-rated electronic entrance lock. Pro: tested for fire doors and combines latch, keypad or app in one unit. Con: higher cost and fewer models to choose from.
How do you manage access for cleaners, agents, tradespeople and emergencies?
Give every person their own code or fob, limit it to the times they need, and keep a mechanical override for emergencies. Good access management is what makes keyless entry safer than handing out spare keys.- Cleaners: a personal code limited to their usual days and hours, deleted when the service ends.
- Agents and property managers: the landlord must hold a working key or access device, but entry still follows normal tenancy notice rules.
- Tradespeople: a one-off or time-limited code, with the lock’s access log checked afterwards.
- Building master key: if your door was on the building’s master key system, ask the strata manager whether management still needs access and how that will work.
- Emergencies: keep a key override and a spare key off-site. If the batteries fail, see keyless door lock battery dead: how to get back inside.
- Change of occupant: reset the admin code and delete every user code at handover.
How do you get approval and book installation?
Check the by-laws, confirm the door’s fire rating, choose a certified lock, get written approval, then book a licensed locksmith. Most problems start when work begins before approval arrives.- Ask the strata manager for the registered by-laws and whether the entry door is common property and fire-rated.
- Tenants: write to the landlord or agent with the product, the reason and who will pay. Landlords: get the tenant’s consent.
- Photograph the door tag, existing lock and door edge, and ask a locksmith which fire-rated keyless models fit.
- Apply to the strata manager with the product data sheet and fire test certificate.
- Wait for written approval and note any conditions on appearance, installer or maintenance.
- Book a licensed locksmith to install, test self-latching and closer action, and set up codes.
- Keep the approval, certificate and invoice, and give any required key or device to the landlord or tenant within 7 days.
FAQs
Do I need strata approval to change my front door lock in NSW
Can tenants install smart locks in NSW?
Only with the landlord’s consent or on reasonable grounds, such as an emergency or an NCAT order. Changing or adding a lock any other way is an offence and a breach of the tenancy agreement. A tenant who changes a lock must give the landlord a key or access device within 7 days.
Who pays for a keyless lock in a NSW rental?
NSW Fair Trading says that if a tenant requests a lock change, the tenant is generally responsible for the cost unless both parties agree otherwise. If the landlord wants keyless entry, the landlord pays. A tenant who changes locks without consent risks a claim against their bond to restore the original lock.
Can a keyless lock be fitted to a fire-rated apartment door?
Yes, but only a lock that has been fire tested on a door of similar construction and rating under AS 1905.1. Check the tag on your door, get the lock maker’s test certificate and confirm the lock self-latches. An uncertified smart lock can compromise the door’s fire rating and may have to be removed.
Who holds the master code in a strata building with keyless locks?
For a lock on your own apartment door, the owner normally holds the admin code. In a rental, the landlord must have a working key or access device. Where the owners corporation runs a building-wide system, the strata committee or building manager usually administers it. Put the arrangement in writing before installation.
Will a keyless lock take my apartment off the building's master key system?
It can. If your current cylinder is keyed to the building’s master key system, replacing it may stop building management opening your door with the master key. Ask your strata manager whether master key access is required, then ask your locksmith whether your chosen lock can take a cylinder keyed to that system.
What happens if a keyless lock's battery dies?
Most keyless locks warn you before the battery runs flat, and many have a key override or external power point. If you are locked out, a licensed locksmith can gain entry without damaging a fire-rated door. Bells Locksmiths runs a separate 24/7 after-hours line on 0415 967 038 for urgent lockouts.
Keyless Lock Installation for Sydney Strata Apartments
Keyless entry door lock systems work well in Sydney apartments when the approval and the hardware are right. Check the by-laws, confirm the fire rating and get consent in writing before anything is drilled.
Bells Locksmiths has installed and serviced locks for homes, strata buildings and businesses since 1975, with every job done by our own licensed locksmiths. See our keyless entry door lock service, our work for strata and property managers, or contact Bells Locksmiths on 02 9357 2333 during business hours. For after-hours emergencies, call 0415 967 038.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your situation with your owners corporation, strata manager or NSW Fair Trading.