Digital or mechanical lock?

Digital lock vs mechanical lock side by side

Both types can go on an HDB main door. On a fire-rated door, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) requires a digital lock to be certified for fire resistance.

Fire safety and the main door

According to HDB's gate and door guide, the main entrance door is a fire safety barrier. All fire-rated doors at the entrance of HDB flats have a door closer, a self-closing safety device that must not be removed. It keeps the door closed in a fire so the fire is contained in the unit.

SCDF notes that uncertified hardware on a fire door may affect its ability to limit fire spread. A serial label near the hinges of the door or frame shows the fire rating, for example 30 or 60 minutes. If unsure, check with HDB for a public home or your Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) for a condo. Since 2024, a digital lockset installed on a fire door must be certified for fire resistance.

HDB's renovation guidelines say replacing the main entrance door or frame along a fire escape route, such as a door opening onto a staircase or lift lobby, needs an HDB permit. The new door must be half-hour fire-rated, the frame must have a self-closing device, and the door must carry an accreditor's label. A main entrance door that is not fire-rated needs no permit to replace. See the HDB renovation permit guide.

Checking a digital lock before you buy

If your main door is fire-rated, ask the supplier for the lock's Certificate of Conformity (CoC). SCDF lists these checks:

• The brand and model match the lock you are buying.
• The lock's fire rating is at least the door's: a 30-minute door can take a lock rated 30, 60 or 120 minutes.
• The product details state a mechanical fail-safe, so you can still unlock the door to leave if the battery dies.
• The lock is tested to SS 332 or EN 1634-1.

For a digital lock, HDB renovation guidelines say that under SCDF's requirement, you may only choose one certified with a CoC to SS 332 or EN 1634-1 issued by a local Certification Body.

If an uncertified digital lock was installed on your residential fire door before the 2024 requirement took effect, SCDF encourages you to replace it with a certified one. To compare prices, see the digital lock cost guide.

Security and everyday use

No official source on this page rates the security of digital or mechanical locks, so do not assume either one is safer. With a digital lock, codes and access can be changed, in the ways the model allows. With a mechanical lock, keys can be copied or lost.

Before you buy a digital lock, ask the supplier:

• Does it have a tamper alarm?
• Does it lock automatically when the door shuts, and can you turn that off?
• How does the key or mechanical override work?
• How do you add or remove a code, card or app user?
• Does the lock warn you when the battery is low?

Power and maintenance

A digital lock runs on batteries. For a dead battery, SCDF asks you to check that a certified lock's product details state a mechanical fail-safe, so you can still unlock the door to leave. A mechanical lock needs no power.

For both types, HDB's home care guide suggests you:

• Oil locks, hinges and other moving parts.
• Tighten loose hinge screws, the usual reason a door is hard to open or close.
• Turn the door closer's speed-adjusting valves if the door closes too fast or will not shut on its own, and tighten the closer's screws.
• Replace the door closer if fluid leaks from it and the door cannot shut on its own.

FROM THE HOMEZYPRO DIRECTORY

Published door and lock rates

For the most common unit (per job), the lowest published door and lock rates from 4 companies run from S$50 to S$120 per job (middle rate S$60), for one door or lock. The middle figure is a real published rate, not an average. Each figure is one company's own advertised rate with its conditions, not a quote.

See 5 published door and lock rates and sources

Lowest matching advertised rate per company, in SGD as published. "From" marks a starting price and ranges are shown in full. Check the source for minimums, GST and inclusions.

Company	Service as listed	Rate	Source
Handyman Service Hero	Lock repair	S$50 to S$120 per job	handymanservicehero.com
Repairhome.sg	Door handle repair (excluding lock)	S$60 per job	repairhome.sg
SG QuickFix	Door Repair	From S$60 per job	sgquickfix.com
Quick Repair SG	Digital lock / locksmith services, from	From S$80	quickrepair.sg
Wefix4U	Gate and door installation	From S$120 per job	wefix4u.sg

In the directory, 5 companies publish a door or lock line. Of these, 4 price per job: their lowest published rates run from S$50 to S$120 per job as printed, with S$60 per job in the middle, which is one company's published rate, not an average. One digital lock or locksmith line reads From S$80, printed without a unit. See door and window repair or compare wider handyman rates.

Which one should you choose?

Ask yourself:

• Is your main door fire-rated? Check the label near the hinges.
• If it is, will you pick a certified digital lock whose CoC matches its brand and model?
• Who in your home needs access, and would a code, card, app or key suit them?
• Are you comfortable changing batteries?

A mechanical lock needs no power and opens with a key. A digital lock on a fire-rated door must be fire-certified. Either way, keep the door closer and the door's fire rating. For the installation job, see door lock replacement.

Questions