Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
Renting out a property means one thing above all else: you cannot be standing at the door every time someone needs in. The lock you choose decides whether you can text a cleaner a working code at 8 a.m. or drive across town with a spare key. Every pick below can issue and cancel a front-door code without you on site. The crowd favorite is the Veise VE017-L, a 4.5+ star lock that keeps landing in rental setups.
This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
A rental lock lives or dies on two things: remote open up and codes that expire. Every one of these seven has to pass both. The fingerprint reader, keypad, and finish are detail around that core job. If your property is anywhere you are not standing this week, read the options for door locks for rental property that can be run entirely from a phone.
Top Picks
How To Choose The Best Door Locks for Rental Property
A rental lock has one job your own front door lock does not: letting people in when you are somewhere else. Fail that test and every other feature is decoration. Below are the four things that actually separate a lock that survives a rotating cast of tenants, guests, and cleaners from one that ends up back in the returns pile.
Remote access decides everything
If you can lock and open up a door from your phone, you do not need to drive over with a key. That is the whole point. Some locks build Wi-Fi in and connect straight to your home network — that is a wireless connection the lock makes on its own, with no extra box. Others talk only over Bluetooth, which works only when you are standing within roughly phone-to-door distance. On a Bluetooth-only lock, changing a code remotely is not possible. Several of the locks below need a separate gateway (a small hub that plugs in and bridges the lock to your Wi-Fi) before remote access works at all. That is the difference between a lock you can run from a beach and one you can only run from the driveway.
Codes that expire on their own
Temporary and one-time codes are what separate a rental lock from a regular keypad deadbolt. Go through the app’s code options and ask three questions. Can you create a code that works only on set dates and times? Can you delete a code the moment a guest checks out, without touching the lock? Can you generate a code for a one-time visit — a delivery, a repair — that cannot be reused? The locks that answer yes to all three let you stop rekeying between tenants. The locks that stop at “permanent codes only” leave you swapping keys or changing codes by hand.
Durability ratings written for constant use
A rental door opens far more often than a family home’s. Look for two durability marks. BHMA Grade 3 is an independent certification covering how much wear a lock withstands over repeated cycling. IP55 and IP54 are weather resistance ratings, and both cover rain and dust well enough for an exterior door that takes the weather. On a lock sitting on someone else’s front door, the rating matters more than the finish color, because a failed deadbolt on a rental means an emergency call, not a warranty form.
Measure your door before you buy
Smart deadbolts fit standard holes, but the numbers vary a little between brands. Check your door thickness first, your backset (the measurement from the door’s edge to the center of the hole), and your bore hole size. A lock for a standard door usually lists all three. If your door is not standard — an older metal-clad unit, a thick commercial slab — read the spec line closely and expect to do a little extra work at install.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Model | Best For | Connectivity | Codes | Durability | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veise VE017-L Fingerprint Smart Lock | Hands-free entry plus a matching handle | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi with Veise G1 Gateway | 100 long-term + unlimited temporary or one-time | IP55, ANSI Grade 3 & BHMA | Amazon |
| TEEHO TE012W WiFi Fingerprint Smart Door Lock, Matte Black | Built-in Wi-Fi with no extra hub to buy | Built-in Wi-Fi | Up to 100 codes + one-time passcodes | BHMA Grade 3, IP55 | Amazon |
| Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt DL100 | Tactile keypad entry and battery-backed confidence | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi | Up to 200 customized codes | BHMA Grade 3, IP54 | Amazon |
| Veise VE06-L Smart Deadbolt with 2 Lever Handle Set, Satin Nickel | Managing many tenants from a web portal | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi with G2 Gateway | 250+ codes, scheduled or recurring | IP54, BHMA/ANSI Grade 3 | Amazon |
| Fingerprint Smart Deadbolt with Keypad — Sifely Model O | An entry-level bolt with small-group sharing | Bluetooth-only unless Sifely Gateway added | 100+ fingerprints and 100+ codes | Deadbolt with anti-peep codes and low battery alerts | Amazon |
| Philips Wi-Fi Smart Deadbolt Lock, Keyless Entry | Fingerprint-first families in one primary home | Built-in Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only) | Up to 100 custom + unlimited one-time codes | Aluminum with Away Mode | Amazon |
| Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Lock, Lever Handle, Century Trim | Short-term rental hosts running many doors | Bluetooth + built-in Wi-Fi | Over 200 codes, includes Airbnb pairing | BHMA highest residential rating | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
1. Veise VE017-L Fingerprint Smart Lock
Five ways in, one box, and handles that match the finish
This is the lock for a host who wants a guest to walk up, touch the sensor, and be inside in under a second. Veise rates the fingerprint reader at 0.2 seconds with an FPC sensor (a small glass sensor made specifically to read a fingerprint) running at 500DPI resolution, which is fine enough detail to read most fingers from any angle. It also ships as a kit — the smart deadbolt plus two zinc-alloy handles, one for each side of the door. That matters on a rental, because matching the finish to the existing hardware is the difference between “new lock” and “someone clearly swapped the door furniture.”
Where the Veise separates itself from the Sifely Model O below is remote access and code volume. This one runs 100 customizable long-term passwords, and you can generate unlimited temporary or one-time codes from the app for a cleaner, a handyman, or a same-day guest. Both the Veise and the Sifely need a gateway for phones-off-site control, but the Veise is the wider tool: recurring and scheduled codes for a long-term renter, plus one-offs for anyone who should not get a repeat visit. Install is a 10-minute job with a screwdriver and no wiring, and the lock fits standard US doors from 1-3/8″ to 2″ thick, self-detecting left or right swing.
You get two years of support when you register the lock, and buyers who hit setup trouble report it gets sorted fast — one owner summed up the pattern on the review pages: “At first I was not able to get this product to work correctly. I made a call to Veise for help with this. After a conversation with Isabell, I was shipped a new lock. Installed it and it works awesome.” The honest catch is the gateway. Remote lock and open up is a headline feature on this lock, but it does not work from the start — the Veise G1 Gateway (a separate plug-in hub that puts the lock on your Wi-Fi) is sold separately. If you buy this for a remote rental, put the gateway in the same order. Buyers also note you sometimes have to push the handle in slightly to get the latch to seat.
What earns it the top spot
- Fingerprint reads in 0.2 seconds with 99.99% accuracy per the maker’s spec — no key fumbling with groceries.
- 100 permanent codes plus unlimited temporary and one-time codes, right from the app.
- Two zinc-alloy handles included, so the whole door matches.
- IP55 weather rating and ANSI Grade 3 & BHMA standard — built for rain, dust, and constant use.
- Type-C emergency charging port so a dead battery does not leave you stranded on the doorstep.
What you should plan for
- Veise G1 Gateway (the plug-in hub that connects the lock to your Wi-Fi) is sold separately — buy it with the lock if you plan to manage from off-site.
- 4 AA batteries are not included.
- A few buyers report you have to push the doorknob slightly so the latch catches cleanly.
Reach for this if: You want guests, cleaners, or tenants to get in with a fingerprint or a code that expires on schedule, and you want the whole handle set to match.
Look elsewhere if: You will never need remote access — a Bluetooth-only lock will save you the gateway purchase and work just as well at the door.
Know the Specs
BHMA Grade 3 and IP ratings, decoded
BHMA Grade 3 is a third-party durability certification covering how much wear a lock handles over repeated open-close cycles — a Grade 3 deadbolt passed a defined set of durability tests rather than just surviving the first month. IP55 and IP54 are weather-resistance ratings, and both block rain and dust well enough for an exterior door that faces the elements. On a rental where the lock changes hands every few weeks, the durability certification usually outlives the finish color.
Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi vs. gateway
Bluetooth works phone-to-lock at short range — fine for open up from the driveway, useless for issuing a code from three time zones away. Wi-Fi built into the lock connects right to your home network with no extra hardware. Some locks speak only Bluetooth and need a separate gateway (a plug-in box that bridges the lock to Wi-Fi) before remote access works. Check which one you are buying before you commit, because the difference is a hardware add-on, not an app setting.
Timed, recurring, and one-time codes
Three code types cover almost every rental situation. A permanent code suits a long-term renter. A recurring code (active on chosen days or windows) suits a weekly cleaner. A one-time code dies after a single use and works for a delivery or a one-off visitor. Locks with remote code management let you cancel a code the same afternoon a guest checks out, without touching the door.
Door fit: thickness, backset, bore hole
Almost every smart deadbolt fits standard holes, but the specs vary between brands. Thickness, backset (edge of door to the center of the hole), and bore-hole diameter are the three numbers to check before you buy. Standard US doors usually land inside the ranges these locks publish. Non-standard doors — older metal-clad units or thick commercial slabs — may need extra drilling at install.
Common Questions
Can I change the code on my rental door lock without going to the property?
What is a one-time code and how does it work on a rental lock?
Do all of these locks need a separate hub or gateway for remote access?
How long do the batteries last on a smart lock for a rental property?
Will a smart deadbolt fit an older rental door?
Can I give a renter a code that expires after their stay?
Do these rental locks work with Alexa or Google Assistant?
What happens if the batteries die on the lock while a guest is inside?
Is a Grade 3 lock strong enough for a rental property?
Can I run two phones on the same rental lock app?
The Bottom Line
For most rentals, the best door locks for rental property pick is the Veise VE017-L, because it does the two jobs that matter — it lets a guest in with a 0.2-second fingerprint read, and it hands out temporary codes you can cancel the day they expire — and it comes with matching handles for the whole door. If you would rather not buy a separate hub, the TEEHO TE012W has Wi-Fi built in and runs 8 AA batteries for extended life. And if your rental is an Airbnb you manage remotely across several doors, the Schlage Encode is the industry standard for short-term rentals, with Airbnb pairing and BHMA’s highest residential durability rating. Whichever you pick, buy the gateway or confirm your Wi-Fi at the property first — remote access is the feature you bought the lock for.
How we choose
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of October 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Aappliancez earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.