Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Lockbox check-in instructions template

A lockbox is the simplest self check-in there is, until a tired guest can't find it in the dark or can't work the dials. Most lockbox problems come from vague directions like "by the door" when there are three doors, or from guests not knowing how that particular box opens.

This template walks guests from the street to the sofa: where to park, exactly where the box is, how to open and close it, and who to call if the code doesn't work. Add a photo at each step and you'll get far fewer late-night calls.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

Before you arrive

Check-in is from [Check-in time].
We'll send your lockbox code on [Day and time the code is sent].
Please save this page and our number, [Host phone], before you set off.

1. Find the place

The address is [Address]. Look for [Landmark, e.g. the green door beside the bakery].

[Photo: the front of the building from the street]

2. Park

Please park [Parking spot, e.g. in the driveway on the right-hand side].

[Photo: the parking spot]

3. Find the lockbox

The lockbox is [Lockbox location, e.g. on the railing to the left of the front steps].

[Photo: the lockbox on the left of the door]

4. Open the lockbox

Enter your code: [Lockbox code]
Then [How it opens, e.g. press down the lever / slide the black button / pull the shackle].
If it won't open: [Reset step, e.g. spin all the dials back to 0 and try again slowly].

5. Let yourself in

The key opens [Which door and which lock].
Please close the lockbox again and scramble the code so it isn't left showing.
Keep the key with you during your stay, and put it back in the lockbox when you leave.

6. First things inside

Lights: [Light switch location]
Heat or air conditioning: [Thermostat location]
Wifi: [Network name] / [Wifi password]
House guide and spare toilet paper: [Location]

7. Who to call

Can't get in or something's wrong: call or text [Host name] at [Host phone].
If we don't answer: [Backup contact name and phone].
Emergency: call [Local emergency number] first.

Thanks, and welcome!

Tips

Change the lockbox code between guests, and never reuse a code that's been in an old listing message.
Take your photos at the hour most guests arrive, so the picture matches what they'll actually see.
Say which way the box opens; guests often enter the right code and then pull the wrong part.
Mount the box out of view of the street, but never so hidden that the directions get complicated.
Keep a spare key somewhere other than the lockbox in case a guest walks off with the first one.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

Where should I put a lockbox for an Airbnb?

Somewhere solid, close to the door it opens, lit at night and not obvious from the street, such as a railing, a fence post or a wall beside the door. Avoid gas meters and spots where snow or water collects.

When should I send the lockbox code to guests?

Many hosts send it on the day of arrival or a day before, so the code isn't sitting in a message for weeks. Send it in the booking platform's messages so there's a record.

What if a guest can't open the lockbox?

Have them reset the dials and enter the code slowly while you stay on the phone. Keep a backup way in, such as a neighbour or a second box, for when it really won't open.

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Free to use

Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/check-in-instructions/lockbox/