A coworking space has more people coming and going than a normal office, and the list changes every week. Members join and cancel, day-pass visitors show up once, private-office teams want their room locked, and the cleaner comes in at night. Keys and a shared door code can't keep up with that.
This guide covers how members get in, how day passes and guests work, which doors to put on the system, and how your membership software can hand out door access so you aren't adding people by hand. Elwin is based in Santa Clara and installs access control in coworking spaces and shared offices from San Jose to the Peninsula.
Key takeaways
- Members can open doors with a fob, a card or a phone app. Kisi is the platform we install most often.
- Day passes and guest access can start and end on their own, so nobody has to remember to shut them off.
- Private offices get their own permission. A hot-desk member's fob opens the common doors and nothing else.
- Booking software such as Nexudus, OfficeRnD and Optix can connect to Kisi so door access follows the membership. Test it before launch.
- Door logs show whose fob opened the door, not who walked in behind them. Don't use them as a headcount.
How do coworking members get in the door?
Each member gets a credential: a key fob, a card or a phone app. They hold it up to the reader beside the door, the system checks whether they're allowed in at that hour, and the lock releases. If they aren't allowed, the door stays locked and the attempt shows up in the log.
Phone access is popular in coworking because there's nothing to hand out or collect. With Kisi, members unlock from the app on their phone. Some members still want a fob or card, so most spaces offer both. When someone cancels, you turn off their access in the app. There's no fob to chase and no lock to rekey.
Members also pick their own hours by plan. A hot-desk member might get weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A dedicated-desk or private-office member might get any time. You set those as groups once, then drop each new member into the right group.
See how we set up Kisi access control for fobs, cards and phone unlock on the same doors.
How do day passes and guests get in?
A day-pass visitor needs to get in for one day, and then their access should end on its own. With a cloud system like Kisi, you can give a day pass phone access that works only on that date and only on the front door. If your booking software is connected, buying the pass can create that access for you, and it comes off when the pass runs out.
A guest invited by a member usually doesn't need a credential at all. The member meets them at the door, or the guest rings a video intercom and whoever is at the front desk lets them in. Pick one way, tell your members, and put it in the welcome email.
If someone staffs the front desk during the day, you can set the main entry to unlock on a schedule (say, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays) and lock again on its own at closing. Members use their fob or phone outside those hours. Keep that unlock window short. An unlocked door is open to anyone walking by.
For an evening event, unlock the front door for the event window and let it relock when the event ends. That beats handing a door code to 60 people you've never met.
For buzzers, video intercoms and visitor check-in, see the visitor entry and intercom guide.
Private offices and common doors get different permissions.
Think of the space in two layers. Common doors (the main entry, a back door, the mail room if it locks) open for every active member during their plan's hours. Private offices open only for that office's team. A hot-desk member's fob shouldn't open anyone's private office, and a private-office team's fob opens their own room plus the common doors.
Then there are the rooms only you use: your operator office, the IT closet with the network gear, and storage. Put those on a staff-only group, and give your IT vendor temporary access when they visit.
You don't need a reader on every door. Many small spaces start with the front door and the IT closet, then add private offices as they lease them. Readers on private offices pay off when teams are paying extra for a room that locks.
| Door | Who gets in | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main entry | Active members and your staff | Each plan's hours | Can unlock on a schedule while the front desk is staffed |
| Back or side door | Members whose plan includes it, plus the cleaner | Member hours; the cleaner's night window | Often propped open for deliveries. A door-held alert tells you when it's left open. |
| Private office | That office's team only | Whatever their plan allows | You keep an operator override for emergencies and move-outs |
| Meeting room | Members who booked it | The booking, plus a few minutes either side | Only worth a reader if you charge for the room |
| Operator office, IT closet | Your staff; IT vendor on visit days | Staff hours | Keep members out of the network gear |
Can your booking software add members to the door system?
Often, yes. Membership and booking software such as Nexudus, OfficeRnD and Optix can connect to Kisi so the door system follows the membership. When someone signs up for a plan, they're added to the right door group. When the plan ends or a day pass runs out, the access comes off. Some setups can also open a meeting room door for the booked time.
This is where access control saves a coworking operator the most time, but check the details before you count on it. Ask your software company whether your plan includes the Kisi connection, how often it syncs (some sync every few minutes, so it isn't instant), and what happens to a member whose payment fails.
Then test it with a fake member before launch. Sign them up and try the door. Change their plan and try again. Cancel them and make sure the door stays locked. If you use other software, or none, you can still run everything from the Kisi app by hand. A space with a few dozen members can manage that fine.
We plan the doors, readers, intercom and booking connection together on our coworking space security jobs.
What door logs can tell you, and who should be an admin.
Every unlock is logged: whose credential, which door, what time. That's handy when a laptop goes missing from a private office, or when you want to know whether a cancelled member tried their fob last night.
Door logs show whose fob opened the door, not who walked in behind them. Don't use them as a headcount. Members hold the door for each other all day, and one tap can let in a group. If you need attendance numbers for billing, use check-in at the front desk or in your membership app.
Keep admin rights to a small group. A community manager may need to add members and let guests in, but only you and one backup should be able to change door schedules or delete the account. When a staff member leaves, remove their admin access the same day.
Check the door before you add a reader.
Most coworking spaces we see in San Jose and Santa Clara are in older office buildings or converted retail, with a glass storefront door at the front. A glass door with an Adams Rite deadlatch usually needs a strike made for storefront frames or a new electrified latch. A solid back door might get an HES electric strike or a Von Duprin exit device. A door that drags or doesn't latch gets fixed first. A reader can't make a bad door close.
If your space is in a multi-tenant building, the landlord controls the lobby door and the walls and ceilings where cable runs. Get their OK in writing before work starts, and ask whether your members can use their credential on the building door or need a building fob too.
People always have to be able to get out without a fob, and fire-rated doors need listed hardware. Your fire marshal or the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) decides compliance.
More on glass entries in keyless entry for commercial glass doors, and on older doors in adding access control to an existing door.
What it costs and how long it takes.
Plan on about $3,000–$7,000 per door for a new install, or $1,500–$3,500 per door to retrofit a door that already has access control. That covers the reader, the lock hardware, the wiring, the controller and setup. A front door and a back door together would land around $6,000–$14,000 as a new install. The software subscription depends on the platform, so we quote it with each job.
Lead time is usually 2–4 weeks from approval, and faster with an expedite fee. We plan the drilling and the switch-over around your members, so the space stays open while we work.
When you're ready, book a site walk. Bring a list of your plans and which doors each one should open, plus the name of your booking software. We'll walk every door with you and price it door by door.
See what changes the price in access control cost per door.
Coworking access control questions
How much does access control cost for a coworking space?
About $3,000–$7,000 per door for a new install, or $1,500–$3,500 per door to retrofit a door that already has access control. A small space with a front door and a back door would land around $6,000–$14,000 as a new install, plus a software subscription that depends on the platform.
Can coworking members use their phone instead of a key fob?
Yes. With Kisi and most cloud platforms, members can unlock from a phone app. Most spaces also keep fobs or cards on hand for members who'd rather not use their phone.
Does Kisi work with Nexudus, OfficeRnD or Optix?
Yes, Kisi lists connections with all three. They can add members to door groups when they join and take them off when the plan ends. Confirm your plan includes it, and test with a fake member before launch.
Can a day pass expire on its own?
Yes. A day pass can get phone access that works only on that date. If your booking software is connected to the door system, the access can come off when the pass runs out.
Do I need a card reader on every private office?
No. Many spaces start with the front door, the back door and the IT closet, then add private offices when teams are paying for a room that locks. You can add doors later on the same system.
Sources and further reading
These references support the general technical guidance. The right answer for a specific opening still depends on the property and the authorities responsible for the project.