A mortise lock is a lock body installed inside a pocket (mortise) cut into the edge of a door, rather than surface-mounted like a rim lock. It's the standard lock type for most residential and commercial doors across South Asia, the Middle East and a growing number of export markets, because it integrates cleanly with a handle set and offers a more secure fixing than a surface-mounted alternative. This guide covers what an international buyer should understand before sourcing mortise locks from an Indian exporter.
What defines a mortise lock's specification
Four measurements and material choices determine whether a mortise lock will actually fit and perform as expected on your project:
- Backset — the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the keyhole/spindle. A mismatch here is the single most common cause of a lock not fitting a pre-drilled door.
- Body size — typically specified in millimetres (e.g. 58mm, 60mm, 65mm center-to-center), which must match your door hardware set.
- Material — steel bodies with brass or steel components are common for cost-driven projects; solid brass or stainless steel bodies are used where corrosion resistance or a premium finish matters.
- Cylinder/key type — pin tumbler, lever, or a specific profile depending on the market and the handle set it will pair with.
When you request a quotation, specifying these four details up front — even as estimates — significantly reduces the back-and-forth before a quotation can be issued. Our own RFQ form is structured around exactly this information.
Mortise lock sets vs. lock bodies
Buyers sometimes conflate two related but distinct products: a mortise lock set (the complete assembly — lock body, handle, cylinder/keys, and often the strike plate) and a mortise lock body alone (sold separately, often to be paired with a handle set chosen independently, common in architectural/OEM projects where the handle design is customized). Clarifying which you need in your enquiry avoids a quotation for the wrong product configuration.
Finish options and where they matter
Finish is both aesthetic and functional. Matt black and satin stainless steel finishes are common in contemporary architectural projects; antique brass and polished brass suit heritage or premium residential projects; powder-coated or corrosion-resistant finishes matter more for coastal or humid destination climates. If your destination market has specific climate exposure, mention it in your enquiry — finish and base material selection is one of the easier things to adjust before production, and one of the hardest to fix after a shipment has already left port.
Typical MOQ considerations for mortise locks
Mortise lock sets generally carry a higher MOQ than simpler hardware items (tower bolts, small latches) because of the number of components involved in a full set — body, handle, cylinder, strike plate, fixing screws. Lock bodies sold alone can sometimes have a lower MOQ if you're sourcing handles separately. Exact MOQ depends on the specific model and finish, so this is confirmed during quotation rather than fixed site-wide — export houses that publish one blanket MOQ for every mortise lock model regardless of finish or size are usually simplifying for marketing purposes rather than giving you an accurate number.
Packaging for mortise locks specifically
Because a mortise lock set has loose small components (screws, strike plates, keys), individual unit packaging matters more here than for a single-piece item like a padlock. Confirm whether keys are packaged separately or taped to the lock body, whether installation instructions are included, and what the master carton quantity is — this affects your landed cost per unit once freight is factored in, since carton dimensions determine how efficiently a container can be loaded.
Trade terms for a mortise lock order
Mortise locks are typically ordered under FOB or CIF terms for container-load or part-container orders. If your order is small enough to ship by courier or air freight rather than sea freight, different Incoterms (like DAP) may make more sense. See our FOB vs CIF guide for a full explanation of how these terms allocate cost and risk, and our Export Markets page for the complete list of Incoterms we coordinate.
Sourcing mortise locks from ZORVEX GLOBAL EXIM
Our catalogue includes mortise lock sets and mortise lock bodies across multiple sizes, materials and finishes — browse the Mortise Locks category for current models, each listed with its SKU, size, material and finish. If you don't see the exact configuration you need, submit an RFQ describing your requirement — product availability, exact MOQ, and lead time are confirmed after review, and OEM/private-label configuration can be discussed if your order quantity supports it.