Automotive Guide

Losing your only car key is stressful, especially now that most keys have a chip or a remote built in. The good news is that in many cases a new key can be made without the original. Here's what to do, what to have ready, and how the main options compare.

First, Retrace Your Steps

Check pockets, bags and the car's surroundings, and call the last places you visited. If you think the key was stolen along with something showing your address, keep that in mind for later: you may want the old key erased from the car's memory once you have a new one.

What to Have Ready

Whoever makes your new key should confirm the car is yours before they cut or program anything. Having these ready speeds things up:

• Photo ID that matches the name on the vehicle's paperwork.
• Proof of ownership, such as the registration or title.
• The VIN. It's usually visible through the windshield on the driver's side of the dashboard and on the sticker in the driver's door jamb. It's also on your registration and insurance card.
• Year, make and model, plus whether the car has a regular key, a key with a remote, or push-button start.
• Where the car is. A mobile locksmith comes to the vehicle, so an exact location helps.

Your Main Options

The dealer. Dealers can order a key for your car by VIN and program it. If every key is lost, the car may need to be towed to the dealership, and some keys must be ordered, which can take a few days.

A mobile automotive locksmith. A locksmith comes to the car, opens it if needed, and can cut and program keys for many makes and models on site, which also saves a tow. Some very new or high-end models still need dealer-only equipment, so describe your car when you call and ask whether they can do it.

Your insurance or roadside plan. Some auto policies and roadside-assistance plans help with key replacement or lockouts. It's worth a quick check before you pay out of pocket.

See our Car Key Replacement service →

Why Car Keys Need Programming

Most cars built in the last couple of decades use a transponder chip in the key, and many use a remote fob or a push-to-start smart key. The car's immobilizer only starts the engine when it recognizes a programmed key. That's why a key that's just cut to the right shape may unlock the door but won't start the car, and why replacement involves programming as well as cutting.

See our Key Fob Programming service →

Once You Have a New Key

• Get a spare made now. Copying a working key is simpler than starting from zero again.
• Ask about removing the lost key. On many vehicles, keys that are no longer present can be erased from the car's memory when new keys are programmed, so the lost one won't start the car.
• Keep the spare somewhere safe, not in the car.

Check Who You're Hiring

In Texas, locksmith companies and individual locksmiths must be licensed through the Texas Department of Public Safety's Private Security program. Ask for the license number and get a price before work starts. Our guide to avoiding locksmith scams covers the warning signs.

Need a Replacement Car Key?

Tell us the year, make and model and where the car is parked, and we'll explain what's involved and the price before anyone heads out.

📞 Call (469) 640-6420

Related: Car Key Replacement  ·  Key Fob Programming  ·  Locked Out of Your Car at Night?

Sources

• Official text: Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1702 (Private Security)
• CBS News Texas: Do you know exactly who is unlocking your door?

Requirements and options vary by vehicle; ask your dealer or locksmith about your specific car.