Car key replacement in Vancouver
From one lost key to all keys lost.
Most modern car keys take two jobs: cutting a blade to fit the lock, and programming the chip so the immobilizer accepts it. Older keys only need cutting. We do the work at the car.
Metal, chip, remote or proximity. Which car key are you replacing?
The price gap between the first and last of these is large, which is why nobody can quote a car key off a list.
Mechanical car keys cut to code or from the lock
No chip, no battery, no programming. Older vehicles, and still plenty of them around. Cut from the key code or decoded from the door lock itself when no key survives.
Transponder keys cut and matched to the vehicle
A chip in the plastic head talks to the immobilizer. Cutting the blade is half the job; the car has to be taught the chip before it will start, though the key turns the lock without it.
Remote-head keys with the lock buttons built in
One unit: blade, chip and remote buttons together. Both the immobilizer and the remote functions need pairing, which is two programming steps rather than one.
Smart keys and proximity fobs for push-to-start cars
Nothing to turn: the fob only has to be in the car. Most hide an emergency door blade, which we cut to your locks. The rest is programming, and ownership checks matter most here.
Three things to have ready for a replacement car key.
We cut a key to a vehicle only after checking who owns it. That check protects you as much as us.
Vehicle registration in your name
The current registration or insurance papers showing you as the registered owner. If the car is in a partner's or a company's name, we will need them to authorize it.
Government photo ID that matches the registration
The name on your ID has to match the name on the paperwork. This is the check that stops a replacement key service being a car theft service.
The VIN from the dash or the door jamb
Visible through the windshield at the base, and on the sticker in the driver's door jamb. It usually tells us the key type and security system, so the quote rests on facts, not a guess.
Dealership or a locksmith for lost car keys?
Both work, and they suit different situations. A dealer is the right answer for vehicles whose programming is genuinely locked to the manufacturer, and for anything still under a warranty arrangement that requires it.
For most vehicles a mobile locksmith is the more practical route, for one blunt reason: your car is not at the dealership, and with no key it is not driving there either.
Towing to the dealer can add a tow bill to the price of the key. We come to the vehicle, in a downtown parkade or a Kitsilano driveway, and cut and program on site.
If yours is a model that genuinely needs the dealer, we tell you on the phone.
Four things set the price of a replacement car key.
Starting figures are on the price guide; car keys are always quoted per vehicle.
See starting pricesAll keys lost, or one working key to copy
The single biggest factor. With a key in hand, a spare can often be cut and cloned directly. All keys lost means decoding the vehicle from scratch before any cutting starts.
Chip, remote or proximity technology in the key
Four different parts at four different prices, needing different equipment.
An immobilizer reset, which some models need after keys are lost
On some vehicles an all-keys-lost job requires the immobilizer to be reset or relearned, not simply added to. That is more work, and sometimes it is what pushes a job to the dealer.
Key blank availability for older or European models
Common blanks ride on the van. Older, rarer and some European blanks get ordered, and you hear the lead time before committing.
A new car key decoded from your lock. Replacing the lock is the last resort.
When every key is gone, the vehicle still knows its own key cuts. They are recorded in the door lock and, on many cars, retrievable from the key code tied to the VIN.
Reading them is a decoding job, not a destructive one.
The alternative is replacing the lock cylinder entirely. That costs more, takes longer and leaves a door key that no longer matches the ignition.
Where the lock allows, we decode, cut and program, and your locks stay as they were. If a lock is too worn or damaged to read, you hear that before anything is replaced.
Lost car key questions, answered by the person who cuts them.
Can you make a replacement car key if I've lost every copy?
Yes, for most vehicles. The cuts are decoded first and the immobilizer taught a new key, so it takes longer than a copy. Some models need the dealer, and we check yours before quoting.
Will my old car key still work after the replacement is programmed?
Usually yes. A new key is normally added to the vehicle's list. An all-keys-lost reset can wipe older keys, so tell us first if an old one might still turn up.
Can you replace a key that snapped off in the door lock?
Usually, yes. We extract the broken blade, then cut a replacement and program it if the key has a chip. Do not dig the fragment out yourself first. Jammed lock repair explains why.
Can you cut a replacement car key from the VIN alone?
For many vehicles, yes. The VIN retrieves the key code, so the key is cut without touching the lock. It needs proof of ownership. If the maker restricts code access, we decode from the lock.
Can a stolen car key be deleted from the vehicle?
On most vehicles, yes. Relearning the key list stops a stolen key from starting the car. Its metal blade can still open the doors, because relearning does not change the locks.
Tell us what is going on, and we'll price it first.
Call, book online or ask for a callback. You will have the method and the number before any work begins.