Car keys & fobs
Car keys made at your vehicle, anywhere in Los Angeles
A dealer will make you tow the car in and wait three to seven days, because the key has to be ordered and the vehicle has to come to them. We come to the car, cut and program on the spot, and give you a firm number on the phone before we set off.
Three things set the price
Have these ready and the call takes about a minute.
The three things that actually set the price
Every locksmith in this city will tell you a car key price "depends." Almost none will say what it depends on, because vagueness is what lets the number move at your door. Here is the entire mechanism — so that when we ask you these questions on the phone, you know exactly why.
1. How the blade is cut
A traditional key is cut along its edge. A laser-cut or "sidewinder" key is milled down the center of the blade, and that requires a different, considerably more expensive machine. Makes like Honda, Lexus, Volkswagen and Audi moved to sidewinder blades across much of their range, which is why they cost more than an ordinary transponder key despite Honda being an ordinary family car.
2. What chip is inside
From the late 1990s onward nearly every car got a transponder — a chip that has to introduce itself to the car's immobilizer before the engine will start. Early chips are cheap and quick. Later generations tightened security, which means longer programming times and pricier blanks. A pre-1997 vehicle usually has no chip at all, which is why the oldest cars on this site take the simplest and least expensive keys.
3. How the car lets the chip be registered
This is the part that decides whether we can help at all. Most manufacturers allow a licensed locksmith to register a new key. Some — particularly on the newest European models — restrict it to franchised dealers. When that is your vehicle we say so on the phone. Taking the job anyway and failing in your driveway would be the easier way to make money, and it is exactly what we are trying not to be.
Free advice that costs us a sale: on many Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if you already have two working keys you can program a third yourself from the driver's seat. Ask us on the phone — if your vehicle supports it, we will talk you through it instead of charging you.
By make
39 makes, each with its own page
Not one template with the badge swapped. Each page lists the key generations for that make, the model years they span, the models we key most, and the one thing about that manufacturer worth knowing before you call.
Acura
Laser-cut / high security
Audi
Laser-cut / high security
BMW
Laser-cut / high security
Buick
Standard transponder keys
Cadillac
Laser-cut / high security
Chevrolet
Standard transponder keys
Chrysler
Standard transponder keys
Daewoo
Pre-transponder — simplest keys
Dodge
Standard transponder keys
Fiat
Standard transponder keys
Ford
Standard transponder keys
Geo
Pre-transponder — simplest keys
GMC
Standard transponder keys
Honda
Laser-cut / high security
Hummer
Standard transponder keys
Hyundai
Standard transponder keys
Infiniti
Laser-cut / high security
Isuzu
Standard transponder keys
Jaguar
Laser-cut / high security
Jeep
Standard transponder keys
Kia
Standard transponder keys
Lexus
Laser-cut / high security
Lincoln
Laser-cut / high security
Mazda
Standard transponder keys
Mercedes-Benz
Laser-cut / high security
Mercury
Standard transponder keys
MINI Cooper
Laser-cut / high security
Mitsubishi
Standard transponder keys
Nissan
Standard transponder keys
Plymouth
Pre-transponder — simplest keys
Pontiac
Standard transponder keys
Porsche
Laser-cut / high security
Saab
Laser-cut / high security
Saturn
Standard transponder keys
Subaru
Standard transponder keys
Suzuki
Standard transponder keys
Toyota
Standard transponder keys
Volkswagen
Laser-cut / high security
Volvo
Laser-cut / high security
Car keys — straight answers
Why is one car key more expensive than another?
Three things set it: how the blade is cut, what chip is inside, and how the car lets that chip be registered. A standard cut key with a basic transponder is cheap to produce and quick to program. A laser-cut "sidewinder" blade needs a different and more expensive machine. A proximity fob for a push-to-start car is not cut at all, but the fob hardware costs real money. That is the whole spread — none of it depends on what your car is worth.
How do I get a price for my key?
Call with three things: the year, the model, and whether you turn a key or push a button to start it. That is genuinely everything we need. You get a firm total on the phone, including any after-hours surcharge, before anyone drives out.
Can you make a key with no working key at all?
Yes. It is called an all-keys-lost job and we do them daily. We originate the key from the vehicle itself instead of duplicating an existing one. It takes longer than cutting a spare, so we quote it as its own job.
Can you program a key I bought online?
Often, and we will quote programming on its own. The honest caveat is that cheap online fobs vary enormously in quality, and one that will not accept programming is not a job we can finish — we will still have made the trip. Buying the key from us removes that gamble.
Are there cars you cannot do?
Yes, and we would rather say so than waste your money. On the newest models from Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, BMW, MINI Cooper and a few others, the manufacturer restricts key programming in a way no locksmith can legitimately work around. Give us the year and model on the phone and you get a straight yes or no before anyone drives anywhere.
What do you need to see?
Proof the vehicle is yours — registration, title or insurance in your name, plus matching photo ID. Every legitimate locksmith asks for this, every time.
Right now, at any hour
Locked out, or down to your last key?
Tell us the year, the model, and whether you turn a key or push a button. That is everything we need to give you a firm price on the phone.