Lost every car key and there is no spare
This is solvable. A new key is generated from the vehicle itself rather than copied from an existing key, then programmed on site so the engine starts. We come to the vehicle.
Or send a service request online if you cannot call right now.
Send these five things and the job starts
This is a routine job, not an unusual one. These five details are all that is needed to confirm what your vehicle requires and get moving.
- Year, make, and model. These decide which key system your vehicle uses.
- The VIN if you can reach it. Readable through the windshield from outside, or printed on your registration and insurance card.
- Registration or title, plus a photo ID. Proof of ownership is required on every key job.
- Exactly where the vehicle is. Include the garage level and row, or the lot name.
- Whether it is blocked in or on private property. A tow yard or impound lot needs access arranged first.
- CT registered locksmithRegistration LCK.0000486
- Insured locksmithWork done by an insured business
- Upfront quote and ETABefore anyone is dispatched
- Pay after the workOnly once the job is done
- Family ownedLocal and accountable
- Damage free entryOur standard method
What all keys lost actually means
All keys lost is the situation where no working key to the vehicle exists anywhere. Because there is nothing to copy, the correct key cut is generated from the vehicle itself, and the new key is then programmed to the immobilizer so the engine will start. It takes longer and costs more than duplicating a spare, and it always requires proof that the vehicle belongs to you.
- Proof of ownership is mandatory. Registration or title, plus a photo ID that matches it.
- The VIN matters. It confirms the correct key type and cut for your exact vehicle.
- Some vehicles require a dealer. You are told before anyone is dispatched, not after.
Copying a key and creating a key are not the same work
When you hold a working key, replacing it is close to a copying exercise. When you hold nothing, the vehicle has to be persuaded to accept a key that has never existed before.
| Stage | You still have a working key | Every key is lost |
|---|---|---|
| Getting the cut | Copied directly from your existing key. | Generated from the vehicle, using the lock or the vehicle data. |
| Getting into the vehicle | Not needed, you can already open it. | Entry may be required first, without damaging the lock. |
| Immobilizer | The existing key is often used to authorize adding another. | The system has to be accessed without an accepted key present. |
| Security wait period | Usually none. | Some manufacturers enforce a built in delay before a key is accepted. |
| Time and cost | The shortest and cheapest version. | Longer and more expensive, on every vehicle. |
The single most valuable thing you can do afterwards
Have a second key programmed during the same visit. The expensive part of this job is reaching the point where the vehicle will accept a key at all. Once that is done, adding another key is comparatively cheap, and it means you never repeat this. Ask for it when you request service so it is quoted from the start.
What you will be asked for, and why
- Year, make, model, and trim. These decide which key system your vehicle uses and what equipment is required.
- The VIN. It confirms the exact key type and cut. Read it from your registration or insurance card if the windshield plate is hard to see.
- Registration or title, plus photo ID. Proof of ownership. There is no version of this job without it.
- Exact location, and whether the vehicle is blocked in. The van has to physically reach it.
- Whether the vehicle is on private or controlled property. A tow yard or an impound lot needs access authorized in advance.
Why proof of ownership is always required
A locksmith who makes a key or opens a lock without checking ownership is helping a theft. We check ownership on every job, without exception. It protects your vehicle and your home from someone doing the same thing to you.
Bring a photo ID plus one document that ties you to the vehicle or the property. For a vehicle that is the registration or the title. For a home that is a deed, a lease, or recent mail with your name at that address.
Have this ready before you request service
Every item below either speeds the job up or decides whether it can be done at all. Having them ready at the start avoids a second trip.
- The year, make, and model of the vehicle.
- Whether you have any working key or fob left.
- The exact location of the vehicle, including a lot, level, or row if it is in a garage.
- Registration or title in your name, plus a photo ID that matches it.
- Whether the vehicle is drivable and whether it is blocked in.
Four places your vehicle identification number is printed
The VIN is a 17 character code. It is the fastest way to confirm exactly which key your vehicle needs.
Windshield, driver side
On a small plate at the base of the glass, readable from outside the vehicle. This one works even when you cannot get in.
Driver door jamb
On a sticker visible when the door is open, usually alongside the tire pressure information.
Your registration
Printed on the document. Usually the easiest to read, and you need the registration for proof of ownership anyway.
Your insurance card
Most insurers print the VIN on the card or in the app, which helps when the paperwork is locked in the vehicle.
If your documents are locked inside the vehicle
This happens often and it is not a dead end. The windshield VIN is readable from outside, and proof of ownership can usually be established another way, for example through your insurer or your own records. Say so in your request so the right approach is planned rather than discovered on arrival.
Why an all keys lost job costs more
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Tell us about the job
The year, make, and model, whether any working key is left, and where the vehicle is parked.
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Get your quote and ETA upfront
You hear the price for your exact vehicle or lock, and when to expect us, before anyone is dispatched.
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Pay when the work is done
Nothing is paid up front. You pay once the job is finished and tested. Card, tap to pay, and cash are all accepted.
What changes the price
- Key type
- A basic mechanical key, a transponder key, a remote head key, and a proximity smart key are different parts with different costs.
- Programming needs
- Some vehicles accept a new key with on board programming. Others require a diagnostic tool and a security access process that takes longer.
- How many keys are lost
- Replacing a spare while you still hold a working key is a shorter job than an all keys lost situation, which needs the key cut from the vehicle code and the system reprogrammed.
- Vehicle security level
- Some manufacturers hold key data behind a secure gateway or a waiting period. That changes the time and the equipment required.
- Location and access
- A vehicle in an open driveway is quicker to work on than one in a tight garage bay or a lot that limits access.
Complete car key and vehicle lock solutions
Explore dedicated guides for every car key situation, key system, programming requirement, and vehicle make.
Car key replacement
Mobile cutting and programming at your vehicle.
Lost all keys Current
Keys generated from the vehicle when no spare exists.
Key fob replacement
Fob pairing, button diagnostics, and replacement remotes.
Transponder & smart keys
Chipped keys, proximity push to start, and smart fobs.
Car key programming
Immobilizer pairing, OBD-II tools, and online keys.
Spare & duplicate keys
Duplicate keys made before losing your only working key.
Ignition cylinder repair
Worn cylinders that will not turn, repaired at the vehicle.
Vehicle makes coverage
Key systems by manufacturer across 40+ brands.
Mobile dispatch across Eastern Connecticut
We travel directly to your location in Norwich, New London, Groton, Colchester, and all 48 service towns.
Lost car key questions
This is an all keys lost job. Because there is no key to copy, the correct cut is generated from the vehicle itself, then the new key is programmed to the immobilizer so the engine will start.
It is a normal part of this work rather than an unusual request. It takes longer than a duplicate, it costs more, and it always requires proof that the vehicle is yours.
Usually yes. The vehicle identification number is how the correct key cut and key type are confirmed for your exact vehicle.
You will find it on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver side, visible from outside the vehicle, and on a sticker in the driver door jamb. It is also printed on your registration, your title, and your insurance card, which is often the easier place to read it from.
Longer than copying a spare, and the range is wide because it depends on the vehicle. A straightforward transponder key on an older vehicle is at the short end. A proximity smart key on a newer vehicle is at the long end.
Some manufacturers also enforce a security wait period before the vehicle will accept a new key. That delay is built into the vehicle and applies regardless of who performs the work. You get a realistic estimate once we know your year, make, and model.
A parking garage is normally fine. Give the level, the section, and the row, because garage sections repeat on every floor and look identical.
A tow yard, an impound lot, or a secured commercial property is different, because access has to be authorized by whoever controls the site before anyone can work on the vehicle. Say so up front and that can be arranged, rather than discovered at a locked gate.
Yes. The new key is cut and programmed at the vehicle, then tested in the ignition and on the door locks before the job is closed. You watch it work and then you drive off in your own car.
That is the whole point of a mobile service. There is no tow, no shop, and no second trip to collect anything.
You can, and it is worth considering while everything is already set up. Programming a second key during the same visit is far cheaper than going through this process again later, because the expensive part of an all keys lost job is getting to the point where the vehicle will accept a key at all.
Ask about a second key when you request service, so it is quoted from the start rather than added on.
All keys lost, by vehicle
The brands this business is asked about most. Each page covers which key systems that brand uses and where a dealer may be required.
All keys lost service in 48 Eastern Connecticut towns
Each town page explains what the local roads, housing, and access mean for the visit. Find yours below.
Hartford County 1 town
Middlesex County 4 towns
New London County 21 towns
Tell us what you are working with
Send the year, make, model, the VIN if you can read it, and exactly where the vehicle is. You get a straight answer on whether it can be done on site.
Or send a service request online if you cannot call right now.
Call or text with the vehicle or the property, the exact location, and what happened. You get an upfront quote and an arrival estimate before anyone is dispatched, and you pay only after the work is done.
Opening hours
HoursMonday to Friday 6:00am to 9:00pm, Saturday 6:00am to 11:00am
- Monday to Friday 6:00am to 9:00pm
- Saturday 6:00am to 11:00am
- Sunday Closed
Outside these hours, emergency jobs are taken case by case and are not guaranteed. Call to confirm.
Payment: Card, tap to pay, or cash, taken once the work is done.