Last Updated on June 10, 2026
Yes, Home Depot copies keys. It cuts common house and business keys on standard keyways (Kwikset KW1, Schlage SC1) for about $4 to $10, while you wait. What it cannot do: program chip car keys, cut high-security or laser-cut keys, and it will often copy a “Do Not Duplicate” key anyway. For anything past a basic key, a locksmith is faster and more reliable.
ACME Locksmith loves Home Depot. They send us a lot of key business, because they are limited in what keys they can make and we have worked hard to earn referrals from our local stores. Home Depot provides key-cutting for house keys and select auto and business keys, but it has real limits on car keys, key blanks, and quality. Here is the honest version from the locksmith who gets the referrals when Home Depot cannot help.
- Home Depot duplicates major brands like Kwikset and Schlage, plus some business and car keys.
- Uncommon keys need specialized cutting or a local locksmith.
- Home Depot will often copy keys stamped “Do Not Duplicate” without a second thought.
- Technicians and machines vary, so copies do not always turn.
Which keys Home Depot can copy
Home Depot duplicates a variety of keys, with some limits. Knowing your key type before you go helps. If your key is stamped KW1 or SC1, you will have no trouble.
House keys
Home Depot is a widely known option for common keys, especially standard house door keys. Stores charge roughly $4 per duplicate of a common home key, and most locksmiths are right at the same price.
Business keys
Office door copies work too. Most office doors use a Schlage SC1 keyway, the same key as many homes, so a business key costs the same as a house key at Home Depot. For more complex office keys, such as Best core keys, CSA keys, or high-security keys, Home Depot usually cannot help, and you should see a local locksmith.
Car keys
Home Depot copies regular car keys, meaning a traditional all-metal or plastic-head key with no transponder chip. Chip keys must be programmed. For a more advanced key such as a laser-cut key, contact a locksmith. See the full breakdown in can Home Depot make car keys.
Utility keys
For padlock keys, PO Box keys, and specialty keys, Home Depot can copy the most common keyways, for example several Master Lock blanks. Everything else is hit or miss.
Home Depot copies “Do Not Duplicate” keys, and why that matters
Home Depot will copy a “Do Not Duplicate” key if it has the blank, and it usually does, because most DND keys are common residential keyways. Other than the stamp, there is nothing special about the key, and both the staff and the self-serve machines at Home Depot and Lowe’s ignore the DND stamp and copy it anyway. Most locksmiths will now copy these too since they are so common.
Some DND keys are not common. They are specialty keys Home Depot and its machines do not stock, so those go to a locksmith, who will likely verify you are authorized first. If you actually need to stop copies, that takes a patent-protected key on a high-security lock, or rekeying to a restricted system. If old keys are floating around, a rekey is the real fix. See also copying Do Not Duplicate keys.
Why a Home Depot key sometimes does not work
Home Depot’s key copying is easy to use, but the new key does not always work as intended. Two things cause it: untrained staff and uncalibrated machines.
Technicians are not always well trained
Different keys must be seated in the cutting machine differently. An inexperienced cutter may align the key wrong, or pull a blank off the shelf that looks similar but is not exact, and you end up with a key that does not turn.
Machines are not calibrated often
Home Depot key machines are not calibrated often. Once a machine drifts out of calibration, it can be weeks before someone fixes it, and the whole time it cuts bad keys. Locksmiths calibrate every morning, which is why a key made at a locksmith shop works the first time.
What to do when your key does not work
If the copy fails, return it and go to a different location or a locksmith with your original. There is no point having the same machine recut it, because if the calibration is off it will just cut another bad key.
What keys Home Depot cannot duplicate
Home Depot stocks roughly 10 to 20 standard keyways, where a locksmith carries over 1,000. For anything but the most common blanks, you will not get a copy. Home Depot cannot copy laser-cut keys, Best keys, high-security keys, transponder keys, and several other blanks.
Home Depot key cutting methods
In-store technicians
Home Depot uses store staff trained in key duplication, with skill that ranges from novice to advanced. It takes some luck to get a well-trained cutter, and an experienced one matters for a good result.
Minute Key kiosk: do not bother
Home Depot also has the self-serve Minute Key kiosk. There is little reason to use it: the keyways are severely limited, it costs more than the keys Home Depot sells at the counter, it costs more than a locksmith, and if it drifts out of calibration it cuts bad keys for months.
Key Hero app
The Key Hero app lets you scan and upload a key to the cloud, then get the copy in-store or by mail. It also has a limited keyway selection. The one real benefit: if you have lost all your keys and you are locked out, you can have a stored key made at any Home Depot. Otherwise the copies are expensive and not worth it.
Can I get a key made at Home Depot without the original?
No. Home Depot cannot make a key without the original, except through the Key Hero app if you stored the key beforehand. A locksmith, on the other hand, can originate a key when every key is lost, by reading the lock or cutting to code.
Home Depot key copy hours
Key copying follows store hours, which vary by location. Most stores run about 6am to 9pm Monday through Saturday and 6am to 8pm Sunday. Check your local store before you make the trip.
FAQ
How much does it cost to get a key made at Home Depot?
Keys at Home Depot run about $4 to $10 depending on the blank. Most local locksmiths are competitive, and with a wider variety of keys and trained staff, a locksmith copy can be cheaper in the long run.
Can you get keys at Lowe's?
Yes, through in-store key duplication or the Key Hero app. Lowe’s carries a narrow selection of common blanks, so most house keys are easy, but business and car key selection is limited.
Can Home Depot duplicate a car key with a chip?
No. Home Depot cannot duplicate a transponder (chip) car key. Those must be programmed by a locksmith or the dealer, so a big-box store is not an option.
