Where to Get Replacement Car Keys

Last Updated on January 6, 2025

Rating Car Key Businesses, Comparison Table | Types of Car Keys | Lost All Keys? | When You Must Use Dealer

If you’ve lost a car key or FOB, the best place to get a replacement key made will depend on whether you still have a working key (you just need a duplicate key made), whether your car needs to be programmed to accept the keys, and/or whether you’ve lost all of your keys (what we call a “key origination”).

Rating Replacement Car Key Services

Car Keys Made By
Type of Key Made
When to Use
Convenience
Accuracy
National Big Box Store / Hardware Stores
Duplicate
Cheapest for standard, non-chipped keys
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
2 out of 5 stars
Originate
NA
NA
NA
Locksmiths
Duplicate
Best for keys that need programming or when all keys have been lost
4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Originate
4 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Dealers
Duplicate
Best for current year models & German cars
2 out of 5 stars
1 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Originate
3 out of 5 stars
1 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Duplicate
Best for making keys that don’t need to be programmed
2 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Originate*
5 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars

* Keys by code may need to be programmed to the car for the car run.

Shop for car keys and remotes online

You can price all of our car keys on our website here Replacement Automotive Keys and Remotes.

ACME Locksmith has been making auto keys for over 25 years. Three things that matter to our customers:

  • Convenience – is it easy to get a key made?
  • Accuracy – Will the key work?
  • Cost – Is it affordable?
Standard, All Metal Car Key

Key Making Convenience

The clear category winners here are the big box stores and chain hardware stores. They’re everywhere, you don’t have to hunt them down, and for standard, non-chipped keys, they will shine.

But modern keys have chips in them and cars need to be programmed to recognize the key. Big box stores and most hardware chains do not have the equipment or the knowledge of the process should something go wrong.

Ford Transponder Key
A Chipped Key

For keys that need to be programmed, locksmiths are your best service and the low-cost option. They cut code keys (keys with the factory original cuts). and a locksmith can program the keys to the car. You may have to look to find a locksmith shop, so it’s not the most convenient, but you won’t have to make an appointment and wait around. You usually just head on in.

A locksmith can also, for a fee, go to your location.

Dealers require appointments and that you bring your car to them. You may be without your car for the entire day.

Accuracy of the Key

The clear winners for accuracy are the dealers, locksmiths and online key-by-VIN suppliers. They will cut keys by code, which gives you a factory-original cut on the key.

Hardware stores don’t cut keys by code. They will duplicate the key. And a duplicate of a worn key that may be sticking in the lock is another worn key that will stick in the lock.

Cost of the Key

Cost depends on the type of key being cut.

For standard, all metal keys, you’ll likely find big box stores and hardware stores with the lowest prices. But since they don’t cut keys by code, and key machines become less accurate over time, your key may stick or not work at all.

If you lost all of your keys, but it is NOT a chip key, you likely won’t beat the price of an online service sending you a key cut by VIN.

Locksmiths are the cost leader if you want a factory original key that needs to be programmed into the car. One of the big advantages of a locksmith service is that, when you have lost all of your keys, a locksmith will go to your location.

Dealers require you to tow your car to them making them less convenient and more expensive.

Locksmith Pro Tip: Dealers and some locksmiths will not cut and program keys they do not sell. We do, but we bill upfront when the key is not purchased through us (because we do not know if the right key was ordered and/or if it works). ALWAYS check with your local locksmith and seller’s return policy before ordering a key online at eBay.

Types of Car Keys – What do You Have?

Types of Car keys

Mechanical or Standard Car Key

The good old fashion car key. They may be all metal, but many now have plastic heads. When you have an all metal key, you can be certain it is a standard key, but those with plastic heads may be transponder keys.

Automotive Transponder Key
Internal View of Chipped Key

What are Transponder Key?

A transponder key, or chip key, has a tiny inductor embedded into the head of the key. In many cases, there is no way to visually tell that this inductor is in the plastic and therefore you cannot tell whether a key with a plastic head has an inductor in it or not.

For the car to run, transponder keys must be programmed into the car so that the car recognizes the key. When it is not programmed the car will either not start or will start but then die in a few seconds. In both cases, a security indicator should be flashing on the vehicle’s dashboard.

Duplicating a Laser Cut / High-Security Key

Cutting of High Security Car Keys

What are High-Security Car Keys

High security, laser cut keys can be mechanical keys or chipped transponder keys. What makes them high security is that instead of cuts along the edge of the key, there are grooves running down the edge or center of the key (the edge of the key remains flat as the grooves do not go through the blade).

Read our detailed article, “How ACME Locksmith in Phoenix Duplicates Laser Keys.

Tibbe Automotive Keys

Tibbe keys are most often found in Jaguar or Ford models vehicles. They can be mechanical or chipped keys. There is no way to tell from looking at this key which you have.

Special equipment is needed to cut a Tibbe key and they take a bit of finesse to get right. Your local automotive locksmith may have the tools to do this, as we do, but many do not.

Shop for car keys and remotes online

Car Remote & Key Combo Units

Car/remote combos are when the key remote and the key itself have been combined into one unit. In the early days, they were always separate.

Here’s the interesting thing about the key combo units. When the remote and key were separate (the old days) they contained separate electronic circuits, which makes sense since they were different parts. When the remote and the keys were combined, they did NOT combine the electronic circuits, instead they just put both sets of different electronic circuits into the head of one key.

Because of this, you will find instances where the remote portion of the key can be programmed to the car by going through a series of steps, not requiring an automotive locksmith or dealer. This is called “onboard programmable.” However, even though the remote will then work, the key will still not start the car and will still need to be programmed to the vehicle by a local locksmith or dealer.

Car Key FOBs / Proximity Keys

The latest evolution of the car key was to make the car key itself only for emergencies. If you have one unit, and you cannot see a key, it is a FOB. The key is most likely still there, but it is contained within the FOB and released by some mechanical means (usually a button).

Vehicles that use FOBs are push button vehicles. They do not require the use of the key to start the car.

 

How Does Car Key Programming Work?

Car Key Programmer

A computer or a programming device is connected to the car’s OBD unit to communicate with the car.

The car is trained to recognize a small electrical signal the key gives off.

When programming a key to a car, we are telling the car what signal to expect from the transponder key that is being added.

When the Dealer Must Make Your Car Key

The Car is From Germany

Believe it or not, there is an international agreement between many countries to make car information available to third parties. That is why local locksmiths can cut keys by code for Japanese, Korean, US, and other cars.

However, the one large country that is notably absent is Germany. They choose not to participate and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines so that their car manufacturers can charge you crazy prices for their keys. $600 car keys are not unheard of for German cars.

So if you have a German vehicle made after 2000 (Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, etc….) you will most likely, need to have your car towed to the dealer to get a key made.

Your Car is the Newest Model – Sometimes

In many cases, the latest model car will use a car manufacturer’s existing technology for the key. So locksmiths will have no problem programming the newest model of a car or a completely new model.

But in rare cases, the manufacturer will have implemented a completely new system, and that technology may not yet be released. It can take a couple of years.

So if you have a new model car that has just been released, check with a local locksmith to save money, but know that in some cases they may refer you to the dealer.