Lost Car Keys: What to Do and What It Costs

What should you do first when you lose your car keys?

Search once, properly, before you pay for anything. Retrace the last few hours, check coat pockets, bags and the car's own door pockets through the window, and ring anywhere you have been. Keytek, which analysed its own call-outs from 2020 to 2025, says lost keys peak in May and June, so summer days out are the usual culprit.

If the keys were in a bag that was stolen, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number. Your insurer will want it, and a careful locksmith may ask for it too.

Then check two things before you ring anyone:

- Your insurance. Some motor and home policies include key cover. Read the policy wording rather than assuming. - A spare. If there is a spare at home, getting it to the car is nearly always cheaper than a new key, even by taxi.

Can an auto locksmith replace a lost car key with no spare?

Yes, for many cars. An auto locksmith cuts a new blade from the lock or the car's key code, then programmes the new key's chip or remote to the car using diagnostic equipment. Most of this is done at the roadside from a van, so the car does not need to be towed.

There are limits. Some newer cars, and some brands, only release the security data needed to programme a key through the maker's own systems. Since 1 April 2026 the UK SERMI scheme lets approved independent operators reach that data for Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota (RMI Standards and Certification, as reported by Motor Trader). For a car outside what the locksmith can programme, the dealer is the route. Ask the locksmith on the phone, giving the make, model and year, and they can tell you before they set off.

How much does it cost to replace a lost car key?

A replacement car key costs about £100 to £282, cut and programmed. The low end is StageMyCar's locksmith range of £100 to £250, from a trade blog; the high end is WhoCanFixMyCar's average booking of £281.78 in 2026. StageMyCar puts dealer prices at £150 to £500 or more.

What moves the price:

- Key type. A plain transponder key is cheaper than a remote fob, and a keyless smart key is dearer again. - No spare at all. Making a key from nothing takes longer than copying one. - Time of day. Evenings and weekends usually cost more. MyJobQuote puts out-of-hours surcharges for locksmith work at £50 to £100.

Ask for the total before anyone sets off: the key, cutting, programming, travel and VAT.

What will the locksmith ask you for?

Expect to show that the car is yours before anyone cuts or programmes a key. A careful auto locksmith asks for:

- The V5C logbook, or other proof that you are the registered keeper - Photo ID with a name that matches - Sometimes proof of address, and the crime reference number if the keys were stolen

This is a good sign, not an obstacle. Keys are how cars are taken, and a locksmith who programmes a key for anyone who asks is helping the wrong people. If your V5C is locked in the car, say so on the phone; the locksmith may be able to open the car first and check the documents there.

If the car is leased or a company car, ask the finance or fleet company first. Some require their own approved route for keys.

Can the lost key still be used to open or start the car?

Possibly, which is why it matters what happens to it. On many cars the locksmith or dealer can remove lost keys from the car's memory when they programme the new one, so the old key will no longer start the engine. Ask for this by name, and ask them to confirm how many keys the car recognises afterwards.

Removing a key from the immobiliser does not change the mechanical lock. If the lost key could be linked to the car, for example it was on a ring with your address, ask whether the door lock can be recoded or changed as well, and what that adds to the price.

Should you get a spare car key made while you are at it?

Usually, yes. Adding a second key on the same visit costs less than starting from nothing again later, because the car is already connected to the programming equipment. Losing the only key is the expensive case: copying an existing key is quicker and simpler than making one from nothing.

Keep the spare somewhere you can reach without the car, and away from the front door if the car has keyless entry. Keyless car theft is covered in its own guide.

Common questions