How Long Does Car Key Replacement Take? Times by Key Type

How long each type of car key takes on site

On-site time runs from about 15 minutes for a plain metal key to under an hour for a smart key. These times come from our own service catalog and are counted from when we start work at the car.

These are typical times, not promises. A job can finish early when everything is ready, and the sections below cover what pushes a job to the long end of its range.

Car lockout plus a new flip key in Santa Paula, CA

How long from the phone call to driving away

Total time has three parts: a few minutes on the phone for a quote, the drive to you, and the work at the car. Typical arrival is under 30 minutes in our primary service areas, and same-day service is the default.

1. 1
   Call or text for a quote

   Give us the year, make and model and where the car is. We quote a flat rate before anyone drives out.

2. 2
   We drive to the car

   Typical arrival is under 30 minutes in primary service areas. Outlying areas take longer, so ask for an arrival estimate when you call.

3. 3
   Verify ownership

   A couple of minutes to match your photo ID to the registration or title. We do it on every job.

4. 4
   Cut and program

   The on-site times in the table above. Before the technician leaves, try the start, the locks and the remote buttons with the new key.

Hours are 6:00 AM to 11:30 PM, 7 days a week, in Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, San Diego County and Malibu, including Camarillo and San Diego. A late call costs the same as a morning one: there is no after-hours upcharge.

What makes a car key replacement take longer

Most delays come from paperwork, access to the car, or the car's security system, not from cutting the key. Knowing them ahead of time saves you the avoidable ones.

• No working key. All keys lost means making the key from scratch, which adds time compared to copying.
• Missing paperwork. We do not make a key until ownership is verified, so a mismatched ID or a registration locked inside the car holds things up.
• Security systems. Some immobilizers build a waiting period into programming, and a few vehicles need EEPROM work on a module, which can run 90 to 120 minutes.
• A weak car battery. Programming needs steady voltage, and a dying battery can interrupt it.
• A fob that does not match. We check a customer-supplied fob's FCC ID and frequency before starting, and if it will not work, we tell you before any charge.
• Access. A tight spot in a parking structure, a gated lot, or a tow yard with limited hours all add time.
• An unusual key. We carry common transponder and smart-key blanks in the van, but an uncommon key may have to be ordered, which can mean a second visit.

Most jobs finish in a single visit. Giving us the year, make, model and VIN up front is the best way to keep yours that way.

Is a locksmith faster than the dealer for a new car key?

For most cars, yes, because a mobile locksmith comes to the car with the blanks and programmers already in the van. A dealer typically needs the car on its lot, and with all keys lost that means a tow.

Dealers may also need to order the key, and service departments usually work by appointment. Depending on the dealer and the key, that can turn a new key into a wait of days rather than an hour at the curb.

The dealer is the right call in some cases. Mercedes-Benz is the clearest one: we refer new Mercedes keys and all-keys-lost jobs to the dealer, and we still handle Mercedes lockouts and broken key extraction, as our Mercedes-Benz page explains. For a side-by-side look at price, time and warranty, see dealer vs locksmith car key replacement.

On average our customers save 40 to 60 percent compared to dealership pricing, and the quote covers the blank, the cutting, the programming and the trip. Full details are on our Ventura County and San Diego car key replacement pages.

How to get your new car key made faster

Have your ID and registration in hand, send the vehicle details when you call, and be at the car when we arrive. Those three things remove most of the waiting that is in your control.

1. Read us the VIN from the registration, most insurance cards, or the plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side.
2. Send a photo of your key if you still have one, or of the ignition or start button if you do not, so we know which key type to bring.
3. Tell us if you already bought a fob, so we can check that it matches your car before we start work.
4. Pin the exact location: parking level and space number, gate code, or the name of the tow yard.
5. If the car is not in your name, get notarized authorization from the registered owner before you call.

Should you add a spare key while the locksmith is there?

Yes, if you are down to one key. Adding a second key while we are already at the car takes less time than booking a separate visit later.

A duplicate of a working key takes about 15 to 45 minutes depending on the key type, and it keeps your next lost key from becoming an all-keys-lost job. See why you need a spare car key for the full case.