Car keys, fobs and vehicle lockouts
Cut and programmed at your vehicle, wherever it is sitting. American and Asian makes, and 2021 and newer is where we are strongest — the vehicles most locksmiths send to the dealer.
Phone quote only, and there is a good reason for that. Price depends on the year, the make and the key technology, and any number published here would be wrong for half the people reading it. Tell us the vehicle and you get a real figure before anyone drives anywhere.
What car keys cost
| Job | Typical |
|---|---|
| All keys lost no working key — originated from the vehicle, cut and programmed at the car | $350 |
| Spare key while you still have a working one. This is the cheap day — see below | $250–$350 |
| 2021 and newer, and advanced-security vehicles secure gateway access, NASTF credentials and manufacturer-specific hardware — the work most locksmiths send to the dealer | from $750 |
| Programming only you have the key or fob already | $450 |
These are typical figures, confirmed on the phone before anyone drives out. The real number depends on the year, the make, the model and the key technology — two cars in the same driveway can be hundreds apart. Tell us the vehicle and you get a firm price, not a range, before we book you in.
Every figure above already includes coming to you. There is no separate call-out fee added at the end — that is the rule everywhere on this site. Prices effective August 2026.
What we work on
American and Asian makes, and 2021 and newer is the sweet spot. Ford is our biggest platform by a distance. GM, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge, Toyota and Lexus, Honda and Acura, Nissan and Infiniti, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru are all routine work. Electric vehicles included, as long as the car still uses a physical key — plenty do, and we cut and program those exactly like anything else. All keys lost, spare keys, fobs, remote heads and programming, done at the vehicle.
Two things to call someone else about
European makes
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, MINI. We have a specialist we send these to, and we would rather hand you straight to him than learn on your car. Call us anyway — we will point you at him by name.
Rivian, Tesla and Lucid
Not a skills gap — these have no physical key to cut at all. Entry and starting run off a phone or a card, so a locksmith is not the right call. Your app or the manufacturer is. Other electric vehicles that do use a key, we handle normally.
Also outside what we do: most vehicles older than about 2000, and 1999–2001 Toyota, Lexus and Honda, which need an immobiliser reflash. We will point you to someone who does it rather than waste your afternoon.
What car key customers say
We had excellent service. Timothy, the Locksmith arrived within a half hour of phone call. He repaired two locks for us and new keys for our front door. I would definitely recommend his service and I would definitely call him again if I needed him
Geraldine M.Google review
Timothy from Major Key Locksmith was such a nice and honest guy. He did a great job rekeying the locks at my house in Hasbouck Heights. He explained how the keypad works and was so patient with me. He is a very polite and cleaned up after the job was done. Would definitely recommend him to my friends and family.
Ann M.Google review
Called Tim this morning problem with two anderson French doors locks one not locking one loose handle keeps falling off. Tim was great fast efficient and resolved both issues quickly. We are in north caldwell private home in essex county. Highly recommend Tim he comes out and does the work himself.
Rima N.Google review
Excellent service and attention to detail. Tim was able to troubleshoot a number of mechanical issues with competence and creativity. Got everything working smoothly and efficiently. Tech options explained clearly. Highly recommended!
Julie G.Google review
Those are real, and they are quoted exactly as written — but they are still five we chose. Read them where they live — unedited, in whatever order Google puts them, including any we would rather you skipped.
400+ reviews is not a handful of friends. It is nine years of doors.
Opens Google · nothing to sign up for
Why 2021 and newer is the work we want
This is the question nobody answers honestly, so here it is — and it doubles as the reason we are worth calling.
Since roughly 2021, manufacturers have locked key programming behind secure gateways. Getting through one legally requires NASTF Vehicle Security Professional credentials — a background check, a liability insurance minimum, manufacturer approval and state licensing — plus manufacturer-specific passthrough hardware that runs into thousands of dollars per brand, and in many cases a genuine manufacturer key rather than an aftermarket blank.
Roughly five percent of independent locksmiths hold that credential. We do, and we have made the hardware investment behind it. That is the whole reason a 2021-or-newer vehicle is our best work rather than the job we turn down. Most shops will tell you to call the dealer. It is also why the work is not forty dollars any more, and we would rather explain that than pretend otherwise.
Compare us to the dealer, not to the cheap guy
The dealer
Tow the vehicle in, because it cannot be driven without a key. Wait days for the key to be ordered and cut. Business hours only. Pay for the tow on top.
Us
We come to wherever the vehicle is sitting. Cut and programmed on the spot. Same day, usually the same visit. No tow.
We check who owns the car
An unexpired driver's licence and the current registration, every time. We are NASTF-registered, which means every key we produce is logged and traceable back to us.
That is a feature, not friction. A locksmith who will make a key for a car without asking who you are is either not credentialed or not being careful about who they hand a working key to — and one day that car is going to be yours.
The cheapest car key you will ever buy is the one you buy while you still have one
A spare cut while you still have a working key is a duplication. We copy what already exists and program it alongside the key in your pocket.
Lose the last one and it stops being a duplication. Now it is all keys lost — originating a key from the vehicle, getting through the security gateway, the licensing, and the programming. Same car, same locksmith, several times the money, and usually on the day you could least afford the delay.
People put the spare off because they have no idea what the other number looks like. Now you do.
Car key questions
Is it worth getting a spare car key?
Almost always, and the reason is arithmetic rather than sales. While you still have a working key we are duplicating one — we copy what exists and program it. Once the last key is gone it is an all-keys-lost job: originating from the vehicle, security gateway access, licensing and programming. Same car, same locksmith, several times the money. Most people put the spare off because nobody ever told them what the other number looks like.
Why can I not book a car key online?
Because the price genuinely depends on the year, the make, the model and the key technology, and any number we published would be wrong for half the people reading it. Call, tell us the vehicle, and we will give you a real figure on the phone before anyone drives anywhere.
Which vehicles do you work on?
American and Asian makes, and 2021 and newer is where we are strongest — those are the vehicles with secure gateways that send most locksmiths running to the dealer. Ford is our single biggest platform, and GM, Jeep, Ram, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru are all routine. That includes electric vehicles that still use a physical key. European makes we refer to a specialist we trust rather than learning on your car. Rivian, Tesla and Lucid have no physical key for us to cut. And we do not handle most vehicles older than about 2000.
Why did car keys get so expensive?
Since roughly 2021, manufacturers have put key programming behind secure gateways. Getting through them legally requires credentials, manufacturer-specific hardware that costs thousands per brand, and in many cases a genuine manufacturer key rather than an aftermarket blank. That is why a key that used to cost forty dollars now costs several hundred, and why most locksmiths will send you to a dealer.
Is a locksmith cheaper than the dealer?
Usually, and more importantly it is faster. The dealer route means towing a vehicle that cannot be driven, waiting days for a key to be ordered, and business hours only. We come to the vehicle where it is sitting and it is back on the road the same day.
What do you need from me?
An unexpired driver's licence and the current registration for the vehicle. We are NASTF-registered, which means every key we produce is logged and traceable to us. A locksmith who does not ask for documentation is either uncredentialed or not being careful about who they are handing your car to.
Do you do car lockouts?
Yes, and the price depends on the vehicle, so call. Be aware that a lot of what is advertised very cheaply for car lockouts is not a locksmith and does not carry the insurance to be leaning into your door frame.