Locksmith Tips
Lost All Your Car Keys? Here's What to Do Next
Losing the only key to your car feels like a disaster, but it's a very solvable problem. Here's what to do, step by step.
1. Retrace Your Steps
Check coat pockets, bags, the couch, and the last few places you were. Call the store or restaurant you visited. If the keys might have been stolen along with anything showing your address, keep that in mind for step 5.
2. Find Your Vehicle Information
You'll need the year, make, and model, and ideally the VIN. The VIN is on your registration and insurance card, and on the driver's side of the dashboard where you can read it through the windshield.
3. Gather Proof of Ownership
Any legitimate locksmith or dealer will confirm the car is yours before making a key. Have your driver's license and the registration or title ready. If the paperwork is locked in the car, say so. The vehicle can be opened first and the documents checked before a key is made.
4. Call a Mobile Automotive Locksmith
A mobile locksmith can come to the car, cut a new key, and program it on-site for most makes and models. That usually avoids a tow and the wait for dealer parts. When you call, describe the key you had (a plain metal key, a chip key, a remote-head key, or a push-to-start smart key) so the right equipment comes along.
5. Protect Yourself if the Keys Were Stolen
When every key is lost, many vehicles let the locksmith erase the old keys from the car's memory during programming, so a found or stolen key can't start the engine. If your house key was on the same ring, consider rekeying your home's locks too.
6. Get a Spare
Once you have a working key again, have a spare made. Copying a working key is simpler and less expensive than starting over from scratch. See car key replacement for how we handle it.
Related Services
Need help now? Call Metro Locksmith Services at (205) 419-7299. We serve Calera, Hoover, Birmingham, and the surrounding area.