What do you do when you've lost all your car keys?
Losing the only key to your car, or the last of several, is a different problem from a spare that's simply out of reach. With no working key there is nothing to copy, so an ordinary duplicate is off the table. What you need is a key made from scratch: cut to fit your locks and, where the car requires it, programmed so the car accepts it. That is lost car key replacement, and it's the work we do from our Westwood storefront and mobile vans for drivers across Beverly Hills.
Before you call anyone, take a few quiet minutes to look where the key might really be. Check the pockets of the jacket you wore, the kitchen counter, the gaps between seat cushions, and the bag you carried yesterday. If you used a magnetic box under the bumper, check that too. Call the restaurant, shop or hotel you visited last. If you've done all that and the key is still gone, call (213) 577-1366. Someone answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays, and the first thing we'll ask about is your car, not your credit card.
One more point worth deciding early: was the key lost, or could it have been taken? If it disappeared in a bag along with something showing your address, tell us. It doesn't change how the new key is made, but it changes what we recommend you do afterward.
Can you get a replacement car key without the original?
In most cases, yes. A locksmith doesn't need your old key, because the information needed to make a new one comes from the vehicle. Using your VIN and the car's own locks, we work out the correct cut for the doors and ignition, then cut a fresh key on our machines. If your car expects a coded key, the new one also has to be introduced to the car's computer before the engine will start.
How that plays out depends on the make, model and year. Some keys are plain cut metal. Some carry a transponder chip the car has to recognize. Others are smart keys or fobs for push-button start. We won't recite a general rule that may not apply to your car. We confirm by VIN, and in person when needed, what your specific vehicle requires, and only then do we say whether we can do the job.
Some vehicles are dealer-only. That means the manufacturer controls the key codes or the programming in a way an independent locksmith can't reach. If yours is one of those, we'll tell you plainly on the phone instead of starting work we can't finish. You'll then know to arrange a tow and a dealer appointment, and you won't have paid for a visit that went nowhere.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does lost car key replacement work, step by step?
Every vehicle is a little different, but the sequence is steady. Here is what happens when you call us about a replacement car key without the original.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the make, model, year and where the car is parked. If you can read the VIN from the corner of the dashboard, the driver's door jamb, your registration or your insurance card, give us that too.
- We confirm what the car needs by VIN: the key type, whether programming is part of the job, and whether it's something we can do at the car or something that points to the dealer. If it's dealer-only, we say so right then.
- A technician drives a mobile van to the car. If the car is somewhere we can't simply walk up to, such as behind a gate or inside a building garage, we sort out access with you first.
- We check that the car is yours: photo ID plus registration, title or other paperwork that matches the VIN.
- We cut the new key from the vehicle's code information and test it in the door locks, the trunk if it has one, and the ignition.
- If the car needs programming, we do it on site and confirm the engine starts and runs on the new key.
- We talk through a spare key and what to do about the one that's missing, so the job doesn't end with a single key in your pocket again.
What proof of ownership will we ask for?
We'll ask before we cut anything, and it's not a formality. A locksmith who makes a working key for any car, for anyone who asks, is a risk to every car owner in town, including you. Asking is how we protect you and how we protect ourselves.
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Registration, title, or lease or rental paperwork that matches the VIN on the car.
- For a company or leased vehicle, paperwork showing you're authorized to have keys made.
- The VIN itself, which we'll also read off the car when we arrive.
Why the paperwork can become its own problem
People often keep registration in the glove box, and the glove box is in the car you can't open. If the doors are locked and the documents are inside, you're dealing with a car lockout before the key problem even starts. Tell us when you call. Often a copy of your registration on your phone, an insurance card, or paperwork at home can fill the gap, and we'll tell you what we'll accept for your situation.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Locksmith or dealer: which route fits lost car keys?
A dealer is a real option and sometimes the only one. For some vehicles, the manufacturer holds the key codes and the programming, and no independent shop can get around that. If your car falls in that group, you'll hear it from us first.
For many vehicles, though, a locksmith is the more practical route. We come to the car, so you often avoid the tow and the wait for a service department. We can cut and program on the spot when the car allows it. If your keys are the push-button type, ask us about key fob replacement, and if the car needs a chip introduced to its computer, our transponder key programming page explains how that part works.
If you still have one working key, this page isn't the one you need. Making another from a key that works is simpler, and our car key replacement page covers that case.
What affects the cost of replacing a lost car key?
We don't quote numbers on a web page because the honest answer depends on your car, and a figure that's right for one vehicle would mislead the next driver. What we can do is show you exactly what moves the cost, so the quote you get on the phone makes sense.
A basic cut key is usually the lighter-cost job. A smart key or a coded key that needs programming involves more equipment and more time, so it generally costs more. We give you the cost once we've confirmed your vehicle, and before work begins.
- Key type: plain metal, transponder, remote-head or smart key each involve different parts and procedures.
- Programming: some cars need the new key introduced to the vehicle, and that is its own step.
- Make, model and year: this decides whether the job is open to a locksmith at all or limited to the dealer.
- How many keys you want: making a spare during the same visit is usually more economical than calling us back later.
- Where and when: a late-night call or a hard-to-reach location can change the work involved.
- Condition of the ignition or locks: if previous key attempts have damaged them, that's a separate repair, covered under ignition repair.
Where lost car keys come up in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills covers ZIP codes 90210, 90211 and 90212, and our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd is about 4 miles from the city, so the vans reach it without a long run. Most lost-key calls are about the car, but where the car sits shapes how we get to it. A mobile locksmith visit works the same way anywhere; the details change by neighborhood.
Here is how a few real situations in the city connect to losing every car key:
- Trousdale Estates: gated driveways are common here, and driveway gate and intercom hardware is something we service in this neighborhood. If your car is parked behind a gate, we'll arrange how to get to it before the van leaves our shop.
- The Flats: if the missing key was last held by a household employee or a vendor who valet-parks or runs errands for you, the car key may not be the only thing to think about. High-security rekeying after staff or vendor turnover is a common request in The Flats, and lock rekeying is the follow-up to consider if house keys were on the same ring.
- Golden Triangle and Rodeo Drive: if you lose your keys while shopping or dining in the business district, tell us the nearest cross street and where the car is. We come to the car, wherever it is parked.
- South of Wilshire: this part of the city is mostly duplexes, condominiums and apartment buildings from the 1930s through the 1970s. If your car is in a building's garage or lot, have the property manager's name handy in case we need access.
- Coldwater Canyon area and the northern hillside: the car may sit on a private drive. Give us the address and any gate code or contact, and we'll plan the visit around it.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Beyond the city limits
We also work in adjacent areas such as Benedict Canyon and the Beverly Hills Post Office area in 90210, which are part of the City of Los Angeles rather than Beverly Hills itself. Tell us the street address and we'll treat it the same way. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so a call from a car parked just over the line is no problem.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for lost car keys?
There's no mystery in this trade, but there is a difference between a company you can walk into and one that's a phone number. Here is what's behind our name:
- We've been in business since 1987, and car keys have changed a lot in that time. The habit of checking a vehicle first, before promising anything, hasn't.
- We have a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so there's a real address behind the phone number.
- It's one company. There are no dispatch middlemen passing your call to whoever is closest and unknown to us.
- David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and you can ask for him.
- The phone at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
Ask any locksmith for a BSIS license number
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license, called an LCO license, issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). Before any locksmith touches your car, ask them for that license number and for the name of the company they're working for. A real company will give it without fuss. It's a fair question to ask us, too.
What should you do once the new key works?
The new key solves today's problem, but the old one is still out there. If it was lost somewhere you can trace, it may turn up. If it wasn't, someone else may have a key that fits your car. Ask us whether the lost key can be disabled on your vehicle. The answer depends on the car, and we confirm it by VIN rather than guess.
Get a spare made while we're there. Once you have one working key, a spare key made from it is far simpler than starting from nothing again, and it's usually the more economical route over time. Keep the spare somewhere other than your keyring, and not in the car.
If your house or office keys were on the same ring, treat those as exposed too. We can talk through what to change, but the car key comes first, so we won't bury you in extras at the roadside.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a car key if I've lost all of them?
In most cases, yes. We don't need the original, because we work from your VIN and the car's locks. Whether programming is needed, and whether the job is open to a locksmith at all, depends on the make, model and year, and we confirm that before we start. Call (213) 577-1366.
Do I need to tow my car to you?
Usually not. We come to the car in a mobile van and do the work where it's parked. The exception is a dealer-only vehicle, where the manufacturer controls the keys. If that's yours, we'll say so on the phone so you can plan a tow and appointment.
How much does a lost car key replacement cost?
It depends on the key type, whether programming is required, your vehicle's make and year, how many keys you want, and where and when we're called. A basic cut key is generally the lighter-cost job; a smart key costs more. We confirm the vehicle first and give you the cost before work begins.
How long does it take to replace a lost car key?
It varies by vehicle. Cutting a key is quick, and programming can take longer or be simple, depending on the car. We'd rather tell you what your specific car needs than give a general time that doesn't fit. Call us with the make, model and year and we'll explain.
Do you need my VIN?
Yes, it's the starting point. It's on the dashboard corner, the driver's door jamb, your registration and your insurance card. If you can't get to the car, we can often work from your paperwork, and we'll read the VIN off the car when we arrive.
If I find my old key later, will it still work?
That depends on the vehicle. On some cars the lost key can be disabled when the new one is set up; on others it can't. We confirm by VIN what your car allows, and if the old key can't be disabled, we'll tell you plainly so you can decide how to handle the risk.
What if my car turns out to be dealer-only?
Then we'll tell you so on the phone, before sending a van. Some vehicles can only have keys originated through the manufacturer or dealer. You'd arrange a tow and an appointment there, and we won't start a job we can't complete.
Can you come to a gated driveway in Trousdale Estates or the northern hillside?
Yes. Tell us the address and how we get through the gate, whether by code, intercom or a contact who can let us in. We plan the visit around it. The car has to be reachable for the work, and we'll sort out access with you before the van heads out.
More locksmith help in Beverly Hills
Lost Car Key Replacement near Beverly Hills
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.