Why does a spare key matter more than people think?
A spare house key is the simplest protection against a lockout, and it is also the thing most people put off until they are standing outside the door. In a lot of households, one key has been quietly doing all the work for years. It lives on one ring, in one pocket, and when it goes missing there is nothing behind it.
Key duplication is the plain, unglamorous fix. A properly cut copy lets a second person in, gives you a backup to leave with someone you trust, and means a lost key is an annoyance instead of an emergency. It also takes pressure off the original, which is usually worn and getting harder to turn.
That last point is the one people miss. A key that already sticks in the lock is a key that is close to failing. Copying it well, and sometimes retiring the old one, is cheaper in time and trouble than waiting for it to snap in the cylinder. If that has already happened, we handle it separately through broken key extraction.
How do we duplicate a key, step by step?
Duplication sounds mechanical, and it is, but the quality of the copy depends on a handful of small decisions made before and after the cutting. This is how we work through it.
We do not cut anything until we have looked at the key and, where it matters, the lock it belongs to.
- Identify the key. We check the brand, the keyway profile, and any stamping on the bow. Many keys look alike but differ by a groove or a cut depth, and the wrong blank gives you a copy that almost works.
- Check the condition of the original. A key worn smooth, bent, or with rounded cuts will pass its wear on to the copy. If the original is tired, we say so and talk through cutting by code or from the lock instead of tracing the worn shape.
- Choose the right blank. The blank must match the keyway and the metal needs to suit the job. A cheap or poorly matched blank wears quickly and can leave burrs in the lock.
- Cut the copy. We trace or cut to specification, then remove burrs so the key does not drag metal shavings into your cylinder.
- Test it in the lock. A copy that looks right on the bench is not proof. We try it in the actual lock when it is available, and we check that it turns smoothly, not just that it turns.
- Adjust if needed. If the copy binds or needs a bit of extra effort, we recut or fine-tune it before you leave with it.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Which keys can we copy?
Most of what people bring us falls into familiar categories. Here is what we routinely duplicate, and a few notes on where each one has quirks.
- House and apartment keys: standard residential keys for entry doors, side doors, and back doors. These are usually straightforward copies.
- Duplicate deadbolt keys: deadbolts often use a different keyway from the knob or handle set on the same door, so bring every key for the door, not just the one you use most.
- Office and commercial keys: shop doors, back rooms, storage, and desk or cabinet locks. Commercial work often involves larger key sets and more careful record keeping about who holds what.
- Mailbox keys: small, easy to lose, and often copied by tracing. Private and building-owned mailboxes are fair game; official USPS-controlled locks are a different matter, covered below.
- Gate and padlock keys: side-gate locks, storage padlocks, and utility keys, which tend to take the most weather abuse.
- Restricted and high-security keys: possible in many cases, but they follow different rules, explained in the next section.
What about restricted and high-security keys?
If your key says 'Do Not Duplicate' on it, that stamp is a request, not a lock. It does not physically stop anyone from cutting a copy at a hardware kiosk. Plenty of keys carry it that were never genuinely restricted, and real restricted keys often carry no warning at all.
A truly restricted key is different. These are tied to a patented or controlled keyway, and the blanks are only released to someone who can show authorization. That usually means a registration card, a property-owner letter, or a record held by the original supplier. We will ask for that proof, because it protects you. The point of the system is that a stranger cannot walk in and get a copy of the key to your property.
High-security keys, such as sidebar, dimple, or other precision-cut designs, may need specialty cutting equipment or must be ordered by code. We tell you plainly on the phone whether we can cut yours on the spot, whether the blank must be ordered, or whether the key can only be replaced through the manufacturer. If you are weighing an upgrade, our page on high-security locks explains what the stronger systems offer and what they cost you in convenience.
One more honest note on vehicle keys: a car key with a transponder chip is not the same job as a house key copy. Whether a copy will start the vehicle depends on the make, model, and year, and we confirm by VIN or in person rather than guess. For those, see transponder key programming.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of key duplication?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on the key in your hand. These are the factors that move the cost up or down:
- Key type: a plain brass house key is the lighter-cost end of the range. Restricted, high-security, and specialty keys take more equipment, more material, or a special order.
- Quantity: cutting several copies of one key in a single visit is usually the more economical route than coming back for them one at a time.
- Condition of the original: a worn key can require cutting by code or a trip to the lock, which adds work.
- Authorization: restricted keys involve paperwork and sometimes a supplier order.
- Where the work happens: a walk-in cut at the storefront is simpler than a mobile visit, which includes travel to you.
- Timing: after-hours calls involve a technician going out of their way, and that is reflected in the cost.
Do we come to you, or do you come to us?
Both work, and which one makes sense depends on the key. Our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood has the full cutting bench and the widest stock of blanks. Our mobile vans carry equipment for many common cuts, so a lot of everyday key work can be done at your door or desk. Our mobile locksmith service covers the trip.
Rowland Heights is roughly 34 miles from our base, and that distance is real. For a single plain spare, a mobile visit is usually not the most economical route. It makes better sense when the visit covers more than one job, such as copies for several people, a set of office keys, or key work alongside another repair. Tell us what you have when you call and we will say honestly whether we should come to you or whether you are better off getting the work done another way.
Some keys, particularly high-security and restricted ones, may need the storefront bench even if we start the job by phone. We will not promise on-site cutting we cannot do.
What does key duplication look like in Rowland Heights?
Rowland Heights is an unincorporated Los Angeles County community in ZIP code 91748, and its housing mix shapes the kind of key work we see. Much of the older housing is tract homes from the 1960s through the 1980s. Houses of that age often have the same locks the original owner installed, with keys that have been copied from copies for decades. If your house key is a fourth-generation copy and feels loose in the lock, a fresh cut from a clean original, or from the lock itself, is worth doing before it fails.
Along Colima Road and Fullerton Road, townhome and condo complexes are common. Multi-unit living creates its own key situations: a unit key, sometimes a separate mailbox key, sometimes a shared gate or garage key, and often a spouse, roommate, or family member who needs a set. Duplicating those is usually a simple job, but it helps to separate the keys you can freely copy from building-controlled ones. If a complex has a master system, individual units may need authorization from management. See master key systems for how those work.
The hillside neighborhoods south of Pathfinder Road, where newer subdivisions and some gated communities sit, lean heavily on side gates and garage-entry doors as the daily way in. Those are the keys that get copied most often and abused most by sun and wind. South-facing doors and gate hardware weather in the dry, sun-exposed Puente Hills climate, and a gate-lock key that has been turning in a weathered cylinder will wear faster than an indoor key. If a gate key is stiff or the lock is gritty, a copy may not solve the problem, and gate lock repair may be the better first step.
The shopping plazas along Colima Road and Fullerton Road are home to restaurants and storefronts, where the typical need is commercial key duplication: back-door keys for staff, a spare for the owner, and extra copies for a manager. For those, we recommend keeping a short written record of who holds which key. The Nogales Street corridor and the area around Pathfinder Park have the same ordinary mix of homes and small businesses, and the same advice applies.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Mailbox keys, and when a copy is not the answer
Mailbox keys are the smallest keys most people own and among the easiest to lose. If the box is privately owned, we can usually copy the key by tracing it, or cut it by code from the lock number. If it is a shared cluster box controlled by the postal service, those locks are not ours to copy, and you will need to go through your local post office or property management. We would rather tell you that than cut something that will not work.
If you have lost the only key to a mailbox, a copy is not possible without something to copy from. The fix is a lock change, and our mailbox lock replacement page covers that.
The same logic applies to house keys. Copying is the right answer when you still have a working key and want more of them. If a key has gone missing, or you have had a tenant, contractor, or ex-partner holding copies you cannot account for, a new copy of the old key does not remove the old risk. In that case, lock rekeying makes the old keys useless and gives you a clean set.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for key duplication?
Key cutting is the most basic locksmith task, and it is also the one where small errors get passed along for years. Here is how we approach it.
We have been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including Rowland Heights. That experience shows up in the little things, such as spotting a worn key before it fails, recognizing a restricted keyway, and knowing when a copy will not solve the actual problem.
We are one company with a storefront and our own mobile vans, not a dispatch service passing your call to whoever is nearest. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. You call (213) 577-1366, the phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you deal with the same business from start to finish.
On licensing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS locksmith company license, known as an LCO license. Ask any locksmith you are considering, including us, for that license number. A real company will give it to you without hesitation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you copy a key that says 'Do Not Duplicate'?
It depends on the key. That stamp is not a legal or physical barrier on its own, and many stamped keys are standard keys. If the key is on a truly restricted keyway, we need proof of authorization before cutting. Tell us what you have on the phone and we will say which case you are in.
Do you offer mobile key duplication in Rowland Heights?
Yes, our vans can handle many common cuts on site. Rowland Heights is about 34 miles from our Westwood base, so a single plain spare is usually not the most economical use of a mobile trip. It makes more sense when the visit covers several keys or other work.
How much does it cost to copy a house key?
We do not post prices online because the cost depends on the key. A standard brass house key is at the lighter-cost end. Restricted, high-security, and specialty keys cost more, as do large batches, mobile visits, and after-hours calls. Call (213) 577-1366 and describe the key.
Can you duplicate a high-security key?
Often, yes, though it may need specialty equipment, a special blank, or proof of authorization. Some can only be replaced through the manufacturer. We will tell you which applies to your key before you commit to anything.
Can you copy my apartment or condo key?
For a standard unit key, usually yes. If your complex uses a restricted or master-keyed system, management may need to approve the copy. Condo and townhome complexes along Colima Road and Fullerton Road often have separate keys for gates, garages, and mailboxes, so bring all of them.
Can you make a copy of my mailbox key?
For privately owned mailboxes, usually yes. For postal-controlled cluster boxes, no. Those go through the post office or your property manager. If you have no key at all, the fix is usually a lock change, not a copy.
Should I copy my car key too?
A car key with a transponder chip is a separate job from a house key copy, because the key may need to be programmed to the vehicle. Whether we can do it depends on the make, model, and year, and we confirm by VIN or in person. Plain metal-only keys are simpler.
My copy does not work well. What went wrong?
Common causes are a worn original, the wrong blank, or burrs left from cutting. Bring the copy and the original, and we can check which is at fault. Sometimes the original is the problem and a fresh cut from the lock or by code fixes it.
Is a spare key enough, or should I rekey the lock?
A spare is enough when you have working keys and know exactly who holds them. If a key is lost, or you cannot account for existing copies, rekeying is the safer move because it makes every old key useless.
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Key Duplication near Rowland Heights
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.