What should you do when you've lost all your car keys?
Losing every key to your car is a different problem from losing one of two. With a spare in hand, you make a copy and move on. With no key at all, the car can't be started, and on most newer vehicles a key can't simply be cut at a hardware counter, because a small transponder chip inside the key has to be matched to the car. That is the job we do: lost car key replacement, where a working key is built from scratch with no original to copy.
It tends to happen at bad moments. A key slips out of a pocket in a parking lot, drops out of a bag, disappears during a move, or is simply gone after someone borrowed the car. Woodland Hills is spread out, from the Ventura Boulevard corridor to the hillsides to the south, and a car with no key usually leaves you stuck exactly where you are. Our vans come to the vehicle, so you don't have to arrange a tow just to get the process started.
One honest note up front: if you still have one working key, you probably don't need a from-scratch replacement. Copying an existing key through key duplication is usually the more economical route, and it's worth doing before the last key goes missing too. This page is for the situation where there is no key left to copy.
A few quick checks are worth five minutes before you call:
- Retrace your steps and check jacket pockets, bags, and any place the key could have fallen out of sight.
- Ask anyone who has driven or borrowed the car recently.
- Look at home for a spare you may have forgotten about, including in drawers, with a relative, or with a spouse or roommate.
- Write down the make, model, and year, and find the VIN, which is usually visible at the base of the windshield on the driver's side and printed on your registration.
- If you think the key may have been stolen along with your wallet or bag, tell us when you call. That changes what we recommend.
How is a replacement car key made without the original?
Making a replacement car key without the original is a two-part job: the metal blade (or emergency blade, on keys that have one) has to be cut to fit your locks, and the electronics have to be introduced to your car so it will accept the key. Nothing about it requires the old key, but it does require the right information about the vehicle, which is why we start with questions rather than a quote guess.
Here is how a typical call goes from start to finish:
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us the make, model, year, and where the car is parked. The line is answered around the clock, every day of the year.
- We ask for the VIN and work out what kind of key your car uses: a basic cut key, a transponder key, a remote-head key, or a push-to-start smart key. Where the information is unclear or conflicting, we say so and confirm by VIN or in person rather than guess.
- We explain what the job involves for your specific vehicle, including anything that might send you to the dealer, and what will affect the final cost, before a van heads your way.
- A technician arrives at the car and checks your proof of ownership and identification.
- The key is cut from the vehicle's key code or by reading the lock, depending on what the vehicle allows, and the new key is made on site.
- The key is programmed to the car, then tested: it must start the engine, and the locks and any remote buttons must work. Where the car's system allows it, we also remove the lost keys so they can't be used to start the vehicle.
- You get your keys and a plain explanation of what was done. If you want a spare while we're there, that is the best time to have one made.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What do you need to show us to get a key made with no original?
We will not make a working key for a car without confirming that the person asking has a right to it. That protects you. A key that starts your car is the most valuable thing a thief could ask a locksmith for, so a legitimate locksmith asks for proof, and you should be wary of any who doesn't.
Expect us to ask for the following, and tell us on the phone if something is missing so we can talk through options:
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Proof the vehicle is yours or that you're authorized to have a key, such as registration, title, or a rental or lease document with authorization.
- The VIN, which we match against the vehicle itself.
- Access to the car. If it's parked somewhere you can't reach, such as behind a gate or in a building with controlled entry, let us know ahead of time so we can plan around it.
Are there cars where the dealer is the only option?
Yes, and we would rather tell you that on the phone than after a van has driven out. Some vehicles, particularly certain newer models and some brands with tightly locked-down security systems, can only have new keys authorized through the dealer or through manufacturer-supplied codes or parts that we may not be able to obtain. Other vehicles are fine for a locksmith to handle but need equipment or key blanks that depend on the exact model year.
We don't give blanket answers about specific makes, because the details change by year and trim, and we would rather confirm than repeat something unverified. What we do is check the VIN and the key type, tell you whether it's a job we can complete, and be direct if the dealer is the right call for your car. If so, we'll say so. If it's a job we can do, the visit is one trip, at your location.
If your car uses a chip key or a smart key, you may also want to look at our pages on transponder key programming and key fob replacement, which cover those key types in more depth. Lost-key replacement is the case where there's nothing to clone from, so the process starts earlier.
What affects the cost of lost car key replacement?
We don't quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your car. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost, so the quote you get on the phone makes sense:
- The vehicle. Make, model, and year determine what kind of key and what kind of programming are involved.
- The key type. A basic cut key, a transponder key, a remote-head key, and a push-to-start smart key are different products with different parts and different programming work.
- How many keys you need. Often the second key is the more economical one to make, because the setup work is already done during the first visit.
- How the key code is obtained. Some vehicles allow a straightforward code lookup; others require more work to read or decode the lock.
- Whether anything else is damaged. If the ignition or a lock is worn or broken, that is a separate repair on top of the key.
- Where and when. A van coming to a remote location or out at night involves different logistics than a daytime visit, and we explain that on the call rather than hiding it.
- Whether the job is something we can do at all. If the dealer is the only route, you should know that before spending anything.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for lost car keys?
We've been in business since 1987, and lost-key calls are among the oldest kinds of work in this trade. We operate from a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and send out mobile service vans, so the work isn't being passed through a call center to whoever is nearest. When you call (213) 577-1366, you're talking to our company, and the technician who arrives works for it. There are no dispatch middlemen between you and the person making your key.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how we handle these jobs. That matters on a lost-key call, where the details that go wrong are small ones: a VIN misread, a key blank that isn't right for the year, a programming step skipped. Our goal is the right key the first time, and a plain explanation of anything we can't do.
One more thing worth knowing as a customer: California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), known as an LCO license. Ask any locksmith for it before they work on your car. It's a reasonable question and a good company will answer it directly.
Our vans are set up as mobile locksmith units, which is how we handle lost-key work: we come to the car. Woodland Hills is about 18 miles from our Westwood base, and the phone is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the call is the same at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m.
What does lost car key replacement look like around Woodland Hills?
Woodland Hills has a few very different kinds of places where a car and its missing key can end up, and each changes how we plan the visit. The ZIP codes 91364 and 91367 cover a lot of ground, from older tracts to high-density towers.
In Warner Center, where condo towers, large apartment complexes, and HOA-managed buildings use controlled-entry systems, the usual complication isn't the car. It's reaching it. If your car is parked at a building with controlled entry and you've lost the keys, tell us the building and who can let us in, whether that's a manager, a front desk, or a neighbor with a fob. Getting through that entry smoothly before the van arrives is half the job. The same goes for the Ventura Boulevard corridor, where a car left near an office suite may have more than one set of rules about who can be on the property.
South of the Boulevard, the winding hillside streets carry mid-century and custom view homes, many behind driveway gates. If your car is inside a gate in a place like Dumetz Hills or the South of the Boulevard hillsides, we need someone to open it, and if the gate itself is failing, that's a separate issue. Our gate lock repair page covers that side of it. For lost-key work, a gate that opens is all we need.
In Walnut Acres, with its large lots and semi-rural feel, and in the 1950s and 60s ranch tracts north of Ventura, the car is more likely to be in your own driveway or garage, which is the simplest case. That's where a lost-key job tends to go smoothly: the car is accessible, the owner is present, and the paperwork is in the house.
Other places we're called to include the area around Los Angeles Pierce College, where students and staff park for the day, and the lots around The Village at Westfield Topanga, where a key can go missing during a shopping trip. The same applies near Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center, where people tend to be away from their cars for hours. In all of these, the car's location and who can confirm ownership are what we ask about first.
Summer matters here, too. Woodland Hills regularly records some of the hottest temperatures in Los Angeles, so waiting beside a parked car with no key and no shade is a good reason to call early and tell us where you'll be, rather than hoping the key turns up.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What if the car is locked, the key is stuck, or the ignition is damaged?
Lost keys often come with a second problem, and it helps to separate them. If the car is locked and you can't get in at all, the first step is getting the door open, which is its own job covered on our car lockout page. We can often do that in the same visit as the key.
If the ignition feels rough, a key turns stiffly, or you suspect the ignition was tampered with, tell us. A new key won't fix a worn or damaged ignition, and our ignition repair page explains how that's handled. If a key snapped off in a lock or ignition, that is a broken-key extraction job and a different starting point from a key that's simply missing.
If your car could have been stolen, call the police first. After that, we can help make sure any keys that are still out there won't start the car.
How do you keep from being stranded again?
Once the new key works, spend two minutes on prevention. Have a spare made while you have a working key, and store it somewhere other than the car or your regular bag. Keep a photo of your registration and the VIN in your phone, since that makes the next call quicker. And if your vehicle has more than one remote or key type, ask the technician which items are worth having as backup.
If you'd like a broader overview of what we do with vehicles, our automotive locksmith page covers the full range, from lockouts to programming.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really make a car key if I've lost every key?
Yes, for most vehicles. We make the key from the vehicle's information instead of copying an original, then program it to the car. For a small number of vehicles, the dealer is the only route, and we tell you that after checking the VIN rather than letting you wait for nothing.
Do I need to bring the car to you, or do you come to Woodland Hills?
We come to you. Our mobile vans work at the car, whether it's in a driveway, a parking lot, or on the street. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, but for a lost-key job you don't have to bring the car there.
What proof will I need to show?
Expect to show a photo ID and proof that the vehicle is yours or that you're authorized to have a key, such as a registration, title, or lease document. We also match the VIN to the vehicle. We won't make a key without this, and that protects you if someone else is trying to get into your car.
How much will it cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the type of key, how many keys you need, how the key code is obtained, and whether anything else, like the ignition, needs work. We explain those factors on the phone at (213) 577-1366 and give you a clear picture before a van comes out.
Will my lost keys still start the car after the new one is made?
Where the vehicle's system allows it, we erase the lost keys from the car's memory during programming so they won't start it. Not every car lets us do that, and we'll tell you what applies to yours.
My car is parked at a condo in Warner Center. Can you still help?
Usually, yes. Tell us the building and who can give us access, such as a manager or front desk, since controlled-entry systems are common in that area. Once we can reach the car, the key work is the same as anywhere else.
What if my car is behind a gate at my hillside home?
We need someone to open the gate so the van can reach the car. If the gate itself is the problem, that's a separate repair we can discuss. Let us know when you call so we plan around it.
Do you work at night and on weekends?
Yes. Our phone line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, and lost-key calls come in at all hours. Timing can affect the logistics and cost, and we explain that on the call.
Is a locksmith or the dealer the better choice?
For many vehicles a locksmith that comes to you is the more economical and convenient route. For some cars the dealer is the only option. We check the VIN and tell you honestly which applies instead of promising something we can't deliver.
More locksmith help in Woodland Hills
Lost Car Key Replacement near Woodland Hills
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.