Costs of Car Key Replacements in The UK [2024]

Years ago when car keys were much less technical, replacing them was a simple matter: you could get vehicle keys cut easily (and cheaply) by pretty well any store offering a key-cutting service.

Now, though, car manufacturers are concentrating on vehicle security, meaning their keys are complicated (and expensive) electronic devices, and creating replacement keys involves:

• Sourcing the correct type of key (manual, remote, or keyless)
• Cutting the blade
• Coding the immobiliser
• Programming the key

Other factors that affect the cost of a replacement car key:

• The vehicle make
• The vehicle model
• The year of manufacture
• The vehicle specification

Studies show that there's a 6% chance of losing a car key, and it can be an expensive loss - the newer and more upmarket the vehicle, the higher the cost of a replacement key. And if a new key has to be created from scratch, a lot of additional work needs to be done on the vehicle itself.

For example, a spare key for a 2018 Toyota Prius, duplicated from an existing key, will cost more than £450... but creating and programming a completely new key also requires replacing electronic units inside the car. And that can cost up to £3,000!

So we can't emphasize enough the importance of having a spare car key - you could save yourself hundreds, if not thousands of pounds.

Why so expensive? For a start, the equipment needed to create, program and code a new key costs tens of thousands of pounds, but that's just the original purchase price. Other regular ongoing costs include software updates and licensing fees.

Then there's the additional work that needs doing. Back to our 2018 Prius again: replacing those electronic units in the car requires the removal of the whole dashboard to start with, and that's no simple job. You're looking at labour costs for eight hours' work at least.

And then of course, there's the small matter of profit for whoever's working on the new key. After all, they've got to make a living, just like everybody else. All in all, there are many factors that go into the cost of creating a fully-functional new car key.

So yes, losing your only car key can be a very expensive loss indeed - and now you know why.

As an example, the cost for a 2012 Ford replacement key with flip-type remote blade key costs £217, while a 2012 VW replacement key cost with same remote key type costs £257.

The cost of a replacement car key is also affected by the year of manufacture on most vehicles – for example, a 2012 Vauxhall Corsa key costs £235, while the same type of remote key for a 2017 Corsa costs £264.

Interestingly, Nissan dealers have priced most of their replacement remote keys at £360 - whatever the make, model or year.

Something else that could influence the cost of a replacement key is the vehicle specification, now new keyless technology is so common. For example, a 2015 Ford Fiesta can be equipped with either a flip remote key blade or a keyless technology remote - and the keyless remote key will be more complex and therefore more expensive.

It’s important to remember most main car dealerships are franchises, so the cost of a duplicate or replacement car key is going to vary between them. Their location can also affect the price, with dealers in and around big cities likely to be more expensive compared with others further out of town.

It’s also important to know that main dealers in the UK do not provide a mobile service for car key replacement, so if you lose your one and only car key, you’ll need to budget for the cost of recovery. Or if you still have one key, you’ll have to drive to the dealership for them to create a duplicate for you.

With some vehicles, the key number and immobiliser code could be needed and the dealer may well charge an extra fee for supplying them.

And of course the cost will go up if you’ve got to have keys created for you from scratch, because of the amount of additional work that will have to be done on your vehicle.

Absolutely – no question about it. Unless, of course, you’re prepared for all the inconvenience and expense of purchasing a completely new set of keys if you ever need to.

Duplicating an existing car key – which involves cutting the key blade and programming the new transponder chip to match the one in the key you already have – is straightforward enough to do while you’re waiting. So yes – and you won’t have to wait that long, either.

Since 1995, all vehicles made and sold in the UK have been fitted with an immobilizer system to prevent car theft.

The system works like this: the ignition key has a unique identification code that must match the code programmed into the car. The key might fit perfectly, but if the codes don’t match, the car won’t start.

So because totally new or replacement car keys don’t already have the matching code when they’re created, they need to be programmed with the vehicle’s code to function properly.

But sometimes the connection between car and key can break, meaning the key has to be programmed again (see below).

• Making a new car key
  After making a new car key, the immobilizer and remote functions need to be programmed to match the car’s code to allow the ignition and remote central locking to operate.
• Remote or immobiliser fault
  On those very rare occasions when the connection between the vehicle and its key fails the key will need reprogramming to restore that connection.
• Lost or stolen keys
  If one of your car keys has been stolen, the first call you should make is to the police. That’s especially true if both of your car keys have been taken. Whether your keys are lost or stolen you should then call us right away, because before we create new car keys for you, we’ll first reprogram your car so those missing keys won’t pair with it any more.
• Battery failure
  Whether it’s the car battery or the key battery that’s run out and needs recharging or replacing, it’s quite likely that the key electronics will need reprogramming in order to work properly again.
• Water penetration
  Water and electronics do not mix: if any water gets inside a key, there’s the risk of short-circuit and corrosion – either of which will prevent connection with the vehicle. It’s possible, though, that with a bit of attention the key will continue to function once it’s been reprogrammed.

Absolutely! And you won’t have to wait more than an hour for one of our expert technicians to be with you.

We don’t think it’s fair to add a high financial cost to the inconvenience and annoyance of being stranded …  and we also don’t think you should be left without transport any longer than necessary.

That’s why we stock keys for pretty well every single make and model of vehicle, so in 99% of cases we can get you back on the road again that very same day – without the delay and expense of towing your car to a workshop or dealership.

Call us on 020 3105 8084 – for emergencies or to book services.

Our East Finchley branch is open 365 days a year for spare and replacement car keys – at 142-144 East End Road, London N2 0RZ.

Our mobile division covers the whole of London and surrounding area (see below).

Airports:

London Luton Airport;

London Heathrow Airport;

London Stansted Airport;

London Gatwick Airport;

London City Airport.

Counties:

East Sussex

West Sussex;

Hampshire;
Essex;

Surrey;

Berkshire;

Buckinghamshire;

Hertfordshire;

Middlesex;

Kent