The Ottawa Locksmith Call 613-820-5648
Home

Services

Emergency locksmithLockouts, 24/7Residential locksmithRekeying, lock changes, repairsCommercial locksmithMaster keys, exit devices, safesCar locksmithCar lockouts, ignitions, broken keysCar key replacementKeys and fobs cut and programmed

Areas

KanataOrleansBarrhavenNepeanStittsvilleGloucester

Tools

Pick a lockDoor security checkCar key finderPhone scam checkRekey or replace
Call 613-820-5648, open 24/7

Car key replacement in Ottawa, cut and programmed at your car

Lost the only key, need a spare before you lose that one, or a fob that has stopped working. A new key or fob is cut and programmed where your car is parked, and lost keys can be erased from the car.

Call 613-820-5648Ask for a price
A new flip key and remote fob, cut and programmed

At a glance

For
Most cars, SUVs, pickups and vans
Keys
Transponder, remote head, flip and smart keys
Where
At home, at work or at the roadside
Have ready
Registration, ID and the VIN
Lost keys
Can be erased from the car
Experience
10 years in the trade, Fully insured

What kind of key does your car use?

Car keys have changed more in the last thirty years than in the century before. The type decides what car key replacement involves, and what it costs.

A plain metal key

Older vehicles with no chip. Cut by machine, from the lock or from the key code. The simplest job.

A transponder key

A metal key with a chip in the head that the car has to recognise before it will start. Cut, then programmed to the car.

A remote head key

A transponder key with lock and unlock buttons built into the head. The key and the remote are both programmed.

A flip key

The blade folds into the fob. Often the shell, the blade or the hinge can be replaced on its own when the electronics still work.

A smart key or proximity fob

For push-to-start cars that unlock as you approach. The fob is programmed to the car, and a metal emergency key hidden inside it is cut to the door lock.

A dealer-only key

A few newer models can only be programmed by the dealer. You will be told on the phone if yours is one of them, before anyone comes out.

Key finder

Which car key do you have?

Tap the one that looks like yours. The type decides what a new one involves, and roughly what it costs.

Plain metal key

What it is
An all-metal key with no chip, on older vehicles.
A spare from a working key
Cut on a machine from your key, or from the code. The quickest job.
Every key lost
Cut from the vehicle code or by decoding the door lock.

How a new key is made at your car

When every key is lost, the car has to be opened, a key cut and the car taught to recognise it. Car key replacement in Ottawa is usually done in one visit, wherever the car is parked.

  1. Prove the car is yours

    The registration or insurance slip and ID that matches it. No locksmith should make a car key without it.

  2. Open the car if needed

    Without damage, as on the car locksmith page.

  3. Cut the blade

    From the vehicle's key code, or by decoding the door lock, on a cutting machine in the van.

  4. Program the key or fob

    A programming tool plugs into the car's diagnostic port and adds the new key to the car's memory.

  5. Erase the lost keys

    Keys that are missing are removed from the car's memory, so anyone who finds them cannot start it.

  6. Test everything

    The key starts the car, the buttons lock and unlock it, and the emergency blade opens the door.

Key fob replacement and repair

Not every key fob that stops working needs replacing. The most common fault is the battery, a coin cell that a locksmith can change in a minute, and cold weather is often what finishes a weak one.

If the buttons still work but the car will not start, the chip may have lost its pairing, or the car may need a battery check of its own. If the shell is cracked or the buttons are worn through, the electronics can often be moved into a new case.

When a fob really is lost or dead, a new one is programmed to the car on site. Fobs bought online can be cheaper, but many are locked to another car or the wrong frequency, so ask before you buy one and expect it to be tested before it is programmed.

Before you replace a fob

Try a new battery
Most fobs open with a small screwdriver or coin.
Try the spare
If the spare works, the problem is the fob, not the car.
Check the car battery
A weak car battery can stop the car seeing the fob.
Ask before buying online
Not every fob can be programmed to every car.

Do not wait until you are down to one key

The most expensive car key is the one you need when every other key is gone. Making a spare from a working key is a much simpler job than making a new key from nothing, because there is nothing to open and the car already trusts a key it can compare against.

If you bought a used car with one key, have a spare made in the first week. If a teenager is about to start driving, have one made for them rather than lending yours. And if a key has gone missing, have it erased from the car at the same time.

Car theft gives one more reason. Ottawa Police figures reported by CTV counted 1,645 vehicle thefts in 2024 and about 1,488 in 2025, and CAA warns that keyless relay theft is a known method. Keep fobs away from the front door, and in a signal-blocking pouch overnight if your car uses keyless entry.

Locksmith or dealer?

Both can handle car key replacement and key fob programming for most vehicles. These are the differences that matter.

Where it is done

A locksmith comes to the car. A dealer usually needs the car brought in, which means a tow if you have no key at all.

Timing

A locksmith can often do it the same day. Dealers may need to order the key and book an appointment.

Cost

A locksmith is often less expensive than the dealer for the same key, especially once a tow is avoided.

Newest models

Some recent vehicles can only be programmed by the dealer. You will be told on the phone.

What car key replacement costs

Give the year, make and model when you call, and you will get a price for your key. These are the things that drive it.

The type of key

A plain metal key costs the least. Transponder and remote head keys cost more, and smart keys for push-to-start cars the most.

Spare or all keys lost

A spare made from a working key is quicker and cheaper than a key made from nothing.

The vehicle

Some makes need more time or more specialised equipment to program.

Erasing lost keys

Removing missing keys from the car's memory is usually done in the same visit.

Questions people ask

Can you make a car key without the original?

For most vehicles, yes. The key is cut from the vehicle's key code or by decoding the door lock, then programmed to the car. You need to prove ownership first.

How long does car key replacement take?

A spare from a working key is usually quick. Making a key when all keys are lost takes longer, because the car may need to be opened and the lock decoded before the key is cut and programmed.

Can a lost key be stopped from starting my car?

Yes. When a new key is programmed, missing keys can be erased from the car's memory, so they no longer start it, even if someone finds them.

Can I buy a fob online and have it programmed?

Sometimes. Many online fobs are the wrong frequency or already locked to another car. Check the part number with the locksmith before you buy.

Other work The Ottawa Locksmith does

For everything else, from a sticking deadbolt to a safe, see the main page for a locksmith in Ottawa.

Emergency locksmith in OttawaResidential locksmith in OttawaCommercial locksmith in OttawaCar locksmith in Ottawa
Locksmith in KanataLocksmith in OrleansLocksmith in BarrhavenLocksmith in NepeanLocksmith in StittsvilleLocksmith in Gloucester

Tell us what is locked

613-820-5648

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you are locked out right now, call, day or night. For anything that can wait, send the form and you will get a call back with a price.

Call 613-820-5648