Quick answer: it depends on four things: the type of key, the make and model, whether you still have a working key, and when and where we come out. We give you the price on the phone before we leave, and for the cars we make keys for it’s usually a lot less than going through a dealer, with no towing and no waiting days for parts.
Price guide
Business hours, GST included, checked September 2026. A guide, not a quote.
- Car unlock, keys locked inside: from $195, for cars that aren’t deadlocked. Deadlocked cars take longer to open, so they cost more.
- Spare car key, Japanese and Korean cars: from $240. Push-button (proximity) keys from $295.
- All car keys lost, Japanese and Korean cars: from $350
After-hours and weekend jobs cost more. Either way, we tell you the total before we start.
People ring us and ask “how much for a car key?” and the honest answer is that a key for a 2008 Corolla and a key for a 2022 CX-5 are different jobs. Here’s what actually moves the price, so you know what you’re being quoted for.
1. The type of key
A plain cut key. Older cars, roughly pre-2000, use a metal key with no chip. We cut it to your lock and it works. This is the simplest and cheapest kind.
A transponder key. Nearly every car since the early 2000s has a chip in the head of the key that talks to the car’s immobiliser. The blade has to be cut and the chip has to be programmed to your car, or the engine won’t start. See transponder keys.
A remote or flip key. Same as a transponder key, plus the buttons that lock and unlock the doors. The remote part has to be paired to the car as well. See remotes and smart keys.
A proximity or push-button key. The key stays in your pocket and the car senses it. These are the most involved to program and the key itself costs the most to buy in.
2. Your make and model
We cut and program keys for all Japanese cars (Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki and the rest), Hyundai and Kia, and most American cars including Ford and Holden. Within those, some models are quicker than others, and that shows in the price. European cars (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW and so on) and Chinese makes (MG, BYD, GWM) we can open if you’re locked out, but their keys go through the dealer. The full list is on car makes we cover.
3. Whether you still have a key
If you have one working key and want a spare, we copy the cut and add the new key to the car. That’s the cheapest time to get one made.
If you’ve lost every key, we have to read the lock to work out the cut, then program the car to accept a new key with nothing to copy from. More work, so it costs more than a spare. While we’re in there we remove the lost key from the car’s memory, so it can’t start the car if it turns up in the wrong hands.
4. When and where
Night, weekend and public holiday call-outs cost more than daytime. So does a long drive. We’re based in Duncraig and cover all of Perth, and we tell you the after-hours price up front rather than surprising you with it on the invoice.
Why the dealer usually costs more
A dealer has to get the car to them, which often means a tow if you have no key at all. Then the key is ordered, then there’s a workshop booking, then dealer labour. We come to the car and do the whole thing on the spot. For the makes we cover, most keys are cut and programmed in about half an hour once we’re with the car, and the key does exactly what the dealer’s would.
How to get an exact price
Call 0427 580 823 and tell us the make, model and year, what kind of key it is (plain, remote, push-button), whether you still have a working key, and where the car is. That’s enough for a firm price on the phone. If anything changes once we see the car, we tell you before we start.
Common questions
Is a locksmith cheaper than the dealer for a car key?
For the cars we make keys for, usually a lot cheaper, and you don’t pay for a tow or lose the car for days. For European and Chinese cars the dealer is the right call for keys, and we’ll say so.
Do I need to tow the car to you?
No. We come to the car, wherever it’s parked, and cut and program the key there.
Can you give me a price over the phone?
Yes. With the make, model, year and key type we can quote it straight away, and we hold that price unless the car turns out to be different from what we were told.
Does a spare key cost less than a replacement?
Yes. Copying a working key is simpler than making one from scratch after they’re all lost, which is why we always suggest getting a spare cut while you still have one.
Need a car key today?
Call 0427 580 823Send an enquiry
More on our car locksmith page, or if you’re near our base, Duncraig.