HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire an auto locksmith in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Locksmithing is not licensed. Here is what a careful auto locksmith asks for and what the price should include.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring an auto locksmith in five steps

  1. Have proof of ownership readyV5C and ID — a careful locksmith will ask.
  2. Know the key typeTransponder, remote flip key or keyless fob.
  3. Get the price for the whole jobKey, cutting, programming, call-out, VAT.
  4. Ask about lost keysIf all keys are lost, ask about deleting them from the car.
  5. Test everythingStarts the car, locks and unlocks, boot button, spare key still works.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Nobody licenses auto locksmiths in the UK, and there is no official register to search. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 lists the activities that need an SIA licence, and fitting locks or cutting keys is not among them. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 still requires reasonable care and skill.

Agree the key type, programming and price in writing. legislation.gov.uk →

Insurance

No law makes an auto locksmith carry insurance, but anyone working on customers' cars should have public liability and cover for the vehicles in their care. Ask what happens if your paintwork, glass or interior is damaged.

Ask whether their insurance covers damage to your car on your drive.

Trader status and a written price

An auto locksmith trading as a business owes you reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Look for the trader badge on Locufy and get the scope and price in a message.

Check the trader badge and save the written quote. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

A new car key, its cutting and its programming are standard-rated at 20%. Auto locksmiths over the £90,000 registration threshold have to charge VAT and list it separately from the price.

Ask the key specialist for the VAT number and whether the price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Will you ask for proof that I own the car?”

A good answer: Yes — V5C and ID. An auto locksmith who does not ask is one a thief can use too.

“Can the locksmith program a replacement key for my make and model?”

A good answer: Yes, with the right equipment, or an honest no.

“Will the lost keys be removed from the car's memory?”

A good answer: For an all-keys-lost job, yes, so a found key will not start the car.

“Is the car key blade cut by code or copied?”

A good answer: Cut to code or from a working key, for a precise fit.

“Is the replacement key genuine or aftermarket?”

A good answer: Either can work; the price and guarantee should say which.

“Is there a locksmith call-out charge?”

A good answer: Stated up front, with any out-of-hours rate.

“What guarantee covers the key and programming?”

A good answer: In writing.

Getting the quote right

  • Key type and whether genuine or aftermarket
  • Cutting and programming
  • Call-out and any out-of-hours charge
  • The key specialist's VAT number, with VAT under key, programming and call-out
  • Deleting lost keys, and the guarantee
  • Who actually attends to cut and code the key, and whether they are employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • No proof of ownership asked for
  • A price that only appears after the work
  • Lost keys left programmed to the car
  • No invoice
LOW
£80
TYPICAL
£240
HIGH
£500

What an auto locksmith costs: £80–£500 per key

Car key replacement is priced per key — blank or fob, cutting, programming and call-out — with an all-keys-lost job costing more. Car Key Replacement price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Auto locksmiths near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. VerifyOwnership and ID checked.
  2. IdentifyKey type and system confirmed.
  3. CutBlade cut to code or from a working key.
  4. ProgramKey coded to the car; lost keys removed if needed.
  5. TestStarting, locking and remote functions checked.

Transponder
A chip in the key the car must recognise to start.
Remote fob
The buttons that lock and unlock.
Keyless entry
A fob that unlocks and starts the car without being used.
All keys lost
No working key left; programming is more involved.
Key code
The code used to cut a blade to the factory pattern.
Immobiliser
The system that stops the engine without a recognised key.

AFTER

When the job is done

Test both keysNew and spare: start, lock, unlock, boot.
Keep the invoiceKey type, programming done and the guarantee.
Tell your insurer if keys were stolenSome policies need to know.
Leave the reviewReviews on Locufy come only from booked jobs, so yours counts. If something was not right, the make-it-right step goes first and the locksmith can fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Tell the locksmith, in writingDescribe the fault with the key or programming and what you want. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 holds the auto locksmith to reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyScore the auto locksmith under four stars and you are asked whether the locksmith should see it first; we follow it through, then your review goes up.
STEP 3Escalate itAn accredited business can be taken to The Motor Ombudsman after eight weeks without a fix. For a locksmith outside the scheme, the consumer helpline hears the auto locksmith complaint and can refer it to Trading Standards — Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Take it to small claimsWhere money is owed back for the auto locksmith, you can claim without a solicitor: up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under Scotland's simple procedure, and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring an auto locksmith: questions people ask

No. Locksmithing is not a licensable activity under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and no UK nation licenses auto locksmiths. Check proof-of-ownership practice, insurance and a written price.

An invoice describing the key and programming, and a guarantee. There is no certificate.

Often, especially for older cars; a dealer may be the only option for some newer keys.

Expect £80–£500 per key, around £240 on average. Our car key replacement price guide has the detail, and your postcode above brings up auto locksmiths close to you.

Yes, if they may have been stolen, so they cannot start the car.

Go back with the invoice. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 faulty work must be put right.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Car Battery ReplacementHow to hire: Mobile MechanicHow to hire: Car DiagnosticsHow to hire: Vehicle Recovery & BreakdownHow to hire: Dash Cam InstallationHow to hire: Car Audio InstallationHow to hire: Windscreen RepairHow to hire: Car ServicingAll 701 hiring guides →

Auto locksmiths near you

Auto locksmiths in LondonAuto locksmiths in ManchesterAuto locksmiths in BirminghamAuto locksmiths in GlasgowAuto locksmiths in BelfastAll auto locksmiths on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Private Security Industry Act 2001, Schedule 2 — the licensable activities
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  3. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  4. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  5. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  6. nidirect — small claims process
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register