PRICE GUIDE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · 2026–2027
Car Key Replacement cost in the UK
£80–£500 per key. Typically £240.
A replacement car key costs £80–£500 in the UK, around £240 on average. The type of key is the main driver: a transponder key is cheapest, a remote flip key costs more, and a keyless proximity fob for a premium car costs the most, especially from a main dealer.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a car key replacement cost in the UK?
| Low end | £80 | a transponder key for an older car |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £240 | what most people pay |
| High end | £500 | a keyless fob for a premium car from a dealer |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the garages, mobile mechanics and valeters near you.
What moves the price
- Type of key — a basic transponder key costs least, a remote fob more and a keyless smart key the most
- Make and model — premium brands use encrypted key systems that need dearer blanks and coding
- Dealer or auto locksmith — an auto locksmith usually cuts and codes a key for less than a main dealer
- All keys lost — with no working key to copy, the car's immobiliser has to be reprogrammed, which costs more
- Mobile call-out — an auto locksmith coming to a car stranded at night or at a roadside adds to the key price
- Spare or replacement — copying a working key is quicker than starting from scratch after a theft
Vehicle maintenance prices in the UK are up 38% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Maintenance and repairs, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical car key replacement would have cost about £160 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7ED →
WHAT YOU GET
What a car key replacement booking includes
Takes: Thirty minutes to two hours on site; a main dealer may need several days to order a key. Not included: Ignition barrel repairs, broken door locks and break-in damage are separate jobs with their own prices — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common car key replacement jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Car Key Replacement near you, with prices shown
The garages, mobile mechanics and valeters that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
How to pay less
- Get a spare car key made while you still have a working one, as copying costs far less
- Compare an auto locksmith quote with the dealer price, as both can code most keys
- Check your car or home insurance for key cover, which may pay for a replacement key
Before you book
- Have the vehicle logbook and photo ID ready, as an auto locksmith checks you own the car before making a key
- Find the key code card or code tag if you have one, which speeds up cutting the blade
- Ask for any lost key to be deleted from the car's system so it can no longer start the engine
- Check whether the key price includes coding, the battery and a warranty on the remote
Car Key Replacement cost: questions people ask
£80–£500 per key, with around £240 typical. A transponder key for an older car costs the least; a keyless fob for a premium car from the dealer costs the most.
An auto locksmith with the right blank can cut and code a key in thirty minutes to two hours. A main dealer may need several days if the key has to be ordered.
Usually the V5C vehicle registration certificate and photo ID with a matching address. A reputable locksmith will not code a key for a car you cannot show is yours.
For most cars, yes. A good auto locksmith has the same coding equipment and can work at the roadside, though a few newer models still need the dealer.
Repairs to the ignition barrel, door locks or damage from a break-in are separate jobs and are quoted on their own.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, based on published UK key replacement guides and locksmith task data. They form a national range rather than a quote, and your car and the type of key set your price.
MORE GUIDES