Spare Car Key in Rednal, Birmingham

Why a Spare Key Matters

A spare key protects you against three common problems. If you lose your only key, the spare gets you moving again while a replacement is arranged. If your key snaps or stops working, the spare starts the car and opens the doors. And if you lock your only key inside the car, the spare opens it, which avoids a lockout call altogether.

A spare is also useful when more than one person drives the car. A second driver in the household, a family member who shares the car, or a partner who uses it on different days can each keep a key. That avoids the daily hand-over of a single key, and it means the car is never left with only one key in circulation.

The other reason to make a spare now is cost. A spare made from a working key costs less than a key made after every key is lost, because the new key is copied from the original rather than built from scratch. Waiting until the only key is gone turns a simple job into a longer one, and the price rises with it. If you have lost every key, a new key can still be made with proof of ownership.

How a Spare Key Is Made

A spare key visit is a short job, and we talk you through it as it happens. You stay by the car while we work, and you can ask questions at any point. The list below shows the order of a visit in Rednal, Birmingham B45.

• Call 07367 634032 and tell us the make and model, where the car is, and what type of key you have.
• We give you a clear quote before any work starts, so you know the full cost before we begin.
• We check your proof of ownership when we arrive, so have your V5C logbook and photo ID ready.
• We cut the spare key and programme it to your car, at your car. It should lock, unlock and start the engine, just like the original.
• We test the spare key with you before we leave, so you can see it lock, unlock and start the car yourself.

Key Types We Duplicate

Every car key falls into one of a few types, and each type is copied in its own way. The list below sets out the types we duplicate. When you call, tell us which one matches your key, or describe the key, and we will work out what the job needs.

Other cars use a key card, a flip key that folds into the fob, or an emergency blade tucked inside a smart key. If none of the types above sounds like your key, tell us what it looks like on the call and we will say plainly whether we can duplicate it. Our page on car key programming in Rednal, Birmingham explains how the chip inside a key is matched to a car.

• Transponder keys: inside the head of the key sits a small chip that sends a code to the car, and the car starts only when the code matches. The spare chip needs programming too.
• Remote keys: the buttons on the key lock and unlock the car from a short distance, and the spare needs its buttons coded to the car as well as its chip.
• Smart keys: the car picks up the key close by and starts from a button press, with no blade turned in a lock. The spare needs coding to the vehicle before any of that works.
• Laser-cut keys: the blade is cut along the centre rather than the edge, and copying it needs specialist cutting equipment.

What Affects the Price of a Spare Key

A spare key has no fixed price, because the price depends on the key and the car. A plain key with a chip costs less than a smart key, and a key for a car that needs more coding steps costs more than one for a car that needs fewer. The make and model shape the price too, because the key system differs from one car to the next.

Evening, weekend and bank holiday work can cost more than a weekday daytime job, because the call-out falls outside normal hours. A clear quote comes before any work starts, so you know the full cost first. Citizens Advice has plain guidance on hiring a trader and getting a quote before work starts. Our page on what shapes car key replacement cost in Rednal, Birmingham explains the factors one by one.

When to Get a Spare Key Made

The best time to make a spare key is while you still have a working key. After that, three moments stand out as good times to get one made, and the list below sets them out.

A spare key made at any of these times costs less than a key made after every key is lost, and it takes less time too, because the new key is copied from a working original. Call 07367 634032 and tell us your make and model to get a quote. If a question is not answered here, our frequently asked questions page covers the ones we hear most often.

• While a locksmith is already with your car, for a replacement key or another job, because the proof of ownership check is already done.
• Before a holiday or a long trip, so a lost key away from home does not leave you stranded.
• After buying a used car that came with only one key, so the car has a backup from the start.

Proof of Ownership: What You Need

A spare key still calls for proof of ownership, just as any replacement key does. The check shows the car is yours, keeping the key with its holder, and it bars anyone else from ordering a key for a vehicle that is not theirs. The check is quick once the papers are ready, and it forms part of every key job.

The documents we ask for are your V5C logbook and photo ID. The V5C shows who the registered keeper is, and the photo ID links that name to you. If the V5C is missing, GOV.UK guidance on replacing a log book explains how to apply for a new one.

If the documents are not with you, call us and ask first. There may be another way to confirm that the car is yours, and we will talk you through the options. Our proof of ownership page sets out the full policy for every kind of key job.