First: What Not to Do
- Don't tow the car to a dealership yet. The tow itself is $75–$150, and at the dealer you'll likely wait days for a key ordered by VIN. Towing is the last resort, not the first move.
- Don't try to drill or force the ignition. A damaged ignition cylinder turns a key job into a repair job and doubles your bill.
- Don't call the "$19 locksmith" ad. All-keys-lost is precisely the situation bait-and-switch operators exploit — you're stranded and they know it. Any company that won't quote a flat number by VIN on the phone is not your friend today.
The 5-Step Plan
Find your VIN
It's visible from outside the car: bottom corner of the windshield on the driver's side, or on the sticker in the driver's door jamb. It's also on your registration and insurance card. The VIN tells the locksmith exactly which key blank, chip type, and programming procedure your car needs — and lets them quote a real price.
Gather proof of ownership
Photo ID plus the vehicle registration or title. Every legitimate locksmith requires these for an all-keys-lost job — it's the safeguard that keeps new keys from being made for stolen cars. If your documents are locked inside the car, tell the locksmith; opening the door first ($139 flat with us) solves that.
Call (or text) a mobile automotive locksmith — get a starting price
Ask two questions: "Can you do all-keys-lost on my [year/make/model]?" and "What's the starting price and service call?" A properly equipped company answers both up front. Text us your VIN at (623) 200-4499 and we reply with your honest starting price and what to expect — the exact number is confirmed on-site before any work, with a $59 service call applied to the job.
The technician makes your key on-site
Three stages, all at your curb: ① decode the door lock with a Lishi tool (no drilling) or pull the factory key code by VIN; ② cut a new blade on the in-van cutting machine; ③ connect a programmer to the OBD port and register the new key with your car's immobilizer. Details on the equipment: the tools pros use.
Erase the lost keys & test everything
On most makes, the old keys are wiped from the immobilizer during programming — so whoever finds (or took) them can't start your car. The tech tests engine start, lock/unlock, trunk, and panic before you pay a dollar.
What All-Keys-Lost Costs in 2026
All-keys-lost is the most expensive key job — typically 2–4× the cost of copying a working key — because the key is created from nothing: lock decoding, cutting by code, and a full immobilizer registration. Here's the honest market picture:
| Route | Typical Total | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile locksmith (national range) | $400–$800 | 30–60 min on-site |
| Dealership | $700–$1,500 (incl. $75–$150 tow) | 2–7 days |
| TrustKey flat rate | from $349 — exact price confirmed on-site | Same day, at your location |
The final number depends on your key technology — a 2006 transponder key is cheaper to originate than a 2022 proximity smart key. Full breakdown by key type: Car Key Replacement Cost in Arizona.
Heat warning, Arizona edition: if you're stranded with kids, pets, or medication locked inside a hot car, say so immediately when you call — that's a priority dispatch. And if a child or pet is in danger right now, call 911 first; Arizona law protects rescuers who act in good faith.
When the Dealer Actually Is the Right Call
Honesty over sales pitch: a few situations genuinely belong at the dealership.
- Late-model European cars — BMW, Mercedes, and Audi from roughly the mid-2010s onward lock key registration behind factory-only systems.
- Brand-new models — vehicles released in the last year or two sometimes aren't covered by aftermarket programming platforms yet.
- Active factory recalls or warranty work on the immobilizer — let the dealer touch it while it's their liability.
When you text us your VIN, we tell you which side of this line your car is on — for free, before any dispatch. We'd rather lose one job than charge you a trip fee to discover what we could have told you on the phone.
The $140–$199 Insurance Policy: Get a Spare Now
Every all-keys-lost story starts the same way: "I always meant to make a spare." Duplicating a working key costs a fraction of originating one from scratch:
- Spare basic key: from $140 — cut at your driveway in minutes
- Spare transponder key: from $149 — cut + programmed alongside your current key
- Spare remote/fob: from $199 — full function copy
- Spare smart key (push-to-start): from $279 — paired alongside your current fob
- All-keys-lost later: from $349 — plus the stranded afternoon
Frequently Asked Questions
My only key is locked inside the car — is that "all keys lost"?
No, and that's good news: that's a $139 car lockout, not a key origination. We open the door non-destructively and your existing key keeps working.
My key was stolen, not lost. Anything different?
Yes — tell us. We'll erase all old keys from the immobilizer during programming so the stolen key can't start the car, and we recommend rekeying any house keys that were on the same ring. Consider a police report for insurance purposes.
Will my insurance cover a lost key?
Sometimes — some comprehensive policies and roadside-assistance add-ons cover key replacement partially or fully. Worth a call before you pay out of pocket; we provide an itemized receipt that works for claims.
Can you do all-keys-lost at night?
Yes — we answer 24/7, and after-hours dispatch carries our standard night surcharge. If the car is parked somewhere safe, doing the job after 7AM saves you the surcharge; we'll tell you both prices and let you choose.
What if my ignition is damaged too?
We handle ignition repair and rekeying as well. If the cylinder is worn or someone forced it, the tech quotes the repair separately, before touching anything — no surprise line items.