Lost Car Keys: What to Do, Step by Step, in Ontario
A calm sequence for a bad afternoon. Where to look first, who to call second, what they will need from you, and what it should cost before anybody mentions a tow truck.
Quick answer
Lost car keys, what to do: check pockets, bags, the ignition and the vehicle itself first. Then call a mobile automotive locksmith with your year, make, model, VIN and proof of ownership. Most vehicles can be cut and programmed at the roadside for roughly $150 to $700 with no tow. If the keys were stolen, have all previous keys erased from the immobiliser.
The first ten minutes after losing your car keys are mostly wasted energy, so here is the short version: they are usually somewhere sensible, and if they are not, a mobile automotive locksmith can almost certainly cut and program a new key where the car is parked. You do not need a tow. You very likely do not need the dealership.
What follows is the sequence, from the Upper Canada Mall parking lot to the immobiliser. It applies anywhere in Ontario, though the prices and response times quoted are for the Newmarket area.
One thing worth knowing before you start: losing keys and having keys stolen are different problems with different answers, and the difference matters enough that there is a whole section on it below.
Step one: the four minutes of searching that usually works
- Every pocket, including the ones you already checked. People find keys in the pocket they checked first roughly as often as anywhere else.
- Inside the vehicle. Ignition, cup holder, passenger seat, footwell, boot. A locked car with the keys visible inside is a lockout, not a lost key, and it is a much cheaper problem.
- The last place you paid for something. Retail counters, the till at a coffee shop, the fuel pump, the checkout at Upper Canada Mall. Call before you drive back.
- Yesterday coat pockets, the bag you swapped out of, the gym locker, the arena bench at the Ray Twinney Complex or Magna Centre.
- The door of the house. Left in the exterior lock is common and it is also a security problem. If you find them there, think about who walked past.
- Ask whoever was with you. Second most common outcome after your own pocket.
If four minutes of that turns up nothing, stop searching and start solving. Searching becomes unproductive quickly, and a locksmith needs a bit of lead time to source the right blank for your vehicle.
Dealer or mobile automotive locksmith?
Both can make you a key. They differ on where, when, and how much.
| Dealership | Mobile automotive locksmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the work happens | You bring the vehicle in | At the vehicle, wherever it is parked |
| Tow required if all keys lost | Usually yes, add $100 to $250 | No |
| Typical wait | Next appointment, sometimes days for an ordered key | Often same day; 20 to 30 minutes to a Newmarket address |
| Cost of a proximity fob | Often $450 to $900 plus programming | $280 to $600 supplied and programmed |
| Availability | Business hours | 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays |
| Very new or rare models | Sometimes the only option | Most makes and years, with some exceptions |
| Erase old keys from the immobiliser | Yes | Yes |
The honest exception: a handful of very recent models and some European vehicles have security-code access restricted to franchised dealers. A competent locksmith tells you that on the phone rather than driving out and shrugging. Everything else, which is the great majority of what is parked in Newmarket driveways, is a roadside job. See car key replacement in Newmarket for what we cover.
Ranges are typical for the Newmarket area in 2026 and vary by year, make, model and key type. A firm price is confirmed on the phone once you give those details, and overnight, weekend and holiday attendance carries a premium.
What the locksmith needs from you
Have this ready before you call and the quote takes ninety seconds instead of three conversations.
- Year, make and model. Not “a grey Honda”. The model year changes the key system on some vehicles mid-generation.
- The VIN. Seventeen characters, visible through the windscreen at the base of the driver side, and printed on your ownership and insurance slip. The VIN determines the key blank and the programming path.
- Whether all keys are lost, or you still have one. This is the single biggest price variable. Having one working key makes adding a spare far quicker and cheaper.
- Key type. Metal key, key with a plastic head and buttons, or a fob you never take out of your pocket. If you are unsure, describe what you used to do to start the car.
- Proof of ownership and photo ID. Vehicle permit or insurance slip in your name, plus a driver licence. Any legitimate locksmith will ask. One that does not ask will make a key for anyone standing next to your car, which should worry you.
- Exactly where the vehicle is. Address, or the lot and the level. Underground parking sometimes needs arranging with building security.
If the ownership is in a spouse or company name, say so on the phone. It is nearly always workable; it just needs a second document rather than a surprise at the roadside.
What a replacement key costs in Ontario
| Key type | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical key, no chip | $60 – $120 | Older vehicles and spare metal keys |
| Transponder key, cut and programmed | $150 – $280 | Common on 2000s and 2010s vehicles |
| Remote head key | $200 – $360 | Key and remote buttons in one head |
| Proximity fob, push-to-start | $280 – $600 | Blank cost and programming time vary a lot by manufacturer |
| All keys lost, programmed on site | $280 – $700 | Includes gaining access and originating a key from scratch |
| Erase all previously programmed keys | $60 – $140 | Add-on; do this whenever keys were stolen |
| Car lockout, keys visible inside | $90 – $170 | Not a key job at all if the key is intact |
| Ignition repair or replacement | $220 – $650 | If the key turns but the barrel is worn or jammed |
Two things are worth spending on while the technician is already there. First, a spare: a second key programmed during the same visit is dramatically cheaper than a future all-keys-lost call, because the expensive part of that job is having no key at all. Second, if the vehicle is older, ask him to look at the ignition cylinder while the tooling is out.
Typical Newmarket-area pricing for 2026, excluding HST. Exact cost depends on year, make, model and key type and is confirmed on the phone before dispatch. After-hours, weekend and holiday call-outs carry a premium. Wider price context is on our locksmith prices page.
Stolen keys are a different problem
If your keys were taken rather than mislaid — a break-in at the house, a bag lifted at the arena, a wallet gone from a gym locker — someone now knows what you drive and may know where you park. Cutting a replacement key does not address that at all. The old key still starts the car.
The step that matters is erasing every previously programmed key from the vehicle immobiliser. A locksmith wipes the stored key list from the module and programs only the keys physically present, so any key not in your hand becomes an inert piece of plastic. It is a modest add-on, usually $60 to $140, and it is the entire point of the visit when theft is involved.
Then think about the house. A stolen key ring often carries a house key, and if a vehicle permit or insurance slip went with it, your address went too. The sensible response is to rekey the exterior door locks the same day. Our rekey or replace guide covers which doors and why, and the break-in prevention guide deals with what to reinforce afterwards.
File a police report as well. It costs you nothing, it creates a record with a date on it, and most insurers want the report number before they will discuss anything.
The insurance angle, honestly
Most standard Ontario auto policies do not cover simply losing your keys. Comprehensive coverage typically responds when keys are stolen, and some policies include a specific key-replacement provision, occasionally with immobiliser reprogramming included. Whether it is worth claiming depends on your deductible: if the deductible is $500 and the key is $380, a claim costs you money and a claims record.
Where it is more likely to be worth it is a stolen-key event that includes the erase-all-keys work and a house rekey, or a case where the ignition also needs replacing. Ask your broker two specific questions: does the policy respond to stolen keys, and does it cover reprogramming as well as the key itself.
Roadside assistance packages, including those bundled with a credit card or an auto club membership, sometimes cover lockouts. They almost never cover cutting and programming a new key. Read the wording before you assume it is handled.
Keep the itemised invoice from the locksmith regardless. If you ever do claim, an invoice showing the company name, the VIN, the work performed and the HST is what the adjuster wants to see.
What we do on a lost key call
Where we attend lost key calls
We reach Newmarket addresses in about 20 to 30 minutes and cover the surrounding towns from the same base: Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Holland Landing, Sharon, Queensville, Keswick, Mount Albert, Bradford, Georgina, Sutton, King City, Richmond Hill, Stouffville and Schomberg. Common call locations are the Upper Canada Mall lots, the Newmarket GO station, arena parking at the Magna Centre and Ray Twinney Complex, and Southlake staff and visitor parking.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I lost my only car key?
Search pockets, bags and the vehicle itself for about four minutes, then call a mobile automotive locksmith with the year, make, model and VIN. Most vehicles can have a new key cut and programmed where the car is parked, without a tow, usually the same day. Have your vehicle permit and photo ID ready, because you will be asked to prove ownership.
Can a locksmith make a car key with no original?
Yes, for the great majority of vehicles. It is called an all-keys-lost job: the technician originates a key from the vehicle identification number and the immobiliser data, cuts the blade and programs the transponder or fob on site. Expect roughly $280 to $700 depending on make and key type. A small number of very recent or European models require dealer-only security codes.
How much does it cost to replace lost car keys in Ontario?
A plain mechanical key is $60 to $120. A transponder key cut and programmed runs $150 to $280. A push-to-start proximity fob is typically $280 to $600. An all-keys-lost job, where nothing exists to copy, sits between $280 and $700. Prices vary by year, make and model, and a firm figure is given on the phone once you supply the VIN.
Do I need to tow my car to the dealership?
Usually not. A mobile automotive locksmith works at the vehicle, so the tow, which adds $100 to $250 and a day of waiting, is avoided entirely. Towing only becomes necessary for the small number of vehicles whose security codes are restricted to franchised dealers, and a straight shop will tell you that on the phone.
What information does a locksmith need to make a new car key?
Year, make and model; the seventeen-character VIN from the windscreen or your ownership slip; whether all keys are lost or you still have one; the key type; and proof of ownership plus photo ID. Also give the exact location of the vehicle. With that, a firm price and an arrival window can be given in under two minutes.
My car keys were stolen. Is a new key enough?
No. A new key does not stop the stolen one from starting the car. Ask the locksmith to erase all previously programmed keys from the immobiliser so only the keys physically present will work; that add-on runs about $60 to $140. If a house key was on the same ring, rekey your exterior door locks the same day, and file a police report for the record.
Does insurance cover lost car keys?
Simple loss usually is not covered. Comprehensive coverage often responds to stolen keys, and some policies include a key-replacement provision that may or may not include reprogramming. Compare the cost against your deductible before claiming. Ask your broker directly whether stolen keys are covered and whether programming is included, and keep the itemised locksmith invoice either way.
How long does it take to program a new car key?
Once the technician is on site, most transponder keys take 20 to 45 minutes including cutting. Proximity fobs and all-keys-lost jobs can take up to about 90 minutes, because some vehicles impose a security wait before they will accept a new key. Add the travel time, which is typically 20 to 30 minutes to a Newmarket address.
Related locksmith services in Newmarket
Stuck beside a car with no key?
Call 866-820-1331 with the year, make, model and VIN and you will have a firm price in a couple of minutes. Cut and programmed at the vehicle, 24 hours a day, typically 20 to 30 minutes to a Newmarket address.
