A spare car key is easier to make while you still have a working key than after every key is lost. Depending on the vehicle, a locksmith can copy, clone or program a second key, and push-to-start fobs are programmed to the car. WOW Locks programs keys on site, so call (844) 969-5625 with your year, make and model.
Why a Spare Is Easier Than an All-Keys-Lost Call
Picture two phone calls.
In the first, you say: “I have one key and I want a second.” The locksmith works from a key that already talks to your car.
In the second, you say: “I have no keys.” Now the job starts from zero, with more steps, more proof that the car is yours, and a day that is already going badly.
You get to choose the day. Nobody is stranded, nobody is rushing, and nobody is standing in a Lady Bird Lake trailhead lot or the Barton Springs Pool parking lot with a dead phone and no way home.
If you are already past that point and have no key at all, start with what to do if you lose your only car key. This guide is for the planners.
Copy, Clone or Program: Three Ways to Make a Second Key
People mix these three words up all the time, but they are three different jobs.
- Copy: cut a new metal blade from your existing key. That is all. Nothing talks to the car.
- Clone: read the chip inside your existing key and write the same data onto a new chip. Because the data is the same, the car sees both keys as one key. It needs your working key present, and it only works on some vehicle systems.
- Program: pair a new key to the car’s computer so it joins the list of keys the car accepts. This is how most modern keys and push-to-start fobs are made.
The word that trips people up is copy. A metal copy of a transponder key will turn the lock. It will not start the engine, because the chip is missing or does not match. That is the number one surprise on a spare key job.
Mechanical, Transponder, Remote-Head and Push-to-Start: What Each Needs
Your key type decides which path works. Use this table to find yours, then say it to the dispatcher.
| Key type | What it is | Copy | Clone | Program | Proof of ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | Metal blade, no chip | Yes, a cut is all it needs | Not applicable | Not applicable | Usually little beyond the key itself |
| Transponder | Metal blade plus a chip in the head | Opens doors only. Will not start the car | Possible on some systems, with your key present | Yes, on most vehicles | Registration or title plus matching photo ID |
| Remote-head | Blade, chip and lock/unlock buttons in one | Blade cut alone is not enough | Sometimes, for the chip | Yes, the chip and the remote buttons | Registration or title plus matching photo ID |
| Push-to-start fob | No blade you use. Car reads the fob | Not applicable | Rarely | Yes. Paired to the car | Registration or title plus matching photo ID. A VIN may be needed |
Two notes on that table. First, which method is possible depends on your make, model and year. That is why the dispatcher asks for all three. Second, WOW Locks may ask for proof of ownership before any key work, so have your registration or title and photo ID ready. If the ID and the car do not match, the job stops. That rule protects you.
Quick tell: if your key has a fat plastic head, assume a chip is inside. If it has buttons, assume the buttons need programming too.
Here is the pricing formula in two lines. WOW Locks’ published car key rate is a $120 base fee plus a key-type charge of $60 to $300, before tax and add-ons. Cloning and owner-supplied fob programming are quoted on the call. For how that formula applies to each key type, see the car key and fob replacement cost guide. The flat-rate price list has the rest of the rate card.
Want the details of the service itself? The car key replacement page covers what we do and how to prepare.
Valet Key, Door-Only Key and the Fob You Should Not Hand a Valet
Some vehicles ship with a valet key. It starts the car and opens the driver’s door, but on some models it will not open the trunk or glove box. The idea is simple: the valet can park the car without browsing your stuff.
A few habits keep you safe.
- Look in your owner’s manual to see whether your vehicle has a valet key or a valet mode.
- If it does, hand that over, not the full fob.
- If it does not, take your house keys, garage remote and anything with your address off the ring before you hand the car over.
- A door-only key opens the doors but does not start the engine. Some vehicles come with one, and your owner’s manual will say.
Keys with your home address, a garage opener and a car fob on one ring are a package a stranger can use. Separate them.
Teen Driver or Second Driver: Who Carries the Spare
Each fall, a new school year puts new drivers behind the wheel, and second cars show up in more driveways. That is the perfect moment to ask the question out loud: who owns the spare?
Three setups work.
- Parent holds the spare. The teen carries one key. The spare stays at home, out of the car, and you know where it is.
- Two full keys, two drivers. Each driver carries one. A third spare goes in a safe spot at home. This is the sturdy version for a household with two regular drivers.
- Spare in a home lockbox. Neither driver carries it. Both know where it is.
Whichever you choose, write down who has which key. It sounds fussy. It beats a family argument in a parking lot.
Where to Keep the Spare (and Where Never To)
Good spots:
- A drawer or key cabinet at home, away from the door
- A trusted family member or friend who lives nearby
- A small lockbox you control, not one with a code you share widely
Bad spots:
- Inside the car. If you lock yourself out, the spare is locked out with you
- A magnetic box under the bumper or wheel well. Thieves know to check there
- A hiding place next to the door, like a flowerpot or a mat
For a push-to-start fob, keep it away from the vehicle when you are not using it, and not in the car overnight.
Your Spare Key Plan
Here is the short version, as a checklist.
- Check what you have. How many working keys? What type: mechanical, transponder, remote-head or fob?
- Pick your path. Copy, clone or program. If you are not sure, say the year, make and model on the phone and ask.
- Gather proof. Registration or title, plus photo ID that matches.
- Get the quote. Ask for the full total and what it includes. Any add-on is quoted on the call before a technician is dispatched.
- Test it. Open the door, start the car, and try every button on the new key before the technician leaves.
- Store it. Somewhere safe, and not in the car.
WOW Locks LLC holds Texas DPS (TOPS) license B10595301 and is insured and bonded. We have local technicians based in Austin, and you can see the Austin service areas we cover.
Make the spare before you need it. Call (844) 969-5625 with your year, make and model, or use request service to send the details.