Car Key Replacement in Sacramento, CA

Proving the car is yours

When every key is lost there is nothing to copy, and California Penal Code § 466.6 covers that case. Anyone who makes an ignition key other than by copying an existing one must record your name, address, date of birth and identification number, along with the car's plate, VIN and description, on a work order you sign, and keep that record for two years. Have ready:

• your photo ID
• the registration or title in your name; if it is locked in the car, say so, and if it is lost, ask your state motor-vehicle agency about a duplicate
• if the car is registered to someone else, say so in the request so the paperwork can be settled first

This is general information, not legal advice.

A car with no key stays put

According to the city's parking guide, a car left in the same street spot for at least 72 hours can be reported to Sacramento 311 as abandoned, and City Code Enforcement handles those reports. If the car is on the street, note the day it was last moved and deal with the key before that becomes a problem.

A car in a driveway or garage is under less time pressure. Say which it is, and whether there is room to open the driver's door.

What to have ready

• year, make and model, and the VIN, found on the registration card and on a small plate at the base of the windshield
• the key type: plain metal, chipped transponder, remote-head key or push-button fob
• whether you still have any working key; copying one is simpler than making one from scratch
• how many keys you want
• where the car is: cross streets, driveway or garage

The request form can carry all of this.

See car key replacement, key fob programming if you still have a fob that needs pairing, and Sacramento.