Car Key Replacement in Denver, CO

Proof of ownership comes first

A replacement key is made for a particular vehicle, so expect to show that it is yours. That usually means a title or registration in your name plus matching photo ID, or lease or lender paperwork if the car is not fully yours. The vehicle identification number (VIN), printed on the registration and visible at the base of the windshield, tells the locksmith which key and immobilizer the car needs. A phone photo of each document saves a trip back to the house.

If the car is at the impound lot

The city's towing and impound page says a locksmith may make a key at the city's Vehicle Impound Facility on York Street if the service stays within a 20-minute limit, so describe the job in your request to see whether it fits. Driving the car out takes valid current registration and current insurance, among other requirements, so gather those with your ownership papers before you go.

A car waiting at a Capitol Hill curb

Because Capitol Hill's older housing stock lacks off-street parking, a car whose keys are gone often waits on the street while the key is sorted out. The city's 72-hour street rule, covered under car lockout, applies to a car left in one place, so note the day it was last moved and mention it when you ask.

What to have ready

• the vehicle: year, make, model and VIN
• ownership papers and matching photo ID, or a phone photo of each
• any key you still have, even a damaged or spare one
• how the car starts: key blade, push button or both
• where it is: street and cross street, garage, alley or the impound lot

If the key works but the remote does not, see key fob programming. The service is described at car key replacement, and the city notes are on the Denver page.