Car Key Replacement in Hartford, CT

Proving the car is yours

A replacement car key is cut and programmed for one vehicle, so proof of ownership matters. Have photo ID and the registration or title in your name on hand. If the car is registered to someone else, such as a parent, a spouse or an employer, their written permission and a copy of their ID make the request simpler. If the papers are locked in the car, say so in your request.

Where the car is parked changes the timing

A lost key is more pressing when the car is on the street. During a Hartford snow parking ban, cars left on the street are ticketed and towed, so a car with no working key cannot be moved out of the way. If you hear that a ban is coming and your only key is gone, say so up front.

Residents without off-street parking may use the city's Blue Light Lots. Cars must leave them within four hours after the ban is lifted, and Hartford Public Schools lots within two hours. If your car is already in a lot when the key goes missing, name the lot and say when the ban ended. This is general information, not legal advice.

Off the street, the details differ. Downtown or in Asylum Hill, give the garage name and level. In a residential neighborhood, say whether the car is on the street or in a lot.

What to have ready

• The VIN, from the registration or the plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side.
• Year, make and model, and the key type: plain metal key, key with a chip, remote-head key or push-button smart key.
• How many keys are lost and whether any working key remains. Copying a working key is simpler than replacing the last one.
• The car's exact location, including the lot name or cross streets.

See car key replacement, key fob programming for remotes, car lockout if the key is locked inside, or the Hartford page.