Car Key Replacement in Meridian, ID

Proving the car is yours

A replacement key is cut to the vehicle's key code and, on most recent models, programmed to its immobilizer so the engine will start. Because that creates a working key to someone's car, ownership has to be clear first. Have ready:

• Photo ID
• The registration or title in the same name as the ID
• The vehicle identification number (VIN)
• For a financed or leased car, paperwork showing your name; for a family or company car, written permission from the registered owner

If the title or registration was lost along with the key, request a duplicate from your state motor-vehicle agency before or alongside the key request.

Where the car is sitting

Location changes how the job goes, so describe it plainly.

• A driveway or garage. If it is in the garage, say whether the driver's door opens fully.
• An apartment or condominium lot. Name the building and space number, and whether spaces there are assigned.
• A public street. Meridian City Code 7-2-5(A)(1)(a) caps parking on a public street at 72 hours for a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating under 12,000 pounds. A car left at the curb for lack of a key is on that clock like any other, so note when it was parked and put the date at the top of your request if the limit is near. This is general information, not legal advice.
• A private lot. The 72-hour limit is written for public streets; a private lot follows its own posted signs, and Meridian's boot rules are summarized on the car lockout page.

What to include

• Year, make and model
• Whether it starts with a turn key, a flip key or a push button
• How many working keys remain; a surviving spare can simplify the job
• Whether the doors are locked
• The address, or the street and the nearest cross streets

If one remote still works and you only need another, key fob programming may be enough. The overview is at car key replacement, and city notes are on the Meridian page.