Car Key Replacement in Columbia, MO

Proving the car is yours

A replacement car key is cut and, on most modern cars, programmed to one specific vehicle, so proof of ownership is the usual first question. Have these together:

• The title or current registration, in the same name as your photo ID
• Photo ID; if it comes from another state or is out of date, add the registration
• For a leased or financed car, the lease or loan papers that list the VIN

The University of Missouri, Stephens College and Columbia College enroll nearly 40,000 students between them, and a student may drive a car titled to a parent. If so, the paperwork will not match your ID. Have the owner reachable by phone, with the owner's permission and ID ready.

Where the car is parked

Location matters for a key job, so be exact.

• Campus structures. Football Fridays push many permit holders into campus parking structures, and a car with no working key that must move that evening is worth flagging early. The car lockout page has the relocation window.
• Commercial lots. A car stranded at a business along Stadium Boulevard, Grindstone Parkway, U.S. Route 63 or Interstate 70 is easier to find with the business name and the row.
• Downtown. The district covers about a square mile, so a cross street or building name pins down the spot.
• Home streets. Give the street and cross street, and the color of the car.

What to have ready

1. The VIN, from the lower driver's-side corner of the windshield or the door-jamb sticker
2. Make, model, year and trim, and whether the car starts with a turned key or a push button
3. Any remaining key or fob, even a broken one
4. Ownership papers and ID

With one working key left, a copy is simpler than starting from none, so mention it first. For a fob that has stopped working, see key fob programming.