Car Key Replacement in Green Bay, WI

Replacing a car key in Green Bay

A lost or broken car key means cutting a new blade and, on most newer cars, programming a transponder chip or remote so the car will start. Programming needs the car itself, so where it sits matters.

Green Bay's night parking rule, Section 40-29(I), keeps cars off every city street between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m., so a driveway, garage or off-street lot is the easier place for a car without keys. A car stuck on the street overnight may qualify for an exception:

• The Parking Division can approve one for a situation such as a disabled vehicle, when asked before 2:00 a.m.
• It applies only to residential properties of three or fewer units, is capped at six per calendar year and is valid only in front of the requesting address.
• None is granted during a declared snow emergency.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Proof of ownership

A new key starts the car, so papers that show it is yours are worth having on hand:

• Photo ID with a name that matches the ownership papers
• The vehicle title or current registration; if either is missing, your state motor-vehicle agency can tell you how to get a copy
• For a leased or financed car, the paperwork that names you as the driver

If the papers are locked inside the car, say so; the documents can be checked once the door is open.

What to have ready

• Make, model and year
• The vehicle identification number (VIN), visible through the driver's-side corner of the windshield and printed on the registration
• Whether any working key or fob remains; bring it, since some cars need one present to add another
• Whether the key was lost or stolen; a stolen key is a reason to have it removed from the car's memory
• Where the car is: driveway, garage, lot or street, with the address or nearest cross streets, and whether it is in front of your own address

If you still have a key but the remote has stopped working, see key fob programming. More on car key replacement and the Green Bay page.