Automotive Locksmith · Middle Tennessee
Car Key Duplication: A Spare Key Made From the One You Have
If you still have one working car key, Instant Locksmith TN can copy it on site, cutting the blade and cloning or programming the chip so the spare actually starts the car. It's the simplest and usually the least expensive way to avoid a lost-key emergency later.
- You keep your working key
- Chip keys cloned or programmed
- Price confirmed before work
Why make a spare now
Instant Locksmith TN provides mobile car key duplication across Middle Tennessee. Duplication means copying a key that already works. Because the locksmith can read the cut from your key and, on most cars, use it to authorize the new one, it's a shorter, simpler job than replacing a key after it's gone.
The difference shows up the day the only key goes missing. With no key left, the job becomes all-keys-lost origination: opening the car, decoding the lock and programming from scratch. A spare made today avoids that.
Three ways a spare is made
Blade only
Plain metal keys with no chip. The locksmith traces or decodes your key and cuts a match. Check that the original isn't badly worn; if it is, cutting by code gives a better spare.
Chip cloning
For many transponder keys, the chip's data is copied into a cloneable chip in the new key. The car sees the spare as the original key, so no programming at the car is needed.
Program an additional key
Where cloning isn't possible, the new key is added to the vehicle's memory as a second key. This is the cleaner long-term option because each key is recognized separately. More on transponder key programming.
Copying a key with a remote
Many keys are really two devices: a chip in the head that lets the engine run, and a remote that locks and unlocks the doors. A spare with a working chip but no programmed remote will start the car but won't lock it from a distance. If you want both, ask for the remote to be set up too, or see key fob programming if the remote is a separate piece.
Push-to-start cars use proximity fobs instead of a key you turn. Those are added as a new key rather than copied; that's covered by smart key replacement.
How a duplication appointment works
- Tell us the vehicle. Use the order form for a spare car key, including year, make and model and how many spares you want.
- Confirm the key type. We check whether your key is metal-only, cloneable, or needs on-car programming, and confirm the price before dispatch.
- Bring your working key. The locksmith needs it to read the cut and, for most vehicles, to clone or authorize the new key. Stay with the car if programming is needed.
- Cut and set up. The blade is cut on the key machine in our van, the chip cloned or programmed, and any remote added if requested.
- Test both keys. You start the car and try the locks with the new spare and your original before the locksmith leaves.
A spare for every driver
Households with a teen driver, couples sharing a vehicle and small businesses with a work truck often make two or more spares at once. Store one somewhere other than the car itself. A magnetic box under the bumper is easy for anyone to find. Running a fleet of work vehicles? See our fleet vehicle locksmith service.
What does car key duplication cost?
Standard price: quoted before dispatch. Price depends on whether the spare is blade-only, a cloned chip key, a key programmed as an additional key, or a remote-head key. Multiple spares in one visit are quoted together. You'll see the price before dispatch, and nothing extra is done without your approval.
- Standard rate: orders placed 7 AM–8 PM
- After hours (orders placed 8 PM–7 AM): 1.5×
- Federal holidays (calendar date and observed date): 2×
- Federal holiday, after hours: 3×
- No weekend surcharge
- Mileage: $1.25/mile beyond 5 miles from the city center
Multipliers apply to everything on the job (service, labor, parts and hardware) except the flat $15 (inside city limits) or $25 (outside city limits) service call and mileage. The after-hours rate is set by the time the order is placed. Holidays are U.S. federal holidays, billed on both the calendar date and the observed weekday.
Ordering online? Your deposit is the $15–$25 service call ($15 inside city limits, $25 outside, plus a 4% online processing fee), paid at checkout. It is a flat fee on top of the service price; the Payment & Deposit Policy and Cancellation Policy explain when it is refundable. Our published pricing and rate rules
Car key duplication FAQ
Does a copied car key need to be programmed?
If your key has a transponder chip, yes: either the chip is cloned so the car reads it as the original, or the new key is programmed into the car. A blade-only copy of a chip key won't start the engine.
What's the difference between cloning a key and programming a new one?
Cloning copies the original chip's data, so the car can't tell the keys apart. Programming adds the new key to the car's memory as a separate key. If one key is lost later, separately programmed keys are easier to delete individually.
Can you copy a worn-out car key?
We can, but copying wear produces a spare that also sticks. If the original is worn, it's better to cut the new key to the factory specification. That falls under car key replacement.
How many spare car keys can a car have?
It varies by manufacturer. Many vehicles accept several keys, but some have a fixed limit. We'll tell you if your vehicle is close to its limit.
Can you duplicate a valet key?
Often, yes, but a valet key may be restricted by design, for example it can't open the trunk or glovebox. Copying it gives you another restricted key, so many owners prefer a full spare.
Do I need to bring the car for a spare key?
If the spare needs on-car programming, yes. For blade-only or cloned chip keys, the locksmith mostly works from your existing key, but having the car there lets us test the spare before we leave.
Make your spare before you need it
Tell us the year, make and model and how many spares you'd like. We'll confirm the key type and price first.
