What decides the cost of a car key
A spare key has a starting price, set out below. Past that, the number depends on what you drive, so we ask before we quote.
Four things move the price: the make and year, the type of key, whether you still have a working key, and whether it is business hours. Spare keys start from a set price, shown just below. Everything else we work out with you on the phone and agree one price before we start, with nothing added when we arrive. If you already know you need the job done, our automotive locksmith in Perth page lists the makes we cover.
- Biggest factor
- Whether you still have a working key
- Also
- Make, year, key type, time of day
- Our rule
- Price agreed before we start
How much does a spare or replacement car key cost in Perth?
A spare car key starts from $240 inc GST if you still have a working key to copy, or from $295 inc GST for a spare proximity or push-start key. If all your keys are lost, the price is higher and is quoted for your make and model before we start, because it depends on the make and how many keys need to be cut and programmed.
- Spare key
- From $240, with a working key
- Prox / push-start spare
- From $295
- All keys lost
- Costs more, quoted for your make and model before we start
After-hours costs more and varies with the time; the price is agreed before we start.
Prices checked September 2026.
Worked example: a spare remote-style key with a working original in hand typically lands at the from-$240 mark; a spare prox/push-start key starts from $295.
What pushes the price higher: the car’s make and key type (proximity and push-start keys cost more to cut and program than a basic key), whether it’s an all-keys-lost job, and after-hours timing.
Send a photo of your key (or the badge on the steering wheel if you have none) through the quote form, or ring 08 9444 2089, and we’ll give you a straight number before we book the job.
The four things that actually matter
1. Do you still have a working key?
This is the big one. A spare made alongside a working key is a much simpler job than starting from a car with no key at all. If you are reading this while you still have one key, the cheapest thing you will ever do about car keys is get a second one now.
2. What kind of key is it?
A plain cut blade, a transponder key with a chip in it, a remote-head key with the buttons built into it, and a proximity key for push start are four different jobs with four different costs. Look at what is in your hand: a plain key with no buttons and no plastic head is at one end, a smart key you never take out of your pocket is at the other.
3. The make and the year
Some makes programme in minutes. Others need more work, and a newer model of the same make can be a different job from one three years older. This is why we ask for the make, model and year before quoting.
4. When you need us
After hours and weekends cost more than business hours. That is straightforward and we say so up front, not at the end. If the job can wait until the morning we will tell you what the difference is and let you decide.
What does not change the price
There is no separate callout added on top, no fee for looking, and no surprise at the door. One price, agreed on the phone, for the job we described. If we get there and find the job is genuinely different from what was described, we stop and talk to you before doing anything.
Locksmith or dealer
For the makes we cover — Japanese, Korean and most American-built — a locksmith is usually well under dealer pricing, and the car does not need towing because we come to it. For European and Chinese cars we open them but do not make keys, other than a Volkswagen spare, so there the dealer or a specialist is the answer and we will say so rather than take the job.
Where to go next
For the jobs behind the numbers see car key replacement, car key programming and lost car keys. General pricing is on what a locksmith costs in Perth, and stolen car keys has the urgent case.
What customers say
Tap any review to read it on Google.
“I highly recommend Magnus from Amco Locksmiths. He was very quick to respond to my enquiry and was able to see me the next day. He showed up on time, had great communication and was very professional and friendly throughout the process.”
Read on Google →“I recently moved to a new house and wanted to change the locks for security. Magnus arrived on time and worked efficiently to do just that, also cutting more windows keys and rekeying the garage remote. He even oiled the squeaky garage door at no cost! I would use Amco again in a heartbeat.”
Read on Google →“Great communication advising when he would arrive. Quick, friendly service and very knowledgeable. Highly recommended.”
Read on Google →“Very friendly and replies fast! Definitely recommend!!”
Read on Google →“I needed an emergency locksmith today (Friday) and Magnus from Amco came to the rescue. Absolutely pleasant man very friendly and curteous. Explained everything including cost upfront. Completed the job professionally. Will definitely recommend Amco Locksmiths and Magnus anytime.”
Read on Google →Straight answers
How much does a car key cost in Perth?
A spare car key starts from $240 inc GST if you still have a working key, or from $295 inc GST for a proximity or push-start key. All keys lost costs more, and we quote it for your make and model before we start. After-hours costs more and varies with the time; the price is agreed before we start.
Why can't you give an exact all-keys-lost price up front?
Because it depends on the make, the key type and how many keys we’re cutting and programming – we quote it for your make and model, and the price is agreed with you before we start. Spare keys with a working original are more predictable, which is why we can quote those from $240 (or from $295 for proximity/push-start).
Why is a replacement more than a spare?
With a working key we can programme alongside it. With no key at all we have to take the code from the vehicle and programme from nothing, which takes longer.
Do you charge a callout on top?
No. One price, agreed before we start, with nothing added at the door.
Is a locksmith cheaper than the dealer?
For the makes we cover, usually yes, and there is no tow because we come to the car. For European and Chinese makes we do not make keys, so the dealer is the answer.
Does it cost more at night?
Yes, after hours and weekends cost more than business hours. We tell you the difference before you commit.
What do you need to know to quote me?
The make, model and year, whether you still have a working key, what sort of key it is, and where the car is.
Why are replacement car keys so expensive?
Because a modern car key is three things in one: a cut blade, a transponder chip that talks to the immobiliser, and often a remote, a key fob or a proximity key. Each has to be matched to your specific vehicle and then programmed to it, and the equipment that does the programming is expensive and has to be kept current for every make. A key from the 1980s was a piece of cut brass. Today you are paying for the electronics and the programming, not the metal.
Is it cheaper to get a car key from a locksmith or the dealer?
For the makes we cover (Japanese, Korean and most American-built), a locksmith is usually well under dealer pricing, and there is no tow because we come to the car. For other European and Chinese makes we do not make keys, so the dealer is the answer and we will tell you that rather than take the job.