Short answer: for a plain house key, a hardware store or a key kiosk is usually fine. For a car key with a chip, a high security key, or any key where an exact copy really matters, use a locksmith. Below is how to decide, what each option can and cannot copy, and what to check before you hand over your only key.

The three places to get a key copied in Huntington Beach

Around town you will find hardware stores, big box stores, key kiosks and locksmiths. They are not the same, and the right choice depends on the key in your hand.

Hardware and big box stores

This is the usual first stop for a spare house key, a padlock key or a mailbox key. It is quick and the price is usually low. The downside is consistency. The person at the counter may be well trained or brand new, and the cutting machine may be worn. If the first copy does not turn smoothly, you may need a second try.

Key kiosks

Self service kiosks work well for common household keys when you want something fast. They only handle certain key types, and there is no person to notice that your original is worn, bent or damaged before it gets copied.

A locksmith

A locksmith costs more than a hardware store for a plain brass key, but a locksmith can copy the keys the other two cannot: transponder car keys, laser cut keys, key fobs, high security keys and commercial keys. A locksmith can also tell you when a copy is the wrong answer and rekeying the lock is the smarter move. Golden Locks is a mobile locksmith, so for many jobs we can come to you. See our key duplication in Huntington Beach page or call to confirm what we can do for your key.

Which keys can each option copy?

• Standard house, padlock and mailbox keys: a hardware store or kiosk is usually fine.
• Older car keys with no chip: often fine, because only the blade needs to be cut.
• Car keys with a transponder chip: the blade can be cut anywhere, but the car will not start until the key is programmed. That is a locksmith job. See car key programming.
• Laser cut (sidewinder) car keys: these have a groove milled into the blade and need a special machine.
• Key fobs and smart keys: these need programming too. See key fob replacement.
• High security and restricted keys: these usually need authorization, so a counter at a hardware store often cannot copy them.

Does “Do Not Duplicate” really stop a copy?

Not really. The stamp is a request, not a lock and not a law. Some shops will copy a key marked “Do Not Duplicate” anyway. A good sign is a shop that asks questions about a restricted key before copying it, because it means they care who ends up with a copy. If real key control matters to you, as it does for offices, rental properties and HOAs, the answer is a restricted key system, not a stamp.

Five tips for a copy that actually works

1. Copy from the original. A copy of a copy drifts a little each time until it stops working.
2. Test it before you leave. Try the new key in the lock it belongs to, and in the deadbolt if there is one.
3. Do not copy a worn key. If the key is sticky, bent or badly worn, the lock may be the problem. Rekeying or replacing the lock can save you a bad copy.
4. Make at least one spare. Keep it somewhere safe and away from the car or the front door.
5. Ask about price first for car keys. Cutting is cheap. Programming is where the price changes, so ask what the total will be.

When a locksmith is the smarter call

• You only have one car key and it has a chip or a button.
• The key is stamped with a name like a high security brand or has an unusual shape.
• You lost a key and want to be sure nobody else can use it. A copy will not solve that, but lock rekeying will.
• You manage an office, a rental or an HOA and need controlled copies.
• A hardware store copy did not work and you do not want to try a third time.

How to tell what kind of car key you have

You can often tell by looking. A key that is all metal with no plastic head is usually a simple mechanical key. A key with a thick plastic head usually has a transponder chip inside, even if it has no buttons. A key with buttons for lock and unlock is a remote key, and a key with no visible blade at all is a smart key. If the blade has a wavy groove along the middle instead of notches along the edge, it is a laser cut key. When in doubt, tell the locksmith your year, make and model and they will know what you have.

Why a key copy sometimes does not work

• The original is worn. A copy of a worn key inherits the wear, and sometimes makes it worse.
• The wrong blank was used. Keys that look alike can have different grooves. The blank has to match the keyway.
• The cutting machine is out of alignment. A small error is enough to make a key stick or fail to turn.
• The lock itself is worn or dirty. A new copy may feel fine in one lock and badly in another. If the lock is the problem, a repair or a rekey is the real fix.

If a fresh copy sticks, do not force it. A key that is forced in a lock can bend or break off inside, and then you need broken key extraction on top of everything else.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to copy a key?

A plain house key usually takes a few minutes. Car keys that need programming take longer. A locksmith can give you a better idea once they know the year, make and model of the car.

Can a locksmith make a car key if I lost every key?

Often yes. It is a different job from copying, because the key has to be cut and programmed without an original. See our page on lost car keys with no spare.

How many spare keys should I make?

One spare kept in a safe place is the minimum. Two is better if several people use the same door or car.

Can you come to my home or office in Huntington Beach?

Golden Locks is a mobile locksmith serving Huntington Beach and Orange County. Call us to confirm your location and the type of key.

Talk to Golden Locks, Inc.

Need a key copied, a car key programmed or a lock rekeyed? Golden Locks, Inc. is a licensed, family owned locksmith based in Huntington Beach and serving all of Orange County since 2008. Call (714) 841-0141 or visit goldenlocks.net. You can find us at 16371 Gothard St G, Suite G, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.