Car keys cut and programmed
Lost your only key or need another? Cairn cuts and programs car keys, remotes and smart fobs at your vehicle throughout the Las Vegas valley.
- Replacement keys made with no original
- Chip keys, remotes and proximity fobs
- Mobile cutting and programming equipment
Answered day and night
A Cairn dispatcher answers every day of the year.
Licensed and insured
Employee technicians carry photo ID and a police work card.
Your price comes first
Approve the written price on a tablet before work begins.
More than cutting a new key
A key can turn in the ignition and still fail to start the engine. We handle the mechanical key, its electronics and related ignition problems.
Transponder keys
We cut replacement transponder keys and program their chips to work with the vehicle's immobilizer system.
Learn moreKey fob programming
We supply and program compatible key fobs, including remote head keys and proximity fobs for push-button start vehicles.
Learn moreIgnition repair and replacement
We repair or replace faulty ignition cylinders and extract broken keys from ignitions when needed.
Learn more
The key type determines the work
Most vehicles made since the late 1990s have a transponder chip the vehicle must recognize before it starts. The correct replacement depends on the system installed.
Plain metal keys
A mechanical blade operates the lock or ignition without electronic programming.
Transponder chip keys
A chip inside the key must be programmed to communicate with the vehicle before the engine will start.
Remote head keys and fobs
The key and remote controls may share one housing, or the remote may be a separate fob.
Smart keys and proximity fobs
These electronic fobs work with compatible push-button start systems and require vehicle-specific programming.
What we need to make your car key
The dispatcher uses these details to check the vehicle and the equipment needed. You do not need to know the technical name of your key.
Vehicle year
Tell us the model year, since key systems can change between years.
Make and model
Give the manufacturer's name and the vehicle model so we can check support.
Working key status
Tell us whether you have a working key or every key is missing.
Current key type
Describe a metal key, chip key, remote head or push-button start fob, if known.
Starting condition
Tell us whether the vehicle starts and whether the ignition or key is damaged.
Vehicle location
Give the address or parking location where the service van can reach the vehicle.
Vehicle identification number
Find the VIN on the dashboard near the windshield or on the registration. It helps confirm the replacement key.
No keys left or one still working
Both jobs produce a working key, but the starting point changes how much cutting and programming is required.
All keys lost
When every key is missing, the technician must create a replacement without an original and establish the vehicle's programming.
- Key originated by code or lock decoding
- Vehicle programmed without a working key
- More work than adding a duplicate
A spare key
With a working key available, the technician can copy its mechanical cut and add another compatible key to the vehicle.
- Existing key available for copying
- Additional key programmed to the vehicle
- Less work and a lower cost
A spare generally costs less because the technician has a working key to copy and add, rather than building the replacement from the beginning.
We verify who owns the vehicle
Before making a key, the technician checks your photo ID and the vehicle's registration, title or insurance card in the same name. If those papers are locked inside the vehicle, the technician checks them once it is open.
- Government-issued photo ID
- Registration, title or insurance card in your name
- Documents inside checked after vehicle entry
From your call to a working key
A technician checks the vehicle before the final price is approved. The replacement is tested at the vehicle before the job is closed.
Tell us about the vehicle
The dispatcher checks the key situation, vehicle details and location, then gives a price range, service call fee and estimated arrival window.
Confirm the key and price
The technician verifies ownership, inspects the vehicle and provides a written price for your approval before cutting or programming.
Cut and program the replacement
The technician prepares the correct key or fob and completes the programming the vehicle requires.
Test the key with you
The key, ignition and applicable remote functions are checked with you. You receive an itemized invoice for the completed work.
Cut and programmed at the vehicle
The key machine comes to your car
You do not need to bring the vehicle to a workshop. Cairn's service vans carry key blanks, cutting machines and automotive programming equipment. The technician works where the vehicle is parked, whether that is at home, at work or in a parking lot.
Most domestic and Asian makes from 1998 onward are within our service range. Some vehicle keys require equipment or programming available only through a dealer, so the dispatcher checks the make and model before arranging a visit. Not every replacement can be completed on the first visit.
- Cutting equipment carried in the service van
- On-site programming for supported vehicles
- Key operation checked before completion
What goes into the written price
The vehicle's key system and the work required determine the charge. These starting prices are for the key service, with the service call fee separate.
Standard programmed key
A standard car key cut and programmed starts from $120, before the separate service call fee.
Smart key or proximity fob
Electronic smart keys and proximity fobs start from $220, before the separate service call fee.
All keys missing
Creating a key without an original and establishing programming adds work compared with making a spare.
Ignition condition
A damaged or failed ignition cylinder may require repair, replacement or broken key extraction in addition to the key.
After-hours service
A $45 after-hours fee is added between 9 PM and 7 AM and also on Sundays and major holidays.
Service call and approval
The $39 service call fee covers travel and inspection on every visit. All charges appear in the written price you approve before work begins.
Save when you make a second key
Having another working key changes the job if the first one goes missing. Add a second key during the same service visit for a reduced charge.
Spare key
$25 off a second car key
Save $25 when a second key or fob is cut and programmed during the same visit as the first.
Offer expires December 31, 2026. Mention when booking. One offer per job; cannot be combined with another offer.
“I had lost the only key to my car in Henderson. Cairn checked my registration and ID, explained the cost before starting, and made a replacement at the car. We tested that it started the engine before the technician left.”
Lauren K.
Answers before you replace a car key
Vehicle year, key technology and whether an original remains can change the job. These are the details drivers most often need clarified.
Call (702) 000-0000All questionsCan you make a new car key if I lost every key?
Yes, for supported vehicles. The technician creates a replacement from the vehicle’s key information or lock and establishes the required programming without an existing working key.
Do I need to have my car towed to get a key made?
For most supported vehicles, the van comes to your car and the key is cut and programmed on site. The dispatcher will tell you by phone if your vehicle needs dealer-only programming.
Can you replace a key for my BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi?
Many European vehicles from 2015 onward, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo and Land Rover, require dealer-only programming. Give us the year, make and model so we can check whether Cairn can handle the key before sending a technician.
Will a copied car key start the engine?
A mechanical copy alone may not start a vehicle with an immobilizer. If the vehicle uses a transponder, the replacement chip must also be programmed so the vehicle recognizes it.
Can you program a key fob for a push-button start car?
Yes, Cairn programs smart keys and proximity fobs for supported vehicles. The dispatcher checks your vehicle details to determine whether its system can be serviced with our equipment.
What if my car key broke inside the ignition?
Cairn extracts broken keys from vehicle ignitions and repairs or replaces ignition cylinders when needed. The technician inspects the damage and gives you a written price before the work begins.
Is there a warranty on the replacement key or fob?
Keys and fobs Cairn supplied and programmed carry a 90-day warranty. The technician tests the key with you at the vehicle before leaving.
Get another working key in your hand
Cairn serves drivers across the Las Vegas valley. Call for a lost or unusable key, or use the request form for planned spare-key work.