Lost Key Replacement & Rekey

When you call us after losing a key, the first thing our technician does is verify ownership — a standard, professional step that protects you as much as it protects the property. Once verified, we assess the lock hardware on-site. For a residential door with a standard Kwikset or Schlage deadbolt, rekeying means disassembling the cylinder, swapping the internal driver pins and key pins to a new configuration, and cutting a fresh key to match. It takes a skilled technician roughly 15 to 30 minutes per lock and renders every existing copy of your old key completely useless — without replacing the lock hardware itself.

For properties with a mortise lock — the rectangular, multi-component lock body that sits inside the door edge and is common in older Studio City bungalows, commercial storefronts, and apartment entryways along Laurel Canyon Boulevard — the process is more involved. A mortise lock contains the latch, deadbolt, and sometimes a privacy or passage function all within a single cast housing. Rekeying or replacing the cylinder inside a mortise lock requires a technician who understands the specific mechanism, because forcing or mishandling it can damage the lock body or the door itself. Our technicians are trained specifically on mortise lock service and carry compatible cylinders for the most common brands, so we can almost always complete the work damage-free in a single visit.

This is one of the most common questions we receive, and the straightforward answer is yes — a qualified mobile locksmith can reprogram a key fob, provided they have the right equipment and experience with your vehicle's make and model. Modern vehicles use rolling-code transponder systems, proximity fobs, and push-to-start smart keys that must be paired to the car's onboard computer (ECU or PATS system, depending on manufacturer). Our technicians use professional-grade key programming tools that communicate directly with the vehicle's system to register the new key, clear old key codes when requested, and verify the programming before we leave.

Key programming is relevant not just after a loss but whenever you want to ensure a stolen fob can no longer start your car. Deleting the lost key's code from your vehicle's memory and programming a fresh key is the automotive equivalent of rekeying a house lock — it closes the security gap without requiring you to change the ignition cylinder. The factors that affect the final quote for key fob programming include the vehicle's make and model year, the type of key (basic transponder versus proximity smart key), and whether additional parts such as a new fob shell or blade are needed. We confirm an exact price up front before any work begins.

Studio City Locksmith offers a comprehensive range of services for residential, automotive, and commercial clients. Our current service list includes: residential door knob lock rekeying, residential deadbolt rekeying, mortise lock cylinder replacement, mortise lock rekeying, master key system setup and reconfiguration, house key duplication from an existing key, house key cutting from lock code, transponder car key cutting and programming, key fob programming and deletion of lost codes, laser-cut automotive key cutting, push-to-start smart key programming, ignition cylinder replacement, emergency residential lockout response, emergency commercial lockout response, emergency automotive lockout response, commercial door knob lock installation, commercial deadbolt installation, high-security cylinder upgrade (Schlage, Kwikset, and compatible brands), padlock rekeying and replacement, mailbox lock replacement, storefront lock rekeying, apartment rekey after tenant turnover, lock hardware consultation for new construction or renovation, damage-free lock picking for lockout scenarios where applicable, door hardware alignment and strike plate adjustment, emergency boarding after break-in, safe lock assessment and referral, and after-hours mobile dispatch for all services listed above.