Mobile automotive locksmith
Locked out, lost your only key, or need a chip key or fob made? Our van comes to the car anywhere from Melbourne down through Martin County, and the price is settled by phone before we leave.
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Quick answer
A car locksmith in Port St. Lucie opens locked cars, cuts new keys, and programs transponder keys and smart fobs right where your car sits, so you can skip the tow to a dealer. Tradition Locksmith handles most non-German makes, checks proof of ownership before any work, and gives you the total price on the phone first.
Lock and car brands we work on
A car locksmith in Port St. Lucie can get you back into your car, make a new key when every key is gone, and program that key so the engine starts. All of it happens where the car is parked: your driveway, a work lot, or the grocery store parking lot.
On most cars from the last couple of decades, the key is really three parts in one. There is the metal blade that turns the door lock. There is a small transponder chip, sealed in the plastic, that the engine computer reads. And on many keys there is a remote with buttons and a battery. Ford, for example, made its chip key system standard across its vehicles by the 1999 model year.
That is why a plain hardware store copy can open the door but still not start the engine. The blade is right, but the car does not know the chip, so it will not let the engine run. A car locksmith brings the key cutting machine and the programming tool to you, so the blade, the chip and the remote all get handled in one visit.
Each one is done on site, with the price quoted before we head your way.
Keys left inside, dangling from the ignition, or sitting in the trunk. Damage-free entry comes first, and ownership gets checked before any door opens.
No key at all is the hardest job, and it is where a mobile locksmith saves you the most hassle. We open the car, cut a new blade, program the chip, and can remove the lost key from the car’s memory on many models.
A spare is easiest to make while you still have one key that works. We cut and program it so one lost key never turns into a tow.
Buttons-in-the-head keys, fold-out flip keys and proximity fobs, matched to the FCC ID your car needs and programmed on the spot.
Key won’t turn, sticks, or the car won’t see the chip. We find out whether it’s the key, the lock cylinder or the car before anything gets replaced.
Blade snapped off in a door lock or the ignition? The stub comes out with extraction tools, then a fresh key gets cut from the pieces or from your car’s key code.
We come to the car: driveways, parking lots and beach lots.
We work on most years and models of the brands you see every day on the Treasure Coast. In Florida, the three most registered vehicles in 2023 were the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V and the Toyota Camry, based on Experian data reported by Car and Driver. We work on all three, and on most years and models of these makes:
That means no BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche or Mini. Owners of those cars are better served by the brand's dealer or an independent import shop, and we say so up front instead of sending a van. Some newer models of other brands need dealer-only equipment too, so we check your year, make, model or VIN before we quote.
We need the model year, the brand and the model name, plus the VIN if you can find it. A VIN is 17 characters, shown on the plate or label by the driver’s door and printed on registration papers. Also say whether any key still works.
One number covers the key itself, the cutting and the programming, and you hear it before the van leaves. Nothing gets added at the curb.
You’ll see a marked van, and the tech shows you their ID first. Then it’s your turn: a driver license plus registration or title, and the names have to match. That check keeps a stranger from walking away with a key to your car.
We cut the blade, program the chip and the remote, then test the doors, the trunk, every button and a full engine start with you standing there.
On many cars we can delete the lost key from the car’s memory, so it can no longer start the engine. The metal blade on a deleted key can still open a door, so tell us if your key was stolen rather than lost.
If your key breaks in the ignition or a door lock, stop turning it. Turning a broken stub pushes the jagged edge deeper and wedges it against the parts inside. Skip the tweezers, the bobby pins and the superglue trick too. Glue tends to harden around the broken piece and makes it harder to pull out. A broken key rarely means you need a new lock. We extract the piece and cut a new key.
A key that won’t turn is a different problem, and often it’s not the key at all. Before you call, try these:
Call and we will quote the total before we drive out. Sun to Thu 7am to 11pm, Fri 7am to 5pm.
Inside the ignition are small metal wafers that line up with the cuts on your key. Over time they bend or jam, and the key stops turning even when it is the right one. That is an ignition repair, not a key problem. A few questions on the phone usually tell us which one you have, so the quote is right before we drive out.
Below are typical ranges by job. Your exact total is quoted on the phone before we drive out, and that number holds at the car unless you add a job.
| Job | Typical range | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Car lockout | $75 to $140 | Damage-free entry to a car, truck or SUV so you can get your keys |
| Transponder key | $150 to $275 | New key cut and the chip programmed to your car |
| Remote head key or smart key | $200 to $400 | Fob matched to your car, programmed and tested |
| Ignition help | $180 to $400 | Key that sticks, won't turn, or a worn ignition cylinder |
Prices depend on the year, make, model and key type. See all our prices.
A few minutes here can save you the call, or make ours quicker.
Florida has no state locksmith license, and Florida Statute 163.211 stops local governments from adding their own licensing. So check the basics yourself: a business name that matches the van, a price given on the phone, and a local Business Tax Receipt, which St. Lucie and Martin counties both require. Our guide to spotting a fake locksmith covers the warning signs.
We are a mobile service based in Port St. Lucie. Car calls take us across St. Lucie County, south through Martin County, and up to Melbourne. Typical stops are driveways and lots in Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Palm City, Fort Pierce, Stuart and Melbourne.
Our hours are Sunday to Thursday, 7am to 11pm, and Friday, 7am to 5pm. We are closed on Saturday. Ring during those hours and a real person answers with a price and an arrival window.
Other services
Other locksmith services from the same team, with the same rule: total price on the phone first.
Locked out of a house, car or business. Damage-free entry first, proof of ownership every time.
Deadbolts, knobs, sliders and storm doors fitted and repaired at your home.
New pins so old keys stop working, or new hardware when the lock is worn out.
Keypad and Wi-Fi deadbolts fitted, aligned and set up with your codes.
Remote head keys, flip keys and push to start fobs, programmed on site.
Storefront and office locks, closers, panic bars and staff change rekeys.
Master key systems, keypads and fob readers for offices and rentals.
FAQ
In most cases, as long as the car isn't a German brand. We get into the car, cut a new blade from your car's key code or by decoding a lock, and program the chip and remote on site. You need a photo ID and your registration or title. On many models we can also delete the lost key from the car's memory, so it can't start the engine if someone finds it.
We start with damage-free entry methods and explain what we are going to do before we touch the car. The aim is a door that opens with nothing scratched or bent. If something about your car makes a normal opening risky, such as a door that was already damaged, we tell you that before we start.
No. We don't service German brands, which covers BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche and Mini. We would rather tell you that on the phone than waste your time. For those cars, call the dealer or a shop that works on European cars. For Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Jeep, Hyundai and most other makes, we can usually help.
Because anyone can say a car is theirs. Prior to opening or keying any vehicle, we compare a photo ID with the registration, title or other ownership papers. The car industry's own system for releasing key data asks for the same things: a valid driver license plus registration, title or insurance. Be wary of anyone willing to skip it.
It can be, once you count the tow. AAA notes that dealer prices for chip and switchblade keys come on top of the cost of towing the car there. We come to the car and quote the total before we drive out, so you can compare real numbers. For some of the newest models, the dealer is the only option, and we will tell you if that's your car.
No, we are closed on Saturdays. We work Sunday to Thursday from 7am to 11pm, and Friday from 7am to 5pm, which covers early mornings and late evenings six days a week. If you get locked out on a Saturday, check whether your insurance or auto club roadside plan covers lockout help.
Usually, yes. We open the car with damage-free methods first, then reach the trunk from inside the car, using the trunk release button or a fold-down rear seat if your car has one. If a person is ever trapped in a trunk, call 911 right away. Passenger cars with a trunk built since September 2001 also have an emergency release inside the trunk.
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Ready when you are
Tell us what happened and where you are in Port St. Lucie and the Treasure Coast. You get the total price on the phone before anyone drives out.
