Open 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM · No VAT added to any job
A BMW key is not just cut, it is programmed to the vehicle, so a copy from a kiosk will turn in the door but the engine will not start. Locked Out cuts and programmes BMW keys at the vehicle, blade and Comfort Access alike, from £160 with no VAT.
The registration and the VIN identify the exact key system fitted before anyone drives out, so the price is confirmed on the phone rather than guessed at the vehicle.
Get a BMW key quote
Every BMW key carries a transponder chip that has to be programmed to the vehicle using a code tied to the VIN, which is why a blade cut at a kiosk with no programming will not start the car even though it turns in the door.
This is the same reason a BMW sits behind a manufacturer security gateway for key data, which an ordinary diagnostic tool cannot reach. Locked Out holds SERMI approval, the scheme that gives an independent locksmith the same vetted access a franchised dealer uses, so a BMW is quoted a straight price rather than turned toward the dealer.
The starting price below is for programming a key once a working key already exists. All keys lost and broken key extraction are quoted from the services below, since the condition of the vehicle changes those figures more than the key system does.
| Key system | How it works | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Older blade and remote key | A metal blade cut to the lock and a chip programmed to the VIN, usually the quicker of the two to pair | From £160 |
| Comfort Access keyless key | A proximity key paired to the car without inserting a blade, usually the slower of the two to pair | From £160 |
Both systems carry the same starting price, since what moves the figure is the vehicle and the key condition rather than which of the two systems is fitted. The full price list by make sits on the car makes and starting prices page.
A BMW key replacement runs through the same four stages whatever the model.
The VIN ties the exact key code to the vehicle, which is checked before anyone drives out so the price holds on arrival.
A V5C registration certificate, photo ID or insurance or finance documents confirm the vehicle is yours before any key is cut.
Blade or Comfort Access, the work happens on site using the SERMI approved access, with no need to bring the car to a dealer.
On a lost key job the old key is removed from the vehicle's system so it cannot start the engine again, closing off the theft risk.
A few checks before calling out help rule out the simplest causes.
Locked Out checks the key and the lock together on arrival, rather than assuming the fob is always the cause.
The 1 Series, 3 Series, X1 and X3 come up most often, alongside the wider BMW range and BMW vans, all cut and programmed the same way once the registration confirms the key system fitted.
Before a key is cut and programmed, proof of ownership is checked. A V5C registration certificate is the usual document, with a photo ID or insurance or finance paperwork accepted as an alternative where the V5C is not to hand.
This check runs on every lost key job, whatever the make, because a new key is effectively a second set of access to the vehicle.
A coat hanger, a wedge or a flat bar risks the door seal, the paint and the lock mechanism on any car, and a BMW door carries wiring and sensors behind the panel that make forced entry more likely to cause damage than on a simpler lock.
Locked Out opens a locked BMW using non destructive methods built to leave the door, the seal and the paint exactly as they were. If a child or a pet is shut inside, call 999 first and a locksmith for the car afterward.
A few habits cut the chances of the same problem happening twice.
A snapped blade is covered on the broken car key extraction page rather than this one, since the fix is different to a key that will not programme.
A lost BMW key is a different job from a worn fob, cutting and programming a new key from the VIN when no working key is left at all, with the old key deleted from the car's memory once the new one is paired.
The full process is covered on the lost car key replacement page.
Yes. The key code is tied to the VIN, so once proof of ownership is checked, a new key is cut and programmed from the vehicle itself, no original key needed.
Both carry the same starting price. A Comfort Access key usually takes longer to pair than an older blade key, but the figure that actually moves the price is the condition of the vehicle rather than which of the two systems is fitted.
Yes, proof of ownership is checked before any key is cut, usually the V5C registration certificate, with photo ID or insurance or finance documents accepted where the V5C is not available.
A key cut at a kiosk with no programming will turn in the door because the blade matches the lock, but the engine will not start because the transponder chip has not been programmed to the vehicle.
The 1 Series, 3 Series, X1 and X3 come up most often, and the wider BMW range and BMW vans are covered the same way once the registration confirms the key system fitted.
Yes. SERMI approval gives Locked Out the same vetted access to the BMW security gateway a franchised dealer uses, so the key is programmed at the vehicle rather than at a dealership.
Need a BMW Key Cut or Programmed?
Call with the registration and you will have a firm price before anyone drives out.