Residential service
Key duplication and spare keys in Ottawa
A spare key is the cheapest lockout insurance available.
613.801.8531
Call 24/7 — we answer
Same day
Typical arrival in Ottawa
$5
Typical starting price
Insured
Insured and bonded, 12+ years
How it works
A spare key is the cheapest lockout insurance available. Urban Locksmith cuts house and car spares on site across Ottawa, including transponder and remote keys. Moreover cutting a spare while you still hold a working key costs a fraction of an all-keys-lost job.
- Step 1
Bring your key
Or we decode the lock if yours is worn.
- Step 2
Cut on site
Quality blanks, not soft aftermarket ones.
- Step 3
Car keys programmed
Cut and paired to the vehicle.
- Step 4
Tested before we leave
Every copy tried in the actual lock.
Why worn keys copy badly
Every copy is cut from the key you hand over, not from the original specification. Consequently a worn key produces a worn copy, and the error compounds each generation. Therefore a third-generation copy may not turn at all. However, a locksmith can decode the lock itself and cut to the original code. As a result the new key matches the cylinder rather than your tired old blade.
House keys, done properly
Cutting a house key takes a couple of minutes on a decent machine. Nevertheless the blank matters, because a soft aftermarket blank wears far faster than a quality one. Furthermore, restricted keyways cannot be copied at all without authorisation, which is the point of them. Therefore Urban Locksmith checks the keyway first and tells you if a copy is not permitted.
Typical starting price
$5
Not under the mat. Give it to a neighbour or use a decent key safe.
Car keys are a different job
A car key spare involves cutting and programming. Consequently it costs more than a house key and takes longer. However, it remains far cheaper than all-keys-lost. Because that job requires retrieving the code against the VIN before anything can be cut. Therefore the single best piece of advice we give is to make a spare before you need one.
How many spares to keep
Two working keys per household member covers most situations. Additionally, one with a neighbour or family member solves lockouts permanently. Meanwhile a key safe works if you buy a decent unit and mount it out of casual sight. Above all, do not hide a key under the mat or in a fake rock, because those are the first places anyone looks.
Questions about key duplication and spare keys
Why does my copied key not work?
Probably because it was copied from a worn key. Consequently we cut to the lock instead.
Can you copy any key?
Most. However, restricted keyways require authorisation by design.
Can you cut car keys too?
Yes, including transponder and remote keys, with programming.
How much is a spare car key?
Far less than all-keys-lost. Therefore making one early is worth it.
Where should I hide a spare?
Not under the mat. Give it to a neighbour or use a decent key safe.
More residential services
Advice on this
Where we cover
Across Ottawa and every community within an hour’s drive — 47 areas in total, from downtown out to Kanata, Barrhaven, Carleton Place, Kemptville and Rockland. You get an honest arrival window on the phone rather than a number chosen to win the booking.