Is an ID card required for key duplication?
3 Answers
There are three scenarios for duplicating car keys as follows: 1. Your own car: If it's your own car, simply bring your ID card, driver's license, and vehicle registration certificate. 2. Someone else's car: If it's not your own car, you'll need a signed authorization letter from the vehicle owner along with a copy of their ID card and vehicle documentation. 3. Company car: If it's a company car, present company certification and vehicle documentation. Additional information: Time required for key duplication: 1. Standard car keys: For common models like Lavida or Camry, the process typically takes one to two hours from the technician's arrival to completion. 2. Special model keys: For certain unique models such as newer Mercedes-Benz vehicles that require original manufacturer programming, the process will take considerably longer.
Ordinary door keys generally don't require ID verification. I just got two duplicates made at a street-side key cutting stall today, where the locksmith only asked whether I wanted brass or stainless steel keys. However, car keys with transponder chips are more complicated. Last week when I lost my car key and went to the 4S dealership, I not only had to bring my vehicle license but also had my purchase contract and original ID card verified. Nowadays, good car keys come with engine immobilizer systems. Making a new key requires synchronizing updates to the vehicle's computer system - technicians wouldn't dare duplicate it without proper owner identification, as they need to prevent potential car thieves who might find lost keys. I recommend keeping your spare keys safe; it's far more convenient and economical than replacing lost ones later.
The old locksmith who has been running his shop under my apartment for twenty years said: Making a regular key is like fixing a bicycle—you bring him a key blank, and he’ll make it for you. But for car electronic keys, you have to follow the official procedure. Yesterday, my friend went to get a spare key for his BMW, and the 4S store required three documents: the owner’s ID card, the vehicle registration certificate, and the photo page of the registration certificate, with the whole process recorded on video. It’s said that for high-end cars now, making a key requires syncing data with the German headquarters, and the whole set costs nearly three thousand yuan. The most cost-effective way is to keep the spare key safe when you pick up the car. I always carry two different mechanical keys in my car.
