Help guide
Keys locked in the car? Here is what to do
Updated October 8, 2026
First, is anyone inside? If a child or a pet is locked in the car, call 911 now. If it is only the keys, try the free options first.
Call (307) 365-2527If a child or pet is inside
Call 911. Do not wait to see if someone can bring a spare key. NHTSA says a car can heat up 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes, and a child's body warms three to five times faster than an adult's. Children have died in cars on days that were only in the 60s. A cracked window does very little.
What to try, in order
- Check every door and the trunk. Walk all the way around. One door is often unlocked.
- Use your car maker's app. Many newer cars can be unlocked from a phone. Some makers charge for the service.
- Get the spare key. If someone at home can bring it, that may beat any service call.
- Call roadside help. If you have a roadside plan through your insurance, a car club or a credit card, a lockout may be covered. Check before you pay someone else.
- Call a lockout service or a locksmith. Ask for the full price before they come.
- Call the dealer if the key is lost for good. They can make a new one with proof you own the car.
Police will come for an emergency, like a child inside. They do not usually open cars for a plain lockout.
Is it a lockout, or a dead key fob?
If the doors will not unlock when you press the button, the fob battery may be dead. Consumer Reports points out that most fobs hide a metal key. Look for a small release on the fob and pull the key out. The key slot on the door may be under a small cap on the handle. On many cars you can then start the engine by holding the dead fob right up against the start button.
Should I try a coat hanger?
We would not. AAA says homemade tools risk damaging the car or the lock, and they often do not work for people who have not done it before. Car doors today are packed with rods and wiring. It is easy to knock something loose and end up with a lock that will not work at all.
What does a car lockout cost?
It varies a lot by city and by hour. Nights and holidays cost more almost everywhere.
Watch out for a price that changes after the person shows up. Get the full price on the phone, and read our guide to roadside and towing scams before you call a number you found in a hurry.
Need someone now? See our car lockout service.
Where these facts come from
Checked on October 8, 2026.
Related help
- Car lockoutKeys locked in the car? We check for a pro to open it.
- Roadside and towing scams: how not to get overchargedNever take a tow you did not call for, and never pay a stranger up front by phone. Here are the roadside scams officials warn about and how to avoid them.