Proof of Ownership for Car Key Replacement

Why your car locksmith asks for proof of ownership

A replacement car key is a powerful thing: it starts a car. A locksmith who makes keys without checking ownership is a risk to every car owner, because the same key could be made for a stolen vehicle. The check is the difference between a professional and a rogue operator.

If another locksmith offers to make a key with no questions asked, treat that as a warning sign. A genuine car locksmith always asks for proof of ownership before making a key, gives a quote before travelling, and tests the key with you before leaving. The how car locksmith prices work page explains how quotes are worked out before any key job begins.

• GOV.UK guidance on the V5C logbook

What car key documents to have ready

Have these two documents ready when we arrive at your car, whether the job is car key replacement in Solihull or a key made after every key was lost.

• Your V5C logbook, which is the registration document for the vehicle
• Photo ID in the same name, such as a driving licence or a passport
• The registration number of the car, so the vehicle can be matched to the documents
• If the car is on finance or leased, tell us when you call: the V5C may sit with the finance company, and we will explain what is needed instead
• If every key is lost, the same documents apply: see lost all your car keys in Solihull for what happens next

What happens if your car key documents are missing

Tell us when you call. We will explain what we can accept instead, for example the finance agreement, or proof from the registered keeper. The exact alternative depends on the situation, and we will agree it with you before we travel, so there is no wasted visit.

What we cannot do is make a key for a car we cannot verify belongs to you. That is the rule, and it applies to everyone. A key made without proof of ownership would put every car owner at risk, including you.

Stolen car keys and proof of ownership

If your car keys were stolen, report the theft to the police first and tell us the crime reference number when you call. We can make a replacement key and, where the vehicle allows it, remove the stolen key from the memory of the car, so it no longer starts the car. The full process is covered on the all keys lost in Solihull page.

Whether a stolen key can be removed from the memory of the car depends on the make, model and year of the vehicle. Ask us about your car when you call, and we will tell you what your vehicle allows. If your keys were stolen, you should also tell your insurer.

• GOV.UK: what to do if your vehicle has been stolen
• West Midlands Police

Proof of ownership for a recently bought car

If you have just bought the car and the V5C has not arrived yet, say so on the call. The logbook can take time to arrive after a sale, and that does not mean a key cannot be made. We will agree what paperwork we can accept before we set off, so the visit is not wasted.

Dealer paperwork, a sales invoice, or the finance agreement can all help show that the car is yours, depending on the situation. Bring whatever you have from the sale, plus photo ID in your name, and tell us on the call what documents you hold. The check still applies, and it still protects you: a key is only made once we are satisfied the car belongs to you.

How your car key documents are handled

Your documents are checked at the car and handed straight back to you. We check the name on the V5C logbook against the name on your photo ID, and the registration against the car in front of us. That is the whole check: quick, plain, and done in front of you.

If you have just bought the car and the V5C has not arrived yet, say so on the call. We will agree what paperwork we can accept before we set off, so the visit is not wasted.

The same check applies to a spare car key in Solihull and to car key programming in Solihull, and the car locksmith FAQs for Solihull page answers the questions drivers ask most about documents and keys.