What is the 3-Question Lost Key Check?
The 3-Question Lost Key Check is how we sort out a lost key on the phone. It's our own shorthand, and it takes about a minute.
- What does the key open? House, car, shop door, mailbox or padlock. Each has its own fix.
- Could someone find it and tell where it fits? A bare key dropped at the beach is low risk. One on a tagged ring, or in a bag with your mail, is not.
- Can you get in or drive right now? A spare, a relative with a key, or an unlocked back door changes how fast you need help.
Once you've answered those, the next step is usually clear.
Which fix matches which lost key?
| What you lost | Main concern | Usual fix | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| House key, nobody could trace it | Low | Look again, decide later | n/a |
| House key on a ring with your address or mail | Someone can find the door | Rekey, so the old key stops working | Lock rekey |
| House key, and you're locked out | Getting inside | Non-destructive entry, then rekey | House lockout |
| Car key, spare at home | One key left at risk | Copy the spare, then deal with the lost one | Car key duplication |
| Car key, no spare | The car won't start | New key cut and programmed | Lost key replacement |
| Every car key gone | Nothing to copy | Built from the VIN after ownership is checked | All keys lost guide |
Lost a house key: rekey, replace, or wait?
Start with question two. Picture a key that slid out of your pocket in a parking lot, with nothing on it. Honestly, the chance that somebody finds it, works out which door it opens and tries it is tiny. Plenty of people just check the car and the laundry basket, give it a few days, and let it go.
Change that picture. The ring has a tag with your name, or the key was in a bag with your mail. Now a stranger has both halves of the puzzle, and a rekey is the sensible move. It beats lying awake wondering. A rekey resets the pins inside the lock you already own, so a new key works and the old ones are dead. The hardware stays on the door. If the lock is worn, loose or cracked, replacing it makes more sense, and the locksmith will see which it is the moment they look at it. Our Georgetown page for lost key replacement has the local details.
Renting? Read your lease before you call anyone. Delaware's tenant law, 25 Del. C. § 5509, gives a tenant the right to install a new lock at their own cost, on three conditions:
- the landlord is notified in writing and given a key
- the new lock fits the system already in place
- the installation does not damage the door
Send that notice by email or letter and keep a dated copy. It saves an argument later about who changed what.
Standing outside with no way in? That's a different job. Ask about a house lockout first and rekey once you're inside.
Lost a car key: spare or no spare?
Car keys aren't what they were twenty years ago. A lot of them hold a small chip, and the car's computer has to recognize it before the engine will turn over. So a lost car key is more than a cutting job. The new one is cut to fit the lock, then programmed so the car accepts it.
How common is it? In a 2018 RAC Opinion Panel survey of 2,068 UK motorists, 5% said they had lost their car keys for good, and 54% of those bought a replacement key. Source: RAC, "Motorists have spent over £181m replacing lost car keys," 2 May 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
You have a spare. Good news, this is the easy one. The locksmith copies the spare and programs the copy, and you're back to two working keys. Then ask about wiping the lost key from the car's memory. Most vehicles allow it, and a found key won't start anything after that. Consider car key duplication too, so you never fall to a single key again.
You have no spare. This takes more steps. There's nothing to copy, so the key is built from your vehicle's details. First the locksmith confirms the car is yours. Then the VIN, make, model and year decide which key fits, and it gets cut and programmed. Our guide to losing every car key in Delaware lists the documents to have ready. Can't tell which case you're in? Start with the lost key replacement page.
If you're locked out on top of all this, you've got company. Consumer Reports, citing AAA, reported in 2015 that AAA gets calls from more than 4,000,000 locked-out motorists every year. The same piece says to keep a spare in your wallet or with someone you trust. Fair advice.
What if your papers were on the same ring?
It happens more than you'd think: the keys vanish along with the glovebox registration, or a wallet, or the folder with the title. A locksmith has to check ownership before making a car key, so those papers matter.
If it's the title that's lost, the Delaware DMV has a duplicate title page. Every owner signs form MV213. If it's the registration card, call DMV customer service at (302) 744-2500. Start now. That paperwork may take longer than the key does.
Papers gone but photo ID still in your wallet? Say so when you call. Other proof of ownership might be accepted, and you'd rather hear that before anyone drives out.
What happens when a mobile locksmith comes to you in Georgetown?
We're based in Georgetown and we don't have a shop. No counter, no waiting room. The van comes to you, whether you're in a driveway, a rental or a work parking lot. Milford, Millsboro, Seaford, Lewes and the rest of Kent and Sussex County are on the route too, so you don't need a Georgetown address to call.
Here's how we work. Before a tool touches your lock, we lay out the options and you pick one. With a lost key that might be a rekey against a new lock, or a copy of the spare against a full replacement. It's your door, your car, your call.
The phone is answered Sunday through Thursday, 7:00am to 10:00pm, and Friday, 7:00am to 6:00pm. Saturday we're closed. The request form takes messages any hour, and we pick them up when we open.
Before you call, jot down:
- which key you lost, and where you think it went
- whether there's a spare, and where it lives
- your town and the address for the work
- the make, model and year, if it's a car, plus photo ID
- the lease and a copy of your written notice, if you rent
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first when I lose a house key in Georgetown, DE?
Is rekeying better than changing the lock after a lost key?
Can a locksmith replace a lost car key at my home?
Will my lost car key still start the car after a new one is made?
Can a renter change the locks in Delaware?
What do I need to prove a car is mine?
Do you serve towns near Georgetown?
Next steps
Run the 3-Question Lost Key Check, decide whether the key can be traced to you, and call with your answers. If the fix is a rekey or a new car key, we can come to you. Request service with your town and what you lost, or call (302) 271-0155.
About the author
The team at Lock and Key Locksmith wrote this. We're a locally owned, mobile locksmith in Georgetown, Delaware, working across 50 towns in Kent and Sussex County. That's 15 years in the trade and more than 1,000 completed projects. Phones are answered Sunday to Thursday, 7:00am to 10:00pm, and Friday, 7:00am to 6:00pm.
Lost a key? Call (302) 271-0155 and tell us your town and what you lost.