Cut to code
Precision cutting for a key that fits.
Mobile auto locksmith · Portsmouth
Auto Locksmith Portsmouth | Car Keys Made And Fixed On The Island
Lost keys in Southsea, locked out in Cosham, or a key the car has stopped recognising in North End? SmartTech Auto Locksmiths works as an auto locksmith in Portsmouth right at the car, whether that's on Portsea Island or across the creek in Cosham, so no recovery truck is needed.
- 7 Years Of Automotive Expertise
- 450+ Reviews · Google & Checkatrade
- 12-Month Warranty
Not A National Or Middle Man
Real Local Professionals You Deal With Direct
No Inflated Middle Man Or Dealer Prices
Let’s talk keys
Get a quote in Portsmouth.
Send your details and we’ll get back to you about your keys. For anything urgent, call us.
- Speak directly about your vehicle
- The right option for your key
- Understand the work before deciding
The mobile workshop
Specialist equipment.
Right on your driveway.
Key cutting and programming, brought to your vehicle.
Matched to your car
Transponder and remote programming.
Careful entry
Specialist tools to protect your vehicle.
Where calls start
Hospital Car Parks And University Streets
Same day for most vehicles • 450+ Google and Checkatrade reviews • 12-month key guarantee • Seven years in the trade
Two places produce a steady stream of Portsmouth key calls: the hospital car parks in Cosham, and the streets around the university in the city centre.
Long shifts and long visits at Queen Alexandra Hospital mean cars parked for hours, and keys that go missing somewhere between the ward and the car park. In the city centre, student cars often arrive with one key that's been passed between owners, until it isn't there any more. We go to the car in both, as any car locksmith in Portsmouth should.
Auto locksmith services
Every key problem,
one van.
Advanced programming, EEPROM and ignition expertise for everyday cars, premium vehicles and work vans. Seven years of practical automotive experience, brought to you.
Specialist electronics
Advanced programming & EEPROM
Specialist key and immobiliser work beyond standard coding.
OEM spec
Laser key cutting
High-security blades cut to factory code on site.
Dealer-level
Smart fob coding
Transponders and keyless remotes programmed to your car.
Roadside
All keys lost
No spare? We build a brand new key from scratch.
Same visit
Broken key extraction
Snapped in the door or ignition — removed and replaced.
Ignition specialist
Ignition repair & replacement
Stiff, jammed or worn ignition locks diagnosed and repaired.
Cars & commercial vehicles
Help for the vehicle you drive.
Capability across approximately 90% of vehicles, from everyday cars to premium models and work vans. Tell us the make, model and year to confirm yours.
Common makes
- Volkswagen
- Audi
- Ford
- BMW
- Mercedes
- Vauxhall
- Nissan
- Toyota
- Kia
- Hyundai
- Peugeot
- Land Rover
Based in Southampton, covering Portsmouth, Waterlooville, New Alresford, Salisbury, the whole New Forest, Bournemouth and communities in between.
Availability
Can We Help In Portsmouth Today?
Mostly, yes. As a car locksmith in Portsmouth, we fill the same day's diary first wherever we can, anywhere from PO1 to PO6, and you'll hear an arrival time before the call ends.
There's no instant-callout promise here: lockouts are slotted between jobs and usually happen the same day. Lines are open until 10 at night through the week, and 10 till 6 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ready for the road
The details that make a difference.
PrecisionCUT
A key that fits
The blade is cut to suit your vehicle's locks.
PairingCODE
A key that starts
The transponder is paired with your immobiliser.
Final checksTEST
A remote that works
Lock, unlock and starting functions are checked before we finish.
Seasonal calls
Match Days And Summer Weekends
Fratton Park on a match day and Southsea seafront on a sunny weekend both fill the surrounding streets, and both bring lost keys.
A key dropped in a crowd is unlikely to come back, and the car is usually parked several streets away by then. Ring once you're sure it's gone, and we'll agree a time to be at the car after the crowds have cleared.
VolkswagenBMWFordAudiMercedesVauxhall
Cars & vans keys
Keys for the vehicle you drive.
replacement keys
Vehicle
Your registration
Key system
Checked with you
Service
At your vehicle
Key compatibility and programming are confirmed from your registration.
Cars & vansBook
Coverage
Portsmouth Postcodes: PO1 To PO6
As car locksmiths in Portsmouth, we cover every postcode on the island and the mainland side.
PO1, PO4 And PO5: The City Centre And Southsea
PO1 covers the city centre and Old Portsmouth. PO4 and PO5 take in Southsea, Milton and Eastney, where terraced streets and permit parking mean we work at the kerb. For a mobile auto locksmith in Portsmouth, that's the bulk of the day.
PO2, PO3 And PO6: North End To Cosham
PO2 and PO3 run through North End, Hilsea and Copnor. PO6 crosses the creek to Cosham, Drayton and Farlington, with the hospital in the middle and more driveways than the island.
Services
Auto Locksmith Services In Portsmouth
Portsmouth's most common key problems, and how our auto locksmith services in Portsmouth handle each at the car.
Keys Lost Or Stolen
We decode the lock for a new blade, program a fresh chip and remove the missing key from the car's memory where possible. The details, prices and dealer-only exceptions are on car key replacement in Portsmouth.
Locked Out?
Most locked keys in car jobs in Portsmouth cost from £95, and they're opened without a mark using tools designed for modern cars. They're worked in around the booked diary, generally the same day. See keys locked in car.
Ignition Problems
A stiff or stuck key usually points to a worn barrel, which we rebuild or replace at the kerb, often from stock. Any vehicle locksmith in Portsmouth sees plenty of Corsa C ignitions: see ignition repair in Portsmouth.
Spares, Programming And Repairs
If you're down to one key, now's the cheap moment for a second: spare car keys. Keys the car refuses go to car key programming, and cracked cases or worn-out buttons to car key repair.
Business & fleet
Your vehicles work hard.
Their keys should too.
A lost work key affects more than one journey. Keep key replacements and spares part of your vehicle planning.
- 01Vehicle details
- 02Key requirements
- 03Cut, paired & checked
The vehicles
Share the makes, models and years across your cars and vans.
The drivers
Tell us who needs a key and how the vehicles are shared.
The keys
Plan replacements, spares or help with a damaged work key.
Bring registration details and proof of authorisation.
Your car. Your location. A clear next step.
7 years of experience450+ reviews12-month warranty
Makes we cover
Which Cars Do We Key In Portsmouth?
Close to nine in ten of the vehicles on the road, with only a few newer models needing the dealer.
Vauxhall, Ford, Peugeot, Citroën, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Mazda, Volvo.
The Island's Everyday Cars
Much of what's parked on Portsmouth's streets is Ford, Vauxhall, Citroën or Peugeot, and all of them are routine for a mobile auto locksmith in Portsmouth. On 2019-on models, the Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroën PIN is bought from the manufacturer with your V5C and photo ID, so have those ready.
Premium And Recent Models
BMW is done at the car at any age. Spares can be added to post-2018 Volkswagen and Audi models, and to many post-2013 Mercedes-Benz, but a full set lost on those means the dealer.
Our work
Real keys. Real driveways.
Pricing
What Does It Cost?
A lockout costs from £95, and other jobs are priced over the phone from your reg, with no deposit.
The figure rests on what kind of key it is, how the car's immobiliser handles a new key, and whether you've a working one left. Find something unexpected at the car and we'll re-quote before carrying on; say no, and the call-out costs nothing. Keys are covered by our 12-month guarantee.
Here's what we promise, in plain English. The person you speak to is the person who turns up, not a subcontractor sold the job by a booking site. The key will start the car, not just open the door like a high-street copy. And the price on the phone is the price you pay, unless you agree to a change. No key is cut until we've seen photo ID and the V5C.
Our services
The right key help in Portsmouth.
All keys lost
We cut and programme a new key at your car, so there's no tow to the dealer.
Call for this serviceTime
Usually same day
Typical price
Quoted on the call
- Blade cut on site
- Transponder coded
- Old keys removed from the car
From the van
Key work around Portsmouth
November 2025Range Rover Sport
Smart key programmed
Smart key programmed on a Range Rover Sport for a customer in Portsmouth, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. Programming was carried out at the vehicle, then every function was tested so the key worked exactly like the original.
Portsmouth
July 2026Hyundai Tucson
Replacement remote key
Replacement remote key on a Hyundai Tucson for a customer in Portsmouth, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The new key was cut to code and programmed to the vehicle, then the locks, remote and start were tested before we left.
Portsmouth
November 2025Peugeot van
Remote flip key programmed
Remote flip key programmed on a Peugeot van for a customer in Portsmouth, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. Programming was carried out at the vehicle, then every function was tested so the key worked exactly like the original. Keeping a work van off the road costs money, so the job was booked in around the customer's day.
Portsmouth
FAQ
Portsmouth Auto Locksmith Questions
Is car door unlocking in Portsmouth damage-free?
It should be, and ours is. Car door unlocking in Portsmouth uses entry tools built for the job, so glass, paint and seals stay untouched and the frame never gets levered. Prices start at £95, and most are done the same day between booked work. Locking and alarm work as normal after.
I'm locked out in Portsmouth. When can you come?
Usually later the same day. We don't run instant callouts, so lockouts are slotted between jobs already booked, and we'll tell you honestly when that's likely to be. Where a child or dog is trapped in a hot car, 999 comes first.
Do you cover Southsea's permit-parking streets?
Yes, and they're most of our Southsea work. The van pulls up as close to your car as the street allows, the job is done in one go, and we're gone again. If parking's especially tight outside, mention it, and we'll plan where to stop before arriving.
My Astra makes me wait ten minutes when adding a key. Is that normal?
Yes, on the Astra J that's built in. The car runs a security wait of around ten minutes before it accepts a new key, which is part of the manufacturer's design, not a fault. It's one of the reasons some Vauxhall jobs take a little longer than people expect.
Can you help with a Citroën C1 or similar city car?
Yes. The first-generation Citroën C1 shares its key system with the Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo. With every key lost, those take a little longer than most small cars, but they're still done at the car. Ring with the registration and we'll tell you what's involved.
How it works
From your call to your vehicle in Portsmouth.
- 01
Call or text
Tell us your car and what's happened. We explain the work and quote on the call.
2 minutes
- 02
We drive to you
The van comes to your home, work or roadside with the tools to finish the job.
Arrival agreed on the call
- 03
Keys in hand
Key cut and programmed at your car, tested with you before we leave.
Same visit
Coverage
Across Portsmouth. Street by street.
Pick your area and check your postcode. If you're just outside, call — we often still come.
- Southsea
- Cosham
- Hilsea
- Fratton
- Drayton
- North End
PO1PO2PO3PO4PO5PO6
Common faults
The Cars Portsmouth Calls About Most
Small hatchbacks and newer Stellantis models top the list.
Vauxhall Corsa And Astra
On the Corsa C, the back of the ignition breaks, leaving a key that turns without starting anything. The Astra J makes you wait about ten minutes while it accepts a new key, which catches people out. And when a Corsa D's battery goes flat, the body control module can fall out of step with the car, which is a dealer software fix, not a new key.
Newer Peugeots, Citroëns And The Corsa F
The Peugeot 208 from 2019 and the Corsa F share a platform, and both need exactly the right chip type, with the battery supported while we program, because a voltage dip can damage the electronics. As a vehicle locksmith in Portsmouth, we supply the correct chip for each.
Locked out?
Vehicle lockouts & car opening.
Non-destructive entryFully mobileSame-day
Nearby areas
Havant, Gosport And Around
Our Portsmouth coverage carries on off the island.
Havant, Gosport and Fareham have their own pages, and Waterlooville is covered too. Gosport is a short hop by road round the harbour, and Havant and Waterlooville are straight up the A3(M), so being on the far side of Portsdown Hill doesn't change how quickly we can book you in. The process is identical: price on the phone, key made at the car. Car locksmiths in Portsmouth that also cover these towns save you starting again if you're just over the border.
What customers say
450+ five-star / 10-out-of-10 reviews across Google and Checkatrade
Transit Custom Ignition Repair.
"I cannot recommend Alec enough. My transit custom lock was not turning. I did not know Alec at this point and called another locksmith. To cut a long story short the other locksmith attempted a repair and then gave up, leaving me with a van I could no longer use. I called Alec who came out next day; he repaired the damage done by the other locksmith and custom made a replacement ignition barrel so one key still does the doors and the new ignition. I couldn't be more pleased. Price was very fair too!"
Sam chapman
"Did the work at a 3rd of the price of the dealership and I'm sure to a higher quality, the work was quick and professional. Could not recommend more!"
Can work on most cars! Pricing is very reasonable! Fast reliable service!
"Absolutely spot on! After ringing about 15 different companies who said they couldn't help and one company even saying the series of my car doesn't exist I found smarttech who I contacted who could finally help! The next day he came out and I now have access and a new key to my car! Fast and efficient polite service! Highly recommend!!"
Where we cover
Portsmouth and the surrounding area.
The outline shows the area we cover. Not sure if you're inside it? Call with your postcode and we'll confirm before you book.