Does Walmart Make Car Keys In JUST $2? Here’s What I Found

Picture this: Broken car keys and an important work meeting you are late. It sounds like a nightmare, but I have gone through this recently. Luckily, a Walmart store happened to be nearby, and the answer to Does Walmart make car keys was fresh in my memory. I was so relieved to see the Minute Key Kiosk inside. If you are new to this, let me spill the beans on Walmart’s critical copying services, fees, and much more.

Can I Get Car Keys Made At Walmart?

Walmart stores have MinuteKey Kiosks, which work like vending machines and let customers make copies of their keys by entering their original keys.

The user gets a duplicate key from the kiosk after it copies the original and transfers the pattern to a new metal key.

Customers at Walmart can easily duplicate their keys on their own by using one of these self-service kiosks. Before starting the duplication process, ask Walmart workers for help if you have issues making a new key copy.

The technology standard used at specific locations may influence critical copying services. For many kinds of keys, notably transponder keys for cars, certain Walmart retailers offer essential services of duplication.

Depending on the car’s year, make, and model, the cost of copying these keys varies between $23 to $330. It could take a maximum of 7 minutes to create a transponder key.

Transponder keys

There is no assurance that the MinuteKey kiosks at Walmart will be able to copy your transponder key on-site.

Copying transponder keys can be challenging. In such instances, you’ve got to go to your local Walmart. Also, some transponder keys can’t be duplicated nearby. They must be scanned at Walmart, then copied somewhere else. These keys commonly come within 3-5 days.

Obviously, you can look into alternatives. One option is to visit your local AutoZone, which can copy many vehicle keys for an affordable cost.

You can also contact a locksmith offering an immediate, cost-effective critical copying service. Avoid getting your essential car copied at a dealership since they usually charge far more for the same service.

Note: Your car certainly has a transponder key if manufactured over the last 20 years. This key has an incorporated RFID chip, which stores a unique code that can be scanned by an RFID reader when the key is put into the ignition. The car starts if the code corresponds; otherwise, it will not. Transponder keys can be recognized by their significant dark-colored plastic casing.

Non-Transponder Keys

If your car was made before 1999, it probably has a traditional, non-transponder key, so there is a good chance that Walmart’s MinuteKey will produce a copy of it.

Non-transponder keys are standard metal keys free of an incorporated chip. Regular car keys are simple to replicate and are very affordable. Such keys can be designed for as little as $10, and the whole process usually takes just a few minutes.

Walmart Key Fobs

The self-service MinuteKey kiosks from Walmart cannot dot the key fobs-related duplication. If you need a replacement, you must contact the critical fob’s manufacturer, vendor, or brand directly.

The good thing is that Walmart provides a second service called InstaFob which lets you duplicate your key fob.

1. Visit Walmart for the closest InstaFob facility.
2.  Pick which type of sticker or keychain fob you need.
3.  To make the fob, ask an attendant for assistance. Then get your fresh fob replica.

Although different from conventional essential duplicating booths, this service maintains a similar procedure. This service charges $25 to $30 for copying a key fob, which is considerably less expensive than acquiring a new fob from the service management.

Referred to card keys or RFID devices, fobs are commonly used to control access to facilities such as flats, gyms, and pools. They connect to a receiver next to the door handle, and once it receives the proper signal, it opens the door. These signals usually have codes to ensure only the fob set up to work with the receiver can unlock the door.

Does Walmart Make Car Keys Without Original Keys?

Walmart can’t help you if you misplaced your original key since it requires the genuine key to duplicate. These are some options you have if you’ve lost the only key:

Contacting a locksmith: You can ask a locksmith to arrive at your house and unlock your lock to craft a new key for you. But let me tell you, this will be the priciest choice and can cost you somewhere from $85 to $120.

Taking the lock to a locksmith: You may bring your lock out of the door and hand it to a locksmith, who usually charges $50, thus avoiding paying a callout fee.

Buying a new lock: Changing the lock entirely is ideal when you have lost the only key.

Walmart MinuteKey Copy Design Options

The MinuteKey kiosks at Walmart feature a broad spectrum of constantly evolving and unique designs. It provides an array of critical designs and forms, like house keys, car keys, and more.

You may make these choices to show off a bit of yourself to the world around you. You can pick a key featuring the image of your favorite athletic group, an adorable kitten, or an iconic American flag. The following list includes keys that Walmart can make copies of:

• Safe keys
•  House keys
•  All-metal car keys
•  Lock keys
•  Any other flat key that is made of metal

But due to its distinctive characteristics or components, some keys can’t be duplicated at Walmart, such as:

• Smart keys
•  Key + essential fob combination keys
•  Chip keys
•  Any key is composed of a combination of plastic and metal.
•  Any key contains electrical or digital parts.
•  Any key that is not flat, notably skeleton keys and vintage keys.

Walmart Key Copy Hours

Critical duplicating services are available during routine Walmart shop hours. These are the standard store hours:

Monday to Sunday: 6 A.M to 11 P.M

Remember that certain store hours might vary since it depends on the location. You can look at the schedule to confirm the exact operating hours of the nearby Walmart.

How Long Will It Take To Copy a Key At Walmart

The Minute Key kiosk gives a quick key copying service that can be done within just a few minutes.

Your original key must be distinct and clear for the vital copying process to happen quickly. The machine may need help copying a key if the damage is severe enough to make it unidentifiable. Some tips that will help you make the most out of the critical machines are as follows:

• Make sure your keys are clear and readily identifiable.
•  When using the kiosk, select an essential design straight away.
•  Before going to the booth, know what supplies you require.

Walmart Car Key Copy Price

Walmart offers the Minute Key service, which costs $2 – $6 per crucial duplication fee. The design and type of the key will decide the price for copying a new key at Walmart. Different Walmart stores may have different key copy rates, with some costing more than others. 

Therefore, consider the total cost before stopping by a Minute Key kiosk. This includes the price of the key, the cost of accessories, and the price of traveling to the Walmart store.

You can generally pay around $1.50 and $5 for each key when you use a Minute Key kiosk for your specific order.

Also, Walmart sells new car keys that can be purchased and personalized by an auto locksmith or dealership. Walmart.com offers replacement keyless fobs and remotes starting at $5.95 and car keys with digital fobs starting at only $4.99.

Where To Get Car Keys Made At Walmart?

You can use Minute Key’s automated kiosk Locator tool to find the closest one for critical copying needs, and it will guide you there.

If you’ve got the right essential type, copying car keys at Walmart should not be difficult. All you need to do is find a Minute Key kiosk accessible at most Walmart locations throughout the country.

With simple self-serve kiosks, Minute Key delivers locksmith and critical copying solutions. Apart from Walmart stores, these kiosks are also found at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other stores. Around 3,000 self-service kiosks exist in Minute Key’s countrywide network.

Does Walmart Make House Keys Too?

Walmart lets you make duplicates of your house keys, which generally takes only two minutes. Most house keys cost $2 to $5 to replicate. 

MinuteKey kiosks have an easy touch-screen interface that effectively replicates keys utilizing robotic and laser imaging technology. You can get a new key by clicking a button after putting the original key in the machine and following the step-by-step instructions.

Titan, Schlage, Weiser, Baldwin, Kwikset, and Master lock (padlock keys) are among some popular brands whose keys MinuteKey can copy. Just know that not all places and MinuteKey kiosks can duplicate any key. The two leading brands of house locks, Schlage and Kwikset, have primary keys available from most kiosks.

Most Walmart outlets have a MinuteKey kiosk at the front entrance, though not all locations might. MinuteKey declines to take cash, so if you want to use this service, carry the original key that you wish to replicate along with a debit or credit card with you.

Note: Try Home Depot’s key-cutting service if your local Walmart store does not have a MinuteKey kiosk.

Does Walmart Make Garage Keys?

Walmart will duplicate padlock keys and keys to manual garage doors.

But Walmart cannot duplicate your garage door opener without a key fob. The MinuteKey kiosks can only copy physical keys; they can’t replicate fob technology.

Can I Get a “Do Not Duplicate” Key Copied At Walmart?

MinuteKey can’t duplicate “Do Not Duplicate” or restricted keys since they have been created to limit unauthorized access to such places.

Keys that unlock mailboxes, file cabinets, or bank safes are just a few examples of such keys. If you have a key that you need to copy, the only option is to go to the authorized facility to have them make an exact copy for you. Usually, this service is provided for no charge or at a meager cost.

In addition, most banks only charge a small fee to duplicate your safe deposit locker key, and the post office provides a duplicate of your mailbox key with no charges.

Other Services Offered By Walmart MinuteKey Kiosks

The essential copying machine from Walmart has a constraint: it only copies keys and offers a range of key styles and types. These are the main vital types and brands that Walmart approves:

• KW10 Schlage and KW1
•  Kwikset
•  SC1 Weiser
•  WR3 and WR5 (availability depends upon the location)
•  Clones of the brands (Accessible in some machines)
•  Titan
•  Baldwin

Walmart’s key-duplicating service employs the same critical types on all its machines.

Key Takeaways

• Most car key varieties can be duplicated at Walmart MinuteKey kiosks, apart from transponder keys made without the genuine key.
• A car key copy at Walmart costs anywhere from $2 to $5 per key, though pricing can vary.
• Most of the Walmart stores in the US have kiosks for Walmart MinuteKey.