Updated October 2026
Locked out of your car? What to do next
If you are locked out of your car, first make sure you and anyone with you are safe. Do not force the door or break a window. If a child, or anyone else inside, is in distress, call 999. When the situation is safe, enter the registration and the exact location on the quote form. we unlock any car comes to the vehicle after we confirm we can attend and that the car is yours. There is no call-out fee. The price is agreed before we set off.
What should you do if you are locked out of your car?
Work through these before anyone forces the door.
- Check that everyone is safe. If you are beside moving traffic, move yourself to a safer place when you can do that safely.
- Check for a spare key. If someone can bring it without more risk, that can be the simplest way in.
- Check whether the car maker’s app can unlock that car. Some connected cars can. It depends on the car and the account.
- Check your breakdown cover, and ask whether keys locked inside the vehicle are included.
- If you still cannot get in, send a quote. Include the registration, the exact place the car is, and whether the keys are in the cabin, the boot, or somewhere else. We confirm we can attend before you book.
Do not force the door, lever the window, or push anything into the door. That can turn an opening into a repair. This page does not describe a way to open a car yourself. The opening is done at the vehicle, on the locked out service.
What if your keys are locked inside the car?
If you can see the keys on the seat, in the footwell, or in a bag, leave the glass and the door seals alone. Reaching through a gap is how trim and wiring get damaged.
Tell us where the keys are when you send the quote. A keyless fob left inside, or a door handle that will not wake up, is still a lockout. You do not need to explain the electronics. The make and model are enough. The cars and vans we unlock are the ones on UK roads.
What if your car keys are locked in the boot?
A boot lockout is not the same as keys on the seat. On some cars the boot stays shut even though the keys are inside it, and the remote is in there with them.
Say the keys are in the boot. Add the registration, the make and model, the exact location, and whether any door still opens. Do not force the boot lid or prise the panel. That marks the paint and the latch.
The visit is still agreed from the quote. We confirm we can attend, and that the car is yours, before you book.
What if you are locked out of a van?
The same rules apply. Stay safe, and do not force the locks. A van shut at a site gate or a loading bay still needs a precise location: the site name, the gate, and the postcode.
On the quote, include:
- The registration, make and model.
- The exact place it is parked.
- Whether the keys are in the cabin or the load area.
- Whether it is your van, a company van, or a hire van.
A company, fleet, hire or leased vehicle needs the owner’s authority as well as your ID. Say so on the form. If the paperwork is locked inside, say that too, and we will tell you what we can accept on the day. Vans are listed with the cars and vans we unlock. We confirm we can attend before you book.
Should you try to unlock the car yourself?
No. A method from a video is for a different car. Pushing something into the door, or levering the glass, can damage the lock and still leave you shut out.
Stop before you apply force. The opening is done at the car, without breaking the glass. If the lock is already damaged, that changes the job, and it is explained on the damage-free unlocking page. This page will not describe a way to open the car yourself.
What affects the price of a lockout?
There is no single price, and no price list on this site. The quote depends on the vehicle, where it is, and whether the keys are in the cabin, the boot, or somewhere else.
The price is agreed before we set off. There is no call-out fee. A figure you have seen online is not a quote for the car in front of you. Enter the registration and the location, and the price is for that job. We confirm we can attend before you book.
What should you put on the quote?
- The registration.
- The make and model, if you know them.
- The exact place: the road, the postcode, the car-park level, the station, or the site gate.
- Where the keys are: in the cabin, in the boot, at home, or missing.
- Whether it is a car or a van.
- Whether it is a hire, lease, or company vehicle.
Bring photo ID and a document that ties you to the vehicle. If that paperwork is locked inside, say so. How the visit is booked is on how it works.
What if a child or someone unwell is locked inside?
Call 999. A child, or anyone who may be in danger, is an emergency. Do not wait for a routine booking, and do not try to force the door while you wait.
A pet shut in a hot car is urgent too. Get help for the animal straight away, and do not treat it as an ordinary lockout. Call 999 when a person is in distress. A pet is a different emergency from a person who is unwell.
What if the engine is running?
If the car is in a garage or any closed space, get to fresh air and call 999. Do not go back in where there may be exhaust fumes.
If nobody is in danger and the car is in the open, it is a lockout with the engine running. Say that on the quote form, with the registration and the exact location.
we unlock any car unlocks cars and vans across the UK. Enquiries can be sent 24 hours, seven days. That is when the form is open. It is not a promise of an arrival time. Availability is confirmed before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What should you do first if you are locked out of your car?
Make sure you and anyone with you are safe. Do not force the door or break a window. Check for a spare key, a manufacturer app, or breakdown cover. If you still cannot get in, send the registration and the exact location on the quote form.
What if I can see the keys on the seat?
Leave the door and the glass alone. Tell us the keys are in the cabin, and where you can see them. A fob left on the seat is still a lockout. We come to the car after we confirm we can attend and that the car is yours.
The boot is shut and the keys are inside it. What should I say?
Say the keys are in the boot, not in the cabin. Add the registration, the make and model, the exact location, and whether any door still opens. Do not force the boot lid.
I have lost my keys. Is that the same as a lockout?
No. A lockout is keys shut inside the car, the boot, or left somewhere else. Lost keys are a different job, and an unlock booking does not include a replacement key. Say the keys are missing when you enquire, so we can tell you what help is available.
What if a child or someone unwell is inside the car?
Call 999. That is an emergency, not a routine booking. Do not wait for a quote if a person inside may be in danger.
The engine is running and I am locked out. What should I do?
If the car is in a garage or any closed space, get to fresh air and call 999. Do not go back into exhaust fumes. If nobody is in danger and the car is in the open, say on the quote form that the engine is running.