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just a quick poll of what everyone charges to access key codes & cut, we are currently @ $50.00 + keys but looking at upping it to be more in line with local locksmiths.

Canadian dealer here...with lots of competition in town.

Traditional key...$5.00 + cost of key.
Laser key - $25.00 + cost of key.

The fee is really more for the labour to cut the key vs the actual key code.

We do not give out key codes under any circumstance. We only use codes to cut keys for customers in front of us and we don't tell them the code.

While on the subject...how do you guys handle wholesale/mechanical shops asking for cut keys. We deal with a few shops who have fleet customers. They call and ask for keys all the time and we send them down. It's never been an issue, but we never follow the same protocol we do in person (ownership, drivers license, copy of each, put in a file). We have no issues with the shop in question, but I doubt GM would see it that way. But asking a wholesale shop to get ownership and license of their customer...to give to us...to get a key...especially if it's a fleet company...I could see being problematic. For now we let it slide...I've been here over 5 years and have never had an audit regarding our key code searches.

We charge $50 to get the codes, then we add $20 to list price of the key for key cutting fee.

As far as keys for shops in town, we ask for a repair order showing the VIN of the car in question to prove that they are working on it, a business card showing their name attached to that shop, and photo ID.

We have shop fax or email a copy of their repair order with customer name and vin.

Whatsyourvin wrote:Canadian dealer here...with lots of competition in town.

Traditional key...$5.00 + cost of key.
Laser key - $25.00 + cost of key.

The fee is really more for the labour to cut the key vs the actual key code.

We do not give out key codes under any circumstance. We only use codes to cut keys for customers in front of us and we don't tell them the code.

While on the subject...how do you guys handle wholesale/mechanical shops asking for cut keys. We deal with a few shops who have fleet customers. They call and ask for keys all the time and we send them down. It's never been an issue, but we never follow the same protocol we do in person (ownership, drivers license, copy of each, put in a file). We have no issues with the shop in question, but I doubt GM would see it that way. But asking a wholesale shop to get ownership and license of their customer...to give to us...to get a key...especially if it's a fleet company...I could see being problematic. For now we let it slide...I've been here over 5 years and have never had an audit regarding our key code searches.

Audit on the way!! Got it November 2019.We were told not to cut keys for w/s shops. We were also told to get del date and in service date. Had to buy a cabinet to lock up codes.

If you refer to Doc 5445509, it states that you MAY obtain a keycode for a wholesale shop by following the proper instruction, which is nothing out-of-the-ordinary. I do like that we can tell locksmiths to pound sand as they have to follow procedures that don't include us.

If they have all their documentation in order, they pay $20 for and receive their code. We don't charge for cutting if the customer bought the vehicle here, unless they are jerks. At my last dealership, I was audited on key codes. My only ding was not having a COURT ORDER for bank repossessions. (Only bank repossession paperwork on file for each one.) Our dealership is pretty small and rural. We have no laser cutter and no need to charge a huge fee. Thankfully.

Denise Trimble wrote: We have no laser cutter and no need to charge a huge fee. Thankfully.

When we got out laser machine is exactly when I started charging $20 extra and took my key code fee from $25 to $50.

$15 for code look up + $25 laser cut (if needed),+ the price of the key.
Also another $80 for service to program if needed.
I have been contemplating increasing the Laser cut key price since we are the only player in 60+ miles.

We had a difficult time spending the $$ on the laser cutter. But then I came up with a solution for the dealer.
I bought it as a part and put it into my inventory as X amount of part # Lasercut @ X cost. Once that part # was sold down to 0 the machine was paid for and then some.
So now cost is $0 & sale @ $25, all profit for us for now.

We are at $60. Not one customer complaint.