If your keys are locked inside your car, your real options are a spare key that someone brings you, AAA, a roadside benefit from your insurer or credit card, a locksmith, or a mobile roadside service like Axl Roadside. Which one makes sense depends on whether you already have coverage, whether someone can reach you with a spare, and whether your car has keyless entry. The exception is an emergency: if a child is alone in the locked car, call 911 right away instead of working through this list.
Axl Roadside Assistance is a mobile emergency roadside assistance service based in Mountain View, California, that comes to your car for jump starts, battery replacement, flat tires, lockouts and fuel delivery, 7am to 8pm daily. We are one of the options below.
What if a child or pet is locked in the car?
The federal highway safety agency (NHTSA) says that if you see a child alone in a locked car, you should act right away and call 911. A parked car can heat up quickly.
For a pet, California’s pet-in-a-hot-car law says that someone who breaks into a car to rescue an animal in immediate danger is protected from criminal liability only if they have first contacted law enforcement, the fire department, animal control or 911, among other conditions. For a child or a pet, do not wait for a roadside service, including us, to arrive.
How can I unlock my car if my keys are inside?
The way that is easiest on your car is a spare key brought to you, or a service that opens the door with the right tools instead of force. For a checklist of what to try before you call anyone, see our guide to what to do first when you are locked out in Sunnyvale.
- A spare key: the simplest fix if someone can reach you with it.
- The police non-emergency line: ask before you count on it.
- AAA: lockout help is part of its plans.
- Your insurer or credit card: some offer roadside help, so check your terms.
- A locksmith: many will come to your car.
- A mobile roadside service like Axl Roadside: comes to your car with proper lockout tools.
Will the cops unlock my car for free?
We cannot say yes or no, because as of September 2026 we did not find a statement on the Mountain View police pages or the Sunnyvale public safety pages saying whether officers will unlock your car for an ordinary lockout. So call the non-emergency line and ask before you count on it. Save 911 for emergencies, and an ordinary lockout where nobody is in danger is not one.
Sunnyvale’s public safety policy manual says that when a child is locked in a vehicle and the situation is life-threatening, both police and fire respond. The same manual says that when there is no sign of a life-threatening situation, an officer does a welfare check and the parent is pointed to options like a locksmith. That policy is about a child, so do not read it as saying anything about an ordinary lockout.
What to do when you lock your keys in your car without a spare?
Check what you may already have first, meaning AAA or a roadside benefit from your insurer or credit card, and if you have none of those, call a locksmith or a mobile roadside service.
AAA
AAA’s own plans include lockout help. You do not have to be a member to call AAA, but a non-member pays a fee plus the cost of a membership, and AAA’s site lists the current prices. AAA says that if you join by phone the help can start right away, but if you buy a membership online the roadside benefits begin 48 hours later.
Insurance and credit card benefits
Some car insurers sell roadside assistance as an add-on to your policy. Progressive calls it an extra coverage you can add, and State Farm says it may be added to an existing policy. These add-ons can include lockout help, and State Farm, for example, lists up to one hour of locksmith labor, and GEICO lists lockout services for covered causes. Progressive says added coverage may not take effect the same day, so check before you need it. Some credit cards may include roadside help, so check your card’s own terms.
A locksmith
A locksmith opens locks, and many will come to your car. Before you book one, ask for the total price, how long they expect to take, and whether they can open your kind of car, including a keyless one.
A mobile roadside service like Axl Roadside
We come to your vehicle at home, at work, in a parking lot or garage, or on the roadside. We open the car without damage, using proper lockout tools. The lockouts we handle include keys locked inside the car or trunk, a key fob battery that died so the doors will not open, and a car that locked itself with the keys inside.
Newer cars with keyless entry can be different, so we tell you on the phone what to expect for your car. Our average response time is about 18 minutes, depending on where you are and where we are when you call.
We serve Mountain View and Sunnyvale, along with several nearby cities. You can read more about our car lockout service or about our service in Sunnyvale. You do not need a membership or a subscription to call us, and you pay only for the job you need.
When you call, tell us your name, where you are, your vehicle’s year, make and model, what happened, and where the keys are.
How much does it cost if you get locked out of your car?
There is no single answer, because each option prices differently. Prices change, so here is what decides the cost.
- AAA: members get up to four service calls a year, and calls after that cost extra. AAA’s own article says its fees vary by AAA club, so check the current prices on its site.
- A locksmith: prices differ from one company to the next, so ask for the total before they start.
For Axl Roadside, we do not post prices online because every call is different. We quote on the phone and tell you about any extra cost before we do the work. There are no hidden fees. If you find a lower quote from another provider for the same service, we will match it.
You can pay by credit or debit card, by mobile payment, or over the phone.
Call or text Axl Roadside at (415) 712-4161, 7am to 8pm daily.
