Nissan Altima Key Replacement in San Diego

An Altima Intelligent Key is $249 programmed at your car, roughly half the $520 a Nissan service desk typically quotes. Push-button start became standard on the Altima for the 2007 model year.

Altima keys come in two families. A 2004 to 2006 Altima starts with a chip key you turn. From 2007 on, the car looks for an Intelligent Key in your pocket, and the fob part changed again with the 2013 and 2019 redesigns.

The 2019 change is the one to mention when you call. Those fobs usually carry the Hitag AES chip, and the car generally wants a 20-digit PIN before it opens key registration, where older Altimas mostly take a shorter code. On most cars we produce either one at the curb. Registration on most Altimas also clears the key list and rebuilds it from the fobs in the cabin, so have every fob you plan to keep with you.

Nissan Altima keys by model year

Find your year, and the row shows the key it takes, what the dealer charges and what we charge at the car.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Every price includes the drive to you anywhere in San Diego County. There is no trip fee and no after-hours rate inside our open hours. All keys lost adds $60.
Model years	Typical dealer	Value Car Keys	You keep
2004 to 2006: Transponder chip keyThe last Altimas with a key you turn. The chip sits in a plain head on an NSN14 blade, usually a Philips 46. A 2002 or 2003 Altima shares this body, so send the VIN first and we check the chip before quoting.	~~$260~~	$135	$125
2007 to 2012: Smart key for push-to-startThe first push-button Altima. A slim backup blade rides inside every fob; cut to your key code, it works the driver's lock. The Altima coupe, sold through 2013, generally takes this fob rather than the 2013 sedan part.	~~$520~~	$249	$271
2013 to 2018: Smart key for push-to-startThe 2013 redesign brought a different fob part, and most of these cars still take the shorter PIN. A 2013 to 2018 fob will not register to a 2019 or newer Altima, so compare FCC IDs before buying anything.	~~$520~~	$249	$271
2019 to 2025: Smart key for push-to-startThe current body. Most of its fobs are AES-chip parts on 433 MHz, and the car generally demands the 20-digit PIN. With factory remote start you need the five-button fob; the KR5TXN code on the case says which one to bring.	~~$520~~	$249	$271

The new key next to the original.

Lost every Altima key?

With no Altima key left, the VIN is the starting point. It hands us the key code, our cutter shapes the backup blade from it, we produce the security PIN, and then a fresh Intelligent Key is paired to the car.

On a 2007 or newer Altima that comes to $309, the $249 fob plus the $60 lost-keys charge. A 2004 to 2006 chip key comes to $195. Ownership has to check out first, so keep the pink slip or registration, plus your ID, within reach.

On most Altimas, registration rebuilds the key list from the fobs present, so the missing fob drops off and stops starting the car. We make sure of that at no charge. The blade inside it will still turn the door lock, worth remembering if the keys went missing somewhere public, like a gym locker or a beach lot.

Nissan Altima key questions

Is a 2019 or newer Altima fob priced higher because of the AES chip?

No, it is the same $249 at your car as an earlier Altima fob. The AES part and the 20-digit PIN it usually needs take a little more work, and that sits inside the price along with cutting the hidden blade and registration. A Nissan dealer typically bills about $520 after programming labor goes on the ticket, plus towing when no key can start the car.

Can you program an Altima fob I ordered online?

Often, provided the fob is new, never registered to another car and matched to your model year, and programming it runs $79 to $119. Text us the FCC ID off its case before we set out. A 2013 to 2018 fob will not take in a 2019 or newer Altima, and a used fob pulled from another car usually will not register at all. A mismatch gets flagged on the phone, not at your curb.

How many fobs can an Altima hold, and do the old ones keep working?

Generally four, and the old ones keep working only if they are in the car while we program. On most Altimas, registration clears the list and writes back just the fobs present. Bring the spare from the drawer and the one your partner carries. A fob left behind will likely stop starting the car, and adding it later means registering the whole set again.

Will a hardware store copy start a 2004 to 2006 Altima?

No. A blade-only copy unlocks the doors and turns in the ignition, but NATS finds no chip it knows, so the engine will not stay running. The working key needs a chip registered to the car, which we handle at the curb for $135, where a dealer usually asks about $260. If you keep a separate door remote, bring it and we check that it still pairs.

Other Nissan models

Text us your Nissan Altima year and trim

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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