Honda PCX and PCX150 Key Replacement

Quick answerThe PCX has Honda Smart Key in many countries, but the US manuals for the 2020 PCX150, the 2022 PCX150 and the 2024 PCX show a conventional cut ignition key with a shutter key on it. There is no chip to program. The seat and fuel lid open from a switch that only works with the key turned, so a lost key locks you out of both until a new one is cut.

Honda PCX and PCX150 key quick facts

Honda's US manuals for the 2020 PCX150, 2022 PCX150 and 2024 PCX describe an ignition key and have no Smart Key or immobilizer section.
The ignition switch has an automatic shutter that closes over the keyhole when the key is removed at the Lock position.
The shutter is opened with the shutter key, a shaped projection that is matched to the slot in the shutter.
The seat and the fuel lid have no key locks of their own; both open from a rocker switch that works with the key at the SEAT FUEL position.
A key number plate is supplied with the keys.

Honda PCX and PCX150 key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2020, 2022	PCX150, PCX150 ABS	mechanical cut key with shutter key	no	Ignition switch locks the steering and enables the fuel lid and seat opener switch. Key number plate supplied.
2024	PCX	mechanical cut key with shutter key	no	Same arrangement: shuttered ignition, steering lock at the switch, seat and fuel lid on the opener switch.
Varies	PCX sold outside the US, and other years	Honda Smart Key fob or cut key	varies	Equipment varies by market and year. A main knob with no key slot means Smart Key; a key slot behind a shutter means a cut key.

Smart Key or cut key: check the switch

PCX reviews and videos from Europe and Asia show a keyless scooter with a rotary knob, so US owners often assume theirs is the same. Honda's US owner's manuals say otherwise for the model years listed above. They describe a keyed ignition switch with four positions: ON, OFF, a SEAT FUEL position and Lock. They never mention a fob.

The quick test on any PCX is to look at the switch. If there is a slot for a key, usually hidden behind a small metal shutter, you have a cut key and everything on this page applies. If there is only a knob and no slot, you have Smart Key, and a replacement fob has to be registered to the scooter.

Need a key for your PCX?

Call or text with the year and where the bike is parked.

Call (805) 429-8452 Text your year, make and model

Or read first: all services · common questions · about us · contact details

The shutter and the opener switch

Two features of the keyed PCX are unlike a motorcycle and both matter when a key goes missing.

Shutter: when you take the key out at Lock, a cover slides over the keyhole. You can also close it by hand with the shutter key. To open it, line the projection of the shutter key up with the slot and turn clockwise.
Ignition key and shutter key travel together, so losing the key means losing both.
Seat: turn the bars straight, put the key in, turn to SEAT FUEL and press the SEAT side of the opener switch.
Fuel lid: same key position, press the FUEL side of the switch and the lid opens.
Under the seat: the center compartment, which takes a helmet, plus the helmet holder and document bag.
Steering lock: at the ignition switch, Lock position.

Why a lost PCX key is more than a no-start

On a keyed PCX you cannot reach the fuel cap or the storage without the ignition key. The seat release and the fuel lid release are both electrical and both depend on the key being turned in the switch. Your helmet and your registration in the document bag are both under a seat that will not open.

Honda's manual also warns against locking the key in the compartment under the seat, because the seat latches when it is pushed down. It is an easy mistake: the key is in the helmet, the helmet is in the center compartment, and the seat is shut.

Getting a new key

If the key is locked under the seat, the seat can be opened without damage and you are on your way. If the key is truly gone, we need photo ID and proof the scooter is yours; since the paper registration is usually under the seat, a photo of it, the title or your insurance card gets things started. The shutter is opened, a key is made to the ignition, and the new key comes with the matching shutter key so the cover works as it should. We finish by checking the Lock position, the seat and the fuel lid.

Where to find the key code

On the key number plate supplied with the keys. Honda's manual says to record it and store the plate with the spare key; if you lose every key and the number, the dealer will probably need to remove the ignition switch assembly to find it. Do not keep the plate under the seat, because that is the one place you cannot reach without a key.

What to have ready

Have this ready when you call or text

Year, make and model of the bike
Where the bike is parked
Whether you have any working key, a broken key or a key code
Photo ID and registration or title (we verify ownership before making a key)

Honda PCX and PCX150 key FAQ

Does the US Honda PCX have a Smart Key?

Honda's US manuals for the 2020 and 2022 PCX150 and the 2024 PCX describe a cut ignition key with a shutter key, not a Smart Key. Look at your switch: a key slot means a cut key.

What is the shutter key on a PCX?

It is the part of the key that opens the theft-prevention shutter over the ignition keyhole. Its projection has to match the slot in the shutter, so a replacement key needs the right one.

Can I open the PCX seat without the key?

Not from the opener switch, which only works with the key turned to SEAT FUEL. A locksmith can open the seat without damaging it.

Is there a chip in the US PCX key?

No. The US manuals listed here have no immobilizer section, so a correctly cut key runs the scooter.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Honda Smart Key: Fobs, ID Tags and What to Do If You Lose OneHonda Smart Key is a keyless system: the bike checks for a registered fob nearby and then lets you unlock the steering, switch on and start, with no key in a slot.

More Honda models

Services for this bike

Scooter Key Replacement: Shutters, Seat Locks and ChipsYes, a key can be made for almost any scooter, and on most 50cc to 150cc models it is a plain metal key with no chip.
Scooter Seat and Storage Locks: How They Open and FailScooters open the seat in one of three basic ways: a separate seat lock that takes the ignition key, a seat position on the ignition switch, or an electric button or keyless fob.
Locked Your Keys Under the Motorcycle or Scooter Seat?Keys get locked under the seat because most seats latch shut with a push and need no key to close.
Lost the Key to Your Motorcycle Disc Lock or Chain?Start with the lock maker: most quality disc locks and chains come with a key number or code, and makers such as Kryptonite and Xena supply replacement keys against it.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.