Where is the FCC ID on my key, and what does it tell me?

Where to look

1. Back of the fob. Most remotes carry a printed or moulded label on the rear face. Look for the letters “FCC ID” followed by a code.
2. Under the battery cover. Slim smart keys and some flip keys hide the label inside. Slide the cover off and check the plastic or the sticker under the battery.
3. On the circuit board. If the label has worn away, the same code is often printed on the board itself. This is what a locksmith reads when the outside is blank.

What the code means

An FCC ID is the registration number the United States Federal Communications Commission assigns to a radio transmitter design. The first few characters identify the company that filed it; the rest identify that specific transmitter. Because the ID belongs to the electronics rather than the shell, it is the most reliable way to tell one remote from another that looks the same.

It does not, on its own, tell you the year or model the fob fits. For that you match the FCC ID together with the part number on the same label.

Photograph it before you order

Take one clear photo of the back label and one of the front. Those two pictures let anyone identify the exact replacement, and they are the first thing we ask for.

Photos

[Dean: add label photos — rear face, under battery cover, and a board with the code printed on it.]