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CostRemote & Keypad Repair

How much does it cost to replace a garage door remote or keypad in Virginia?

When we checked on October 27, 2026, Chamberlain listed its 3-button visor remote at $39.99 and its wireless keypad at $44.99. That is the part price before any technician visit. Labor, a new receiver for an old opener, or a trip charge add to it, so ask any Virginia pro for a written quote that separates parts from labor.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Find your opener's learn button

    Look on the motor unit in the garage for the Learn button and note its color, because a replacement has to match it.[1]

  2. Step 2: Note the brand and model

    Read the label on the motor unit so you can check a remote or keypad against the opener's compatibility list.

  3. Step 3: Choose the device

    Pick a handheld remote, a visor remote or a wireless keypad that lists your learn button color.[1][2]

  4. Step 4: Use a stepladder, not the car

    If you need to reach the Learn button, use a stepladder or other sturdy device.

  5. Step 5: Follow the maker's setup

    Program the new device with the instructions in its box, which for a wireless keypad the maker describes as easy-to-follow wireless programming.[2]

  6. Step 6: Get quotes if you hire

    For a technician visit, get at least three written bids and keep any deposit to 10% or $1,000, whichever is less.[3]

A hand holding a small garage door remote, shown closed with its four buttons and opened to show the circuit board and battery
Photo: Winxpcn, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A replacement remote or keypad is one of the cheapest garage door fixes. When we checked Chamberlain's own site on October 27, 2026, Chamberlain listed its 3-button visor remote at $39.99 and listed its wireless keypad at $44.99.[1][2] Those are list prices for one maker's parts, not a Virginia average, and a technician visit adds to them.

What the part price covers

The remote is the handheld or visor device that sends the signal. The keypad mounts outside the door so you can enter a code instead of carrying a remote. Both pair with the opener's receiver, which sits inside the motor unit.

If the remote simply stopped working, try the battery first. The visor remote on Chamberlain's site is powered by a 3V coin-cell lithium CR2032 battery; replacing the battery is usually the cheaper first try.[1]

What decides the cost of a replacement

  • Compatibility. A new device must match your opener. Chamberlain lists learn button colors of green, orange/red, purple and yellow for its remote and keypad, so match the device to your opener's Learn button color.[1][2] Find the Learn button on the motor unit and note its color before you shop.
  • Remote or keypad. On the dated list prices, the keypad cost $5 more than the visor remote.[1][2]
  • Opener age. If the motor unit is too old to pair with anything current, the fix may be a new receiver or a new opener, which is a different and larger bill.
  • Who does it. Buying the part and programming it yourself costs the part price. A technician adds a visit and labor, and some companies set a minimum for a service call.
  • Number of devices. Some households want two visor remotes and a keypad, or a car's built-in buttons trained as well; see how to program a car's built-in garage door opener.

Doing it yourself

The device is a plug-in, battery-powered part, so replacing it is ordinary household work. For a wireless keypad, Chamberlain describes "easy-to-follow wireless programming"; the exact steps are in the manual that comes with the device.[2] The one hazard is the ladder: use a stepladder or other sturdy device to reach the Learn button, and never stand on a car or a chair that wobbles.

Hiring a pro in Virginia

If you would rather have a technician do it, or the opener will not pair with anything, ask for a written quote that separates the parts, the labor and any trip charge. DPOR's guide to hiring a contractor advises you to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications, so you can compare prices.[3] For a job this small, one or two quotes is realistic, but compare the line items the same way.

On licensing, DPOR's guide says "If the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required".[3] A remote swap is usually well under that, but replacing an opener can reach it, and then you should look up the licence. If a company asks for money up front, DPOR's rule of thumb is a deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[3]

Before you agree, ask:

  • Which brand and model are you fitting, and does it match my opener's learn button color?
  • Is the programming included, and are the batteries?
  • Is there a service call minimum, and does it come off the final price?
  • What happens if it does not pair with my opener?

Stop and call a pro if

  • The door misbehaves, not the remote. If the wall button works but the door reverses, stops partway or moves crooked, the remote was not the problem. See garage door repair answers and the guide to what garage door repair costs.
  • The opener is old enough that nothing pairs with it. A technician can say whether a receiver is available or the opener should be replaced.
  • You cannot reach the Learn button safely. Do not climb on anything unstable.
  • Anything involves the springs, cables or tracks. They are under tension and are not part of a remote or keypad job.

Getting help in Virginia

Browse garage door repair businesses on Loclis to compare local companies. When you are ready, describe the job once and local pros quote it.

Common questions

Is the battery all that is wrong with my remote?
Often, and it is the cheapest fix. Chamberlain's visor remote uses a 3V coin-cell lithium CR2032 battery, Try a fresh one before buying a new remote.
Will any remote work with my opener?
No. The remote and the opener must match. Chamberlain lists learn button colors of green, orange/red, purple and yellow for its current remotes and keypad, so check the color of the Learn button on your motor unit and the compatibility list for your brand.
Does a technician need a contractor licence to replace a remote?
Virginia's contractor licence requirement applies to work valued at $1,000 or more, so a remote or keypad swap on its own is normally below it. A bigger job, such as a new opener, can reach it, and then the contractor must hold a valid licence.
Why would a pro charge more than the part price?
Because the visit has costs the part does not: travel, time to find the right match, programming, and sometimes a new receiver when the old opener is too old to pair with a modern remote. Ask for parts and labor on separate lines.
Is a keypad worth it compared with a remote?
A keypad lets people in without a remote and does not get lost in a car. At the dated list prices, it cost $5 more than the visor remote on the maker's site.

Sources

  1. [1] 3-Button Visor Garage Door Remote (G953EV-P2), product page, The Chamberlain Group. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Wireless Keypad (G940EV-P2), product page, The Chamberlain Group. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 27, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.