Your Tesla unlocks and starts with your phone, which is handy right up until someone else gets hold of a key card or you hand the car to a valet. Tesla builds three settings for exactly those moments: PIN to Drive, Valet Mode and Glovebox PIN. Each one is a few taps on the touchscreen, and none of them costs anything. They work the same way on Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck, with a few small differences we flag below. Here is what each one does, how to set it up, and what to do if you forget a PIN.
PIN length
4 digits
For PIN to Drive, Valet and Glovebox (Tesla manuals for every model)
Valet speed cap
70 mph
113 km/h in Valet Mode on every current model (Tesla manuals)
Cost
$0
Built into the car, set from Controls > Safety
The three settings at a glance
| What it does | Where to turn it on | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIN to Drive | The car won’t drive until someone enters your 4-digit PIN, even with a valid key | Controls > Safety > PIN to Drive | Everyday theft protection, a lost key card |
| Valet Mode | A built-in driver profile that caps speed, limits power and locks the frunk and glovebox | Controls > Safety > Valet Mode, or the Tesla app | Valets, service stops, lending the car |
| Glovebox PIN | Asks for a separate 4-digit PIN before the glovebox opens | Controls > Safety > Glovebox PIN | Keeping papers or valuables private |
PIN to Drive: how to set it up
PIN to Drive adds a second lock on top of your key. With it on, the car can’t be driven until a 4-digit PIN is entered on the touchscreen, according to Tesla’s owner’s manuals for Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck. A found key card is no longer enough to drive away.
- With the car in Park, tap Controls.
- Tap Safety.
- Turn on PIN to Drive and follow the prompts to create your 4-digit driving PIN.
- Next time you get in, enter the PIN on the touchscreen before you drive.
Pick a PIN you don’t use for your phone or bank card, and tell every regular driver in your household. Anyone who drives the car will need it, including people you’ve added as a driver in the Tesla app.
If you forget your driving PIN
You aren’t locked out. On the PIN to Drive popup, tap the link to sign in with your Tesla account, then follow the steps on the touchscreen to reset it (Tesla manual). If the touchscreen itself won’t respond, Tesla says to restart the touchscreen first. After that, the backup route in the Tesla app depends on which manual covers your car.
Frozen screen? The app backup step differs by manual.
- Current Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck manuals: in the app, go to Security & Drivers and tap Clear PIN. Only the vehicle owner can do this (Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, Cybertruck).
- 2020 to 2024 Model Y: that manual says to turn on Keyless Driving in the Tesla app to drive without the PIN (2020 to 2024 Model Y manual).
Not sure which manual fits your car? Open Tesla’s owner’s manual site and pick your model and year. If your manual shows a different step, follow your manual.
Valet Mode: what it locks down
Valet Mode is a separate driver profile built for handing the car to someone you don’t know. The person driving needs the key card to get in and drive. Per Tesla’s Driver Profiles pages for Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck, while Valet Mode is on:
- Speed is capped at 70 mph, and maximum acceleration and power are limited.
- The front trunk and the glovebox are locked.
- Home and Work are hidden in navigation, so a stranger can’t see where you live.
- Voice commands, text messages and driver profiles are off. On cars with HomeLink, it is off too.
- Self-driving convenience features are disabled.
- Apps such as Toybox and Theater can’t be opened.
- The list of keys that can access the car isn’t shown, and the Allow Mobile Access setting can’t be changed.
One quirk worth knowing: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairing is disabled, but the car still connects to a phone it already knows if that phone is in range (Tesla manual).
Model S and Model X owners: two small differences in your manuals.
- The word Valet shows on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel or yoke, not just the touchscreen.
- The car does not shift automatically in Valet Mode, so shift into Drive or Reverse yourself (Model S manual, Model X manual).
How to turn Valet Mode on and off
- Put the car in Park.
- Tap Controls > Safety > Valet Mode, or tap the driver profile icon at the top of the Controls screen and pick Valet Mode.
- The first time, create a 4-digit Valet PIN. You’ll use it to cancel Valet Mode.
- Look for the word Valet on the screen (the instrument panel on Model S and Model X). That means it’s on.
- To turn it off, tap the Valet Mode profile icon with the car in Park and enter your Valet PIN.
You can also start and cancel Valet Mode from the Tesla app while the car is in Park, with no PIN needed, since you’re already signed in to your account (Tesla manual). That’s useful if you forgot to switch it on before you handed over the key card. When you cancel it, your last driver profile and climate settings come back.
If you use PIN to Drive, you’ll be asked for your driving PIN before you can set or enter a Valet PIN. Once Valet Mode is on, the valet can drive without your driving PIN, and PIN to Drive is switched off until you leave Valet Mode. Forgot the Valet PIN? Reset it from inside the car with your Tesla account sign-in, which also cancels Valet Mode, or reset it in the app.
“Do not use Valet mode when towing a trailer.”Tesla owner’s manual, Driver Profiles (same warning in every model’s manual)
The reason is the power limit: Tesla says the reduced torque can make it hard to pull a trailer up a hill. If you tow, read our guide to planning range and charging stops when towing.
Glovebox PIN: a lock for the small stuff
Glovebox PIN is its own 4-digit code and has nothing to do with PIN to Drive. Turn it on at Controls > Safety > Glovebox PIN, and the touchscreen asks for it every time someone tries to open the glovebox (Tesla manual). To turn it off, flip the toggle and enter the PIN. If you forget it, reset it with your Tesla account sign-in.
One detail is the same on every model: if you set a Glovebox PIN, you can still open the glovebox with it while the car is in Valet Mode (Model 3 manual, Cybertruck manual). On Model Y, the manual also notes the glovebox locks when you lock the car with the app, key card or Walk-Away Door Lock, but not from the touchscreen lock icon (Model Y manual).
Lending the car to a friend instead of a valet? Valet Mode’s 70 mph cap and power limits may be more than you need. For family and regular drivers, adding them as a driver gives them their own phone key that you can remove later from the app.
Which ones should you turn on?
A simple way to decide:
- Turn on PIN to Drive if you carry a key card in a wallet, park on the street, or have ever lost a key card. It costs you a few seconds per drive.
- Use Valet Mode any time a stranger drives the car: a valet stand, a hotel, a car wash or a tire shop.
- Add a Glovebox PIN if you keep your registration, a spare key card or anything private in there.
These settings pair well with Sentry Mode and Dashcam, which record what happens around the parked car. And if you’re still deciding which key to carry day to day, see phone key, key card or key fob.
What to do
- Turn on PIN to Drive tonight and share the PIN with anyone who drives the car.
- Start Valet Mode once at home so you know where it is before you need it at a valet stand.
- Set a Glovebox PIN if you store anything private there.
- Just took delivery? Work through the rest of your first-week setup with our delivery checklist, which lists what to check before you accept the car.
