All Keycard Locations and Bunker Access in Sons Of The Forest

Overview of Keycards and Bunkers

In Sons of the Forest, three distinct keycards—the Maintenance A Keycard, the VIP Keycard, and the Guest Keycard—are essential for accessing hidden underground bunkers and advancing through the game’s story. These keycards act as strict progression gates, unlocking critical areas containing unique weapons, armor, and lore. The progression is linear, meaning later keycards often require earlier ones to be obtained first, and all keycards are found within interior bunker-style locations.

Keycards are not optional; they are required to access major bunkers and story locations, providing permanent access once collected. This system ensures players gradually delve deeper into the island’s mysteries, with each keycard signaling a shift in the type of content and challenges encountered. As of June 22, 2026, the keycard progression remains linear and critical to unlocking the full game experience.

Maintenance A Keycard and Initial Bunker Access

The Maintenance A Keycard is often the first keycard players will acquire, serving as a crucial stepping stone for deeper exploration. Its location is typically marked on your map as a pulsing orange ‘M’ icon northwest of the snowy mountain after interacting with a laptop inside a cave while obtaining the Shovel. To locate the Maintenance A bunker, look for two golf carts with surveying equipment near a dirt path crossing a stream. Dig with your shovel where the icon appears between the golf cart and survey equipment to uncover a hatch.

Descending the ladder into Maintenance A, you’ll find yellow crates with resources and a body. Proceed down the corridor; an open door on the right leads to an apartment, while further down is an icy room. Clear the mutant babies in the icy room and collect the Golf Cart Battery, Light Bulbs, Printer Resin, and Solar Panels from the shelves. The Firefighter Axe can be found in an open emergency case in the middle of these shelves. In the apartment, interact with the flashing red computer to add the Food Bunker’s location to your map. The Carl Planter Maintenance A Keycard is on the desk to the right, shared with a 3D Printer and a Golden Armor painting. This keycard grants access to security doors in the Recreational Bunker (where the Guest Keycard is found) and the Food Bunker (where the VIP Keycard is found). Before leaving, consider sleeping in the bed to save, grabbing the Corporate Line book from the dead body in the ensuite bathroom, and collecting the Tuxedo from the shelving unit.

VIP Keycard and Food Bunker Access

Once you possess the Carl Planter Maintenance A Keycard, you can proceed to acquire the VIP Keycard. The location of the Food Bunker, where the VIP Keycard resides, will have been marked on your map as a dark green pulsing circle with a food icon, typically in the northeast of the island, after interacting with the laptop in Maintenance A. The entrance to this bunker is a cave found near two abandoned golf carts.

Before entering, ensure you have a flashlight or torch and a weapon ready. Follow the path inside the cave all the way down to a hatch labeled “Food and Dining.” After descending the hatch into the underground bunker, you’ll find food supplies and Crossbow bolts from dead bodies. Use your Maintenance A Keycard to open the locked door in the back corner of the kitchen. Traverse the first hydroponics room to reach the second, where mutant babies will be present. In the second hydroponics room, look to the right side between the shelving, following a trail of blood on the ground, to find a Crossbow next to a body. Collect the Crossbow Bolts stuck in the wall near the television and an Energy Mix next to the body. The VIP Keycard is located deeper within this bunker, requiring careful navigation through hostile environments.

Guest Keycard and Recreational Bunker Access

The Guest Keycard is another early access item that unlocks specific restricted areas, often serving as a starting point for narrative-driven exploration. This keycard is found within the Recreational Bunker, an area accessible after obtaining the Maintenance A Keycard. The Guest Keycard is located in a controlled interior space, specifically in the third cubicle on the right within a bar meeting area. Its placement emphasizes careful exploration over direct combat for early keycards.

The Recreational Bunker itself contains the security doors that the Maintenance A Keycard will open, allowing you to reach the section where the Guest Keycard is situated. This keycard is crucial for progressing into the game’s initial layers of restricted access, setting the precedent for how bunkers function. Unlike the VIP Keycard, which is a late-progression item in deeper, more hostile environments, the Guest Keycard is relatively straightforward to reach within its designated interior location.

FAQ

Does this guide show all keycard locations in Sons of the Forest? Yes, this guide covers all three keycards: Maintenance A, VIP, and Guest, which are the primary keycards for bunker access.

Can I get the VIP Keycard first? No, the VIP Keycard requires the Maintenance A Keycard to access its location, making the progression linear.

Are keycards optional? No, keycards are mandatory for accessing major bunkers and advancing through story-critical locations.

Do keycards unlock permanent access? Yes, once a keycard is collected, it permanently unlocks its associated doors and areas.

Are all keycards found underground? Yes, all keycards are located inside interior bunker-style locations.