A method for operating a starting system for a car includes detecting locking of the car, checking whether a portable code transmitter of the starting system is inside a monitoring region, deactivating a starting device of the starting system if the portable code transmitter is not inside the monitoring region, receiving an unlocking signal and identity signal from the portable code transmitter by the starting system on the car, checking whether identity data received with the identity signal matches identity data stored in the starting system, and activating the starting device if the identity data matches the identity data stored in the starting system.