HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a windscreen replacement in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A windscreen replacement in Ireland costs €250–€800 per screen, typically around €400. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a windscreen replacement in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers windscreen replacement work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — post-Installation Checks — after the new windscreen is installed, various checks are conducted, including alignment and sealing tests.
- How does type of vehicle change the price?Better kit does the job faster and to a higher standard. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does extent of the damage change the price?Bigger work usually means more than one visit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does specific make change the price?A basic option and a premium one are different jobs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Services such as repairing underlying structural damage or addressing electrical issues related to sensors or wipers are typically not included — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a windscreen replacement job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO MECHANICS IN IRELAND — anyone may repair a car. The statutory thing is the NCT, which is carried out by the national testing service and not by a garage, so a garage cannot issue one. SIMI membership is a trade association rather than a licence, and it gives you a complaints route.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Motor trade insurance covering your car while it is in their custody, which is separate from their public liability; A written estimate before work starts, and a call before any extra work; Whether parts are new, reconditioned or used, named on the invoice; The guarantee on parts and on labour, separately, in writing; Whether diagnosis is charged separately and whether it is credited against the repair; For a pre-purchase inspection, that the inspector is independent of the seller.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers windscreen replacement work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — post-Installation Checks — after the new windscreen is installed, various checks are conducted, including alignment and sealing tests.
A good answer: Better kit does the job faster and to a higher standard. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Bigger work usually means more than one visit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A basic option and a premium one are different jobs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Services such as repairing underlying structural damage or addressing electrical issues related to sensors or wipers are typically not included — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a windscreen replacement job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody — initial Assessment — A thorough inspection of the vehicle's windscreen is performed to determine the extent of damage.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the windscreen replacement starts, and an itemised invoice after — side Window Replacement — covers the removal and installation of side windows, often necessary after break-ins or accidents.
Getting the quote right
- Type of vehicle — better kit does the job faster and to a higher standard.
- Extent of the damage — bigger work usually means more than one visit.
- Specific make — a basic option and a premium one are different jobs.
- Model of the windscreen — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: type of vehicle — better kit does the job faster and to a higher standard
- They will not talk about it: extent of the damage — bigger work usually means more than one visit
- They will not talk about it: specific make — a basic option and a premium one are different jobs
- A price for the windscreen replacement before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the windscreen replacement has begun
What a windscreen replacement costs: €250–€800 per screen
The figures are for the job, per screen, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Full windscreen replacement and Windscreen chip repair each carry their own band. Windscreen Replacement price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Windscreen replacements near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstType of vehicle — better kit does the job faster and to a higher standard — that is what the windscreen replacement is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneExtent of the damage — bigger work usually means more than one visit — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSpecific make — a basic option and a premium one are different jobs — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherModel of the windscreen — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the windscreen replacement is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, size of the glass — the bigger it is, the more materials go into it.
- Initial Assessment
- A thorough inspection of the vehicle's windscreen is performed to determine the extent of damage.
- Post-Installation Checks
- After the new windscreen is installed, various checks are conducted, including alignment and sealing tests.
- Windscreen Chip Repair
- Focuses on repairing minor chips and cracks in the windscreen without needing a full replacement, restoring visibility.
- Heated Windscreen Replacement
- Specialised service for vehicles with heated windscreens, requiring careful handling of the electrical components during replacement.
- Side Window Replacement
- Covers the removal and installation of side windows, often necessary after break-ins or accidents.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short windscreen replacement job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a windscreen replacement: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the type of vehicle, the extent of the damage, and the specific make and model of the windscreen. Additional features such as sensors or tinting may also increase the overall price.
Typically, a windscreen replacement can take anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the complexity of the job. This includes time for the adhesive to cure before the vehicle can be driven.
Many service providers offer emergency or same-day windscreen replacement, but availability can vary. It's best to contact local providers directly to confirm their capacity for urgent jobs.
Yes, many service providers allow you to book multiple services, such as windscreen replacement along with other vehicle repairs. This can often lead to cost savings and a more efficient service experience.
Services such as repairing underlying structural damage or addressing electrical issues related to sensors or wipers are typically not included. These may require separate assessments and additional costs.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO MECHANICS IN IRELAND — anyone may repair a car. The statutory thing is the NCT, which is carried out by the national testing service and not by a garage, so a garage cannot issue one. SIMI membership is a trade association rather than a licence, and it gives you a complaints route.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in vehicles & transport
Windscreen replacements near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — MOTOR VEHICLES - REPAIRS (Certain repair and related services) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only