HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a windscreen repairer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Chips in front of the driver have stricter MOT limits. Here is what decides repair or replace.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a windscreen repairer in five steps

  1. Act quicklyCover the chip and book a repair before it spreads into a crack.
  2. Measure and photographSize and position, especially if it is in front of the driver.
  3. Check your insuranceSome policies cover chip repairs.
  4. Get the price per chipIncluding any call-out.
  5. Check the resultThe chip filled, the view clear.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

None of the four UK nations licenses windscreen repairers or keeps a register of them. The repair must be done with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Ask whether the chip is within repairable limits before booking. citizensadvice.org.uk →

Windscreen damage and the MOT

DVSA's MOT inspection manual checks for damage over 10mm in zone A — the part of the windscreen in front of the driver — and over 40mm elsewhere in the swept area, where it significantly affects the driver's view. A repair should leave the screen within those limits.

Ask where the chip sits relative to zone A, and its size. gov.uk →

A price agreed before the work

Agree the price for the windscreen repairer in writing before anything is taken apart. If no price was fixed, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 only obliges you to pay a reasonable one, and Citizens Advice says a repairer may keep the vehicle while a bill is disputed but may not sell it.

Get the figure in a message, and ask to be called before any extra work. citizensadvice.org.uk →

VAT

Windscreen chip repair is standard-rated at 20%. Among windscreen repairers, any with taxable turnover above £90,000 must be registered, add the VAT and show it apart from the net figure.

Ask the glass firm for its VAT number and whether the chip price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Can this windscreen chip be repaired, or does it need a new screen?”

A good answer: An honest answer by size and position.

“Is the chip in the driver's zone A?”

A good answer: If so, the MOT limit is stricter.

“Will the windscreen repair be visible?”

A good answer: A faint mark may remain; the strength is restored.

“Will you claim from my insurance?”

A good answer: If covered, how it works and any excess.

“Can the windscreen repairer come to me?”

A good answer: Most chip repairs can be done on site in dry weather.

“What if the chip cracks during the repair?”

A good answer: A clear policy, often credit towards a new screen.

“What guarantee covers the windscreen repair?”

A good answer: In writing.

Getting the quote right

  • Number and size of chips
  • Price per chip and call-out
  • Insurance claim and any excess
  • The glass firm's VAT number, with VAT under the repair
  • Policy if the chip spreads
  • Who actually attends to the chip, and whether the technician is employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • A large crack "repaired" in front of the driver
  • No look at the size and position first
  • Pressure to replace a screen with a small repairable chip
  • No invoice
LOW
£40
TYPICAL
£50
HIGH
£90

What a windscreen repairer costs: £40–£90 per chip

Windscreen repair is priced per chip, with a mobile call-out sometimes added; insurance may cover it, subject to the policy. Windscreen Repair 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 repairers 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.

  1. AssessSize and position checked against the limits.
  2. CleanDebris and moisture removed from the chip.
  3. InjectResin injected under vacuum.
  4. CureResin hardened with UV light.
  5. FinishSurface polished flat.

Zone A
The area of the windscreen in front of the driver, centred on the steering wheel.
Swept area
The part the wipers clear.
Bullseye
A round chip.
Star break
A chip with short cracks from the centre.
Resin
The clear filler injected into the chip.
Excess
The part of an insurance claim you pay.

AFTER

When the job is done

Look from the driver's seatThe repair should not distort your view.
Watch for spreadingIf it cracks, go back with the invoice.
Keep the invoiceChip repaired, date and guarantee.
Review it honestlyYour review helps the next customer choose. Under four stars, Locufy offers the repairer the chance to put it right first — then the review is published.

STEP 1Tell the repairer, in writingDescribe the problem with the windscreen repair and what you want. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets the bar: reasonable care and skill in doing the job.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this windscreen repairer opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the repairer hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3Escalate itAn accredited business can be taken to The Motor Ombudsman after eight weeks without a fix. For a repairer outside the scheme, the consumer helpline hears the windscreen repairer complaint and can refer it to Trading Standards — Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4The court, as a last stepFor a windscreen repairer dispute that will not settle, the small claims route covers up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland; the court fee depends on the amount claimed.

Hiring a windscreen repairer: questions people ask

No. No UK nation licenses windscreen repair. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the windscreen repairer must still work with reasonable care and skill.

Damage over 10mm in zone An in front of the driver, or over 40mm elsewhere in the swept area, can fail if it significantly affects the driver's view.

An invoice for the chip repair; there is no certificate.

Typically £50: the range is £40–£90 per chip. The windscreen repair price guide breaks it down; put in your postcode above to compare windscreen repairers near you.

Many policies with windscreen cover do; check yours.

Go back to the repairer in writing. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can ask for faulty work to be put right.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Windscreen ReplacementHow to hire: Window TintingHow to hire: Dash Cam InstallationHow to hire: Car Bodywork RepairHow to hire: MOT / NCT ServiceHow to hire: Car Scratch RepairHow to hire: Car DetailingHow to hire: Dent RemovalAll 701 hiring guides →

Windscreen repairers near you

Windscreen repairers in LondonWindscreen repairers in ManchesterWindscreen repairers in BirminghamWindscreen repairers in GlasgowWindscreen repairers in BelfastAll windscreen repairers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
  2. The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — MOT inspection manual: visibility
  5. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  6. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  7. nidirect — small claims process
  8. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  9. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register