REPAIR / RESIN INJECTION
Windscreen chip repair cost UK, when to repair vs replace.
A windscreen chip repair is listed at £50 at Halfords, £78 at UK Car Glass and from £90 at National Windscreens. Autoglass quoted £225.98 to drivers without glass cover. With glass cover you pay a small chip excess (Aviva Signature £10, Swinton £25), and Aviva says most insurers leave your No Claim Discount alone. Get it done within days, not weeks.
Repair
£50 - £90
Halfords, UK Car Glass, National Windscreens list prices
- + Small chip excess on glass cover (Aviva Signature £10)
- + Aviva: most insurers leave your No Claim Discount alone
- + Stops the chip spreading into a crack
Replace
£299 - £1,200+
UK Car Glass published range; glass excess applies
- x Glass excess: Aviva Signature £115, Swinton £125
- x ADAS calibration £150 to £400 (UK Car Glass)
- x 60 to 90 minutes fitting, then at least 30 minutes parked (UK Car Glass)
SIZE LEGEND
Is the chip repairable? Compare it to a coin.
Repair eligibility comes down to size, location and whether the damage has spread. UK Car Glass's published repair limits are below; a one-pound coin over the chip is a quick size test.
UK Car Glass repairs chips up to about 25mm, the size of a one-pound coin, including bullseye, star and half-moon breaks.
UK Car Glass repairs cracks up to 75mm long, provided they are not in Zone A in front of the driver.
A crack over 75mm, or damage within 7cm of the edge of the glass, usually needs a new windscreen (UK Car Glass).
Quick eligibility check
- Q1
A chip up to 25mm (a one-pound coin), or a crack up to 75mm?
YES: Yes -> next check.
NO: No -> replacement likely.
- Q2
Outside Zone A (the 290mm strip in front of the driver)?
YES: Yes -> next check.
NO: No -> repair only if under 10mm.
- Q3
More than 7cm away from the edge of the glass?
YES: Yes -> next check.
NO: No -> edge damage usually needs replacement.
- Q4
Not already started cracking outwards?
YES: Yes -> book a chip repair.
NO: No -> replacement is the safe call.
Who repairs windscreen chips?
Halfords
£50 listed
In-store service, book online. Chips must be under 25mm and are inspected first.
UK Car Glass
£78
Stated price for minor chips and cracks that meet its repair criteria.
National Windscreens
from £90
Published starting price for a single chip. Mobile and fitting-centre service.
Autoglass
£225.98
Quoted on an Autoglass page for drivers without glass cover (checked October 2026). With cover you pay your chip excess.
Prices as published on each provider's own website, checked October 2026. Independent fitters do not publish a standard price, so ask for a written quote. Through your glass helpline you pay the policy's chip excess instead (Aviva Signature £10, Swinton £25).
The danger of waiting
Water seeps into the chip, freezes overnight, expands. Pressure from heating the cabin, slamming a door, or driving over a pothole pushes the crack outwards. A £50 repair becomes a replacement, which UK Car Glass prices from £299. If you have a chip, book the repair this week.
FAQ
Is windscreen chip repair free on insurance?+
Often nearly free, not always free. Comprehensive policies with glass cover usually charge a small chip excess: Aviva Signature £10, and Swinton £25 through its approved repairer (£200 if you use a non-approved one). Aviva says most insurers will not affect your No Claim Discount for a windscreen claim. Ring the glass helpline on your policy schedule rather than the main claims line, and check the chip excess there.
How long does chip repair take?+
It is a short job, usually done while you wait. The fitter cleans the chip, draws out the air with a vacuum bridge, injects clear UV-cure resin, then polishes the surface flat. The car is safe to drive immediately afterwards. The repair leaves a small visible mark that does not impair vision, and it stops the chip spreading.
Can a repaired chip crack later?+
It can, but it is rare if the chip was repaired correctly. A properly cured resin repair stabilises the damage so road vibration, temperature swings and pressure changes no longer expand it. The most common failure mode is leaving the chip too long before repair, so micro-cracks are already present. Repair within days, not months.
Will a repaired chip pass an MOT?+
Yes, if the repair is properly executed and any remaining mark is below the size limits for its zone (10mm in Zone A, 40mm in Zone B). MOT testers assess the windscreen visually for vision-impairing damage, so a clean resin repair almost always passes. If the chip was in Zone A and the repair mark is still over 10mm wide, you will need replacement instead.