7 min read
Scratch repair prices depend on three things: how deep the scratch is, how long it is, and how many panels it crosses. If you have not yet worked out whether yours is a polish job or a paint job, read our honest guide to getting scratches out of a car first — then come back here for the numbers.
The figures below are indicative UK guide ranges for 2026. Paint type matters: metallics and pearls need blending, which adds labour.
Indicative UK scratch repair prices
- Machine polish to clear-coat scratches and swirls, per panel — around £50-£120
- Small localised scratch, SMART repair — around £120-£250
- Longer scratch on a single panel, panel refinished — around £250-£500
- Scratch crossing two or three panels, refinished and blended — around £450-£900
- Keyed car, one full side — around £700-£1,600
- Keyed car, multiple sides or all round — £1,500-£3,000+
What changes the price
- Depth — clear-coat only can be polished; through to colour or primer needs spraying
- Length and position — a scratch running across a body line or through a panel edge takes longer to prepare
- Number of panels — each panel added means more preparation, more masking and more blending
- Paint type — solid colours are cheapest; metallics, pearls and three-stage finishes need test cards and blending into neighbours
- Panel size — a large door or tailgate uses more material and more time than a wing
- Trim removal — handles, mouldings and badges are usually removed rather than masked on quality work
Keyed cars
A keyed panel is nearly always down to primer or metal, so polishing is not an option. The line is flatted out, primed, sprayed and lacquered, with the colour blended into adjoining panels.
Because the scratch usually runs the length of the car, the cost reflects panel count rather than depth: a key line across a wing, two doors and a quarter is four panels of work. It is also one of the few scratch scenarios where an insurance claim can make sense, as the total often clears the excess comfortably.
Insurance or pay privately?
For a single-panel scratch, paying privately is almost always better. A typical excess is £250-£500, the repair often lands in the same range, and a claim costs you your no-claims discount plus five years of declaring it.
For a keyed car, multi-panel damage or scratches alongside other accident damage, claim. We work with all major UK insurers and can handle the claim for you, and we will estimate both ways so you can see the numbers before deciding.
How to get an accurate quote
Send three photographs on WhatsApp: one close up so we can judge depth, one from a few feet back for length, and one of the whole side of the car so we can see how many panels are involved. Include the make, model and year. Estimates are free and there is no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to repair a scratch on a car in the UK?
- As a guide: £50-£120 for a machine polish to clear-coat marks, £120-£250 for a small SMART repair, £250-£500 for a single panel refinished, and £450-£900 where the scratch crosses several panels.
- How much does it cost to repair a keyed car?
- Around £700-£1,600 for one full side, and £1,500-£3,000 or more where several sides are affected, because the cost is driven by the number of panels that must be refinished and blended.
- Should I claim on insurance for a scratch?
- Usually not for a single panel, since the repair often costs about the same as your excess and a claim costs your no-claims discount. Claiming makes more sense for a keyed car or multi-panel damage.
- Is scratch repair cheaper than a respray?
- Yes. A localised or single-panel scratch repair is a fraction of the cost of a full respray, and it keeps the original factory paint on the rest of the car.
Need this doing properly?
See how we handle this work, or send photos for a free, no-obligation estimate.
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