Windscreen Repair or Replace?

You have our complete assurance that wherever possible we will repair your car windscreen, rather than replace it.

When it comes to deciding whether to repair or replace your damaged windscreen, we always advise you on the best option for you and your vehicle. For more information or to discuss windscreen repair or replacement costs, contact National Windscreens today.

BSI Standards for Windscreen Repair

The latest standards came into effect on 31 March 2022, with a year’s grace period with the withdrawal of BS AU 242a:1998, the previous standard, in March 2023.

What is a Windscreen Repair?

Repair involves cleaning and drying the damaged area and filling it with a clear resin with almost identical optical properties to glass. The damage won't completely disappear, but in most cases will be much less visible. The repaired area will be smooth and structurally sound – reducing the risk of further screen damage and wiper blade wear. Left unattended, small chips can grow and become un-repairable as secondary cracks form under the combined effect of heat, moisture, frost, dirt and vibration. Any dirt or moisture entering the chip will make it more difficult to produce a visually acceptable repair.

Repair Zones for Windscreens

Under the new standards, the repair zones for windscreens will be split into Zone A and Zone B. Zone A is the area 400mm wide area in front of the driver (500mm for HGVs and coaches) that is centred on the steering wheel with the top arc of the driver’s windscreen wiper. No repair of any type will be conducted in an area of the windscreen that supports, or supported, an aspect of ADAS technology.

Any damage to the camera area will require a replacement and subsequent ADAS calibration. In Zone A, if the damage is within a 20mm diameter circle then the technician can look to repair, and within Zone B, a repair can be carried out if the damage occurs with a 40mm circle.

Red area indicates where repairs can not be made:

  • Passenger car and light commercial: Single camera

    Windscreen with a single ADAS camera near the top

  • Passenger car and light commercial: Multiple cameras

    Windscreen with a Multiple ADAS cameras near the top

  • Passenger car and light commercial: Camera zone extends beyond the obvious exclusion zone

    Windscreen with a ADAS cameras that extend beyond the obvious exclusion zone

    Zone shown is an example. Zones vary from manufacturer to manufacturer

  • HGV and coach

    HGV Windscreen with ADAS exclusion zone near the bottom

    Zones apply regardless of wiper configuration

    Permission to reproduce extracts from British Standards is granted by BSI Standards Limited (BSI). No other use of this material is permitted. British Standards can be obtained from BSI Knowledge knowledge.bsigroup.com

There are many different types of windscreen

What sort of things do we take account of when repairing or replacing a windscreen?

Windscreen Features

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Costs depend on your insurance policy or you can choose to pay in full. Chip repairs are often FREE*.

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