How much does car scratch repair cost in the UK?

The honest answer is “it depends on the scratch” — but that’s not helpful when you’re staring at a scraped door. Here’s how bodyshops actually price scratch repair, and what each type typically costs.

The three kinds of scratch

Run a fingernail across the scratch. If it doesn’t catch, you’re probably in the cheapest category.

• Clear-coat scuff (nail doesn’t catch) — damage to the lacquer only. Machine-polished or locally refinished: typically £79–£120.
• Colour-coat scratch (nail catches slightly) — through the lacquer into the paint. Needs refinishing and blending: typically £120–£250 per panel.
• Deep scratch (you can see primer or metal) — filled, refinished, blended, sometimes with rust treatment: typically £180–£350 depending on the panel.

What moves the price

• Panel and position — a flat door is cheaper than a sculpted bumper corner or an aluminium bonnet.
• Paint type — metallics, pearls and tri-coat finishes take more stages to match.
• How many panels the scratch crosses — a car-park scrape along two doors is priced per panel, though multi-panel jobs usually get a better combined rate.

Why the £20 “scratch pen” isn’t the bargain it looks

Fillers and touch-up pens sit in the scratch rather than repairing it — they cloud within months, and a deep scratch keeps corroding underneath. If you’re keeping the car, a proper repair holds its value; if you’re selling, a visible scratch costs more off the price than the repair does.

Get an exact price in minutes

Photograph the scratch straight-on and at an angle, with a coin in shot for scale, and send it through our estimate form or WhatsApp. You’ll get a fixed price and timescale, usually the same working day — and if a polish will do the job, we’ll tell you that instead of quoting a respray. More detail on our scratch repair service page.