How Much Does Dent and Paint Repair Cost in 2023? | Checkatrade
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Last updated on March 31st, 2022

Dent and paint repair cost guide

Unfortunately, some minor cosmetic damage is pretty much inevitable when you own a car. If your car’s paintwork does get damaged, repair is recommended. It will improve the appearance of your car and its value, as well as preventing further problems such as rust. In this guide, we’ll look at the average dent and paint repair cost.

Unfortunately, some minor cosmetic damage is pretty much inevitable when you own a car. Dents, dings, scuffs, scrapes and scratches are very common and can happen almost anywhere. They can be caused by other drivers, scrapes when parking, severe weather or even just a runaway supermarket trolley colliding with your car.

If your car’s paintwork does get damaged, repair is recommended. It will improve the appearance of your car and its value, as well as preventing further problems such as rust.

In this guide, we’ll look at the average dent and paint repair cost. This includes minor dings, major dents and paintwork touch-ups. So, if you do have an issue, at least you’ll know how much you’ll have to pay to fix it.

How much does car dent and paint repair cost?


Repair cost per panel
Low costHigh costAverage cost
Clear-coat scratches£60£96£78
Paintwork scratches, marks and scuffs£120£180£150
Deep paint scratches£180£240£210
Car dents£220£450£335
Paintless dent removal£90£150£120

Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now

The cost of repairing your car’s paintwork all depends on the size and depth of the damage. The location of the problem on the panel will also be a factor, as will your car’s make and model.

But generally speaking, the average cost of dent repair and paint fixes is between £60 and £450.

To repair deep scratches, the cost could be as much as £210. For dents, it’ll be significantly more at around £335.

Remember that the more complicated the damage, the more it is likely to cost to fix.

Small dent and paint repair cost

For minor cosmetic damage, you may pay around £78 to £150 for repair work. The total price will depend on the severity of the problem and the type of paint needed.

Paintless dent removal cost

Advances in car bodywork repair technology mean that damage to paintwork and panels can now be repaired using SMART technology. Some technicians may use Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) to target small areas without needing to repaint the entire panel.

The average paintless dent removal cost is between £90 and £150.

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FAQsPaintless dent removal

How long will it take to remove a dent on my car?

It depends on the location, size and severity of the damage, but it shouldn’t take more than two to five hours to get a dent out of your car’s bodywork.

Will the cost of dent removal be covered by my car insurance?

If you have cosmetic car insurance, the cost of dent removal and paintwork touch-ups should be included. This may be a separate policy or an add-on to your existing car insurance policy. This will cover you to fix superficial damage such as dents and scratches without affecting your no-claims bonus.

If you don’t have an insurance cover that specifically mentions cosmetic damage, you may have to pay the repair costs yourself. If in doubt, contact your insurance company before booking your vehicle in for repair.

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