Headlight Restoration and Replacement Cost
Restoring a hazy, yellowed headlight costs $50–$150 professionally; replacing a modern LED or matrix headlight assembly runs $200 to $2,000+. Haze is a wear item you can fix; a cracked or failed unit is a part replacement.
DIY restoration kit
$15–$40
Sanding discs, polishing compound, and a UV clear coat. Works well for mild haze; results depend heavily on technique and on sealing the lens afterward.
Professional restoration
$50–$150 per pair
A detailer sands through the grits, polishes, and applies a durable UV-clear. Lasts 1–3 years depending on the topcoat quality.
Halogen assembly replacement
$100–$300
A conventional halogen headlight for an older or mainstream car. Part plus labor; no programming.
LED / HID assembly replacement
$300–$1,000
Modern LED or projector-HID units are sealed assemblies — you replace the whole unit, not a bulb. Part cost dominates.
Matrix / adaptive LED assembly
$1,000–$2,500+
Adaptive driving-beam and matrix LED units (luxury and newer EVs) each cost thousands and often require software recalibration after install.
Is headlight damage covered by insurance?
A cracked or smashed headlight from a collision or road debris is a comprehensive or collision claim, subject to your deductible. Pure haze and yellowing is wear and tear and is not covered — that is a maintenance cost. If a headlight was cracked during a handover, a pre-handover scan of the lights is what attributes it.
How do I prove headlight damage happened at handover?
Include the front lights in your pre-handover scan (they're easy to skip because they're at knee height). A timestamped photo of an intact headlight at drop-off, then a photo of the cracked lens at pickup, is the record that defeats a pre-existing-damage claim.
Don't pay for damage you didn't cause
CarShake documents your car's condition in 60 seconds before any handover — free, no download. Timestamped, QR-confirmed, court-ready.
Try CarShake Free →Related: Cost of Valet Damage Repair · Insurance Claim Photo Tips · Understanding Car Damage Types
Related damage-type costs: Windshield Chip and Crack · Cracked Tail Light · Broken Side Mirror.