A chip about the size of a quarter or smaller, away from the edges and outside the driver's direct line of sight, can usually be filled with resin for roughly $60-$150. A crack longer than a dollar bill, damage that reaches the edge, or a break through the inner layer of glass means replacement. Get a chip filled within days, because Florida heat cycles turn small chips into long cracks.
Most windshield damage starts as a chip: a stone thrown by a truck on I-95 or a landscaping trailer on Military Trail knocks a small crater in the outer layer of glass. A windshield is two sheets of glass bonded to a plastic interlayer, so a chip in the outer sheet does not make the glass fall apart. It does create a weak point, and stress concentrates there.
The decision between repair and replacement comes down to four things: size, type, location and depth. A trained technician makes the final call, but you can get a good read yourself in a couple of minutes and avoid being upsold on a full windshield when a $90 resin fill would do, or talked into a fill that leaves a blur in front of your eyes.
Timing matters more than most drivers think. A clean, dry chip takes resin well. A chip that has collected dirt, car-wash soap and rainwater for a month fills poorly and tends to leave a visible cloud, even when the repair holds.
Symptoms
- A small round pit or crater in the glass after a stone hit, often with a dark center
- A star pattern of short legs radiating from an impact point
- A single line running across the glass, sometimes starting at the edge
- A chip that looked tiny last week now has a line growing out of it
- A rough spot you can feel with a fingernail on the outside of the glass only
- Lane-keeping or forward-collision warnings acting up after a crack appeared near the mirror
Likely causes and what they cost
1. Bullseye or half-moon chip from a stone strike
$60-$150 for the first chip, often less for additional chips done at the same visitA round cone of broken glass in the outer layer, usually under an inch across. It is the easiest type to repair because the resin can flow into one compact cavity. If it sits in front of the driver, the filled spot can still leave a faint distortion.
The fix: Resin repair: the technician drills or opens the impact point, vacuums out air, injects resin under pressure and cures it with UV light. Takes about 20-40 minutes.
2. Star break or combination break
$80-$175 to repair; replacement pricing below if it has spreadShort legs radiate from the impact point, or a bullseye has legs coming off it. Each leg is a tiny crack that can keep running. These are repairable when the whole break fits under a quarter, but the legs are the reason to act fast.
The fix: Resin repair if the legs are short and clean, otherwise replacement. A professional injector gets resin to the tips of the legs far better than a DIY kit.
3. Stress or edge crack
$300-$550 for a basic windshield on an older car; $600-$1,500 or more with rain sensors, heads-up display or a camera that needs calibrationA line that starts at or near the edge of the glass, sometimes with no obvious impact. Edges carry the most stress from the body flexing and from heat. Cracks within a couple of inches of the edge tend to grow and are generally not considered repairable.
The fix: Windshield replacement with new urethane adhesive. The car must sit for the adhesive's safe drive-away time before it is driven.
4. Long crack that grew from an untreated chip
$400-$1,500 depending on glass features and calibrationOnce a crack runs longer than a dollar bill, roughly six inches, resin cannot restore enough strength or clarity to be worth it. This is the most common way a $90 problem turns into a replacement.
The fix: Windshield replacement, plus a camera calibration on most cars built after about 2018.
5. Damage through both layers of glass
$300-$1,500 depending on vehicleA heavy impact can break the outer sheet and the inner sheet. You can feel the damage from inside the car. The plastic interlayer may be torn. Resin cannot repair the inner layer properly from outside.
The fix: Windshield replacement.
6. Damage in the camera zone
Calibration alone typically adds $150-$450 to the glass priceThe area behind the rearview mirror holds the camera for automatic emergency braking and lane keeping. Even a small, technically repairable chip there can distort what the camera sees. Many shops will replace rather than repair in that zone.
The fix: Replacement with glass made for the camera bracket, followed by static or dynamic camera calibration.
Costs are typical South Florida ranges for parts and labor, for budgeting only.
What you can check yourself
- 1Size it with a quarter and a dollar bill
Lay a quarter over the chip. If the whole break, legs included, hides under it, it is in repair territory. For a crack, see whether a folded-out dollar bill covers its full length. Longer than that usually means replacement.
- 2Measure the distance to the edge
If any part of the damage is within about two inches of the edge of the glass or the black ceramic border, expect a replacement recommendation. Edge damage spreads more readily.
- 3Check it from the driver's seat
Sit normally and look straight ahead. If the damage sits in the area the wiper sweeps directly in front of your eyes, a repair may leave a small blur. Some drivers accept that, others prefer new glass.
- 4Feel the inside surface
Run a clean fingertip over the inside of the glass behind the damage. If it is smooth, the inner layer is intact. If you feel a break, the windshield needs replacing. Do not press hard on a cracked windshield.
- 5Cover the chip with clear tape
A strip of clear packing tape over a fresh chip keeps out water, dust and wax until it is repaired. Do not use glue or nail polish, which block the resin later.
- 6Look for warning lights or ADAS messages
If a lane-keeping or collision-warning message appeared after the damage, or the camera is directly behind the crack, tell the glass shop. It changes the glass part and adds calibration to the job.
When to take it to a shop
- Any chip with legs, or any chip that has started to grow, should be looked at the same week.
- Any crack longer than a dollar bill, any crack touching an edge, and any damage you can feel from inside the car needs a replacement quote.
- If your car has a windshield camera, ask the shop how it will calibrate the camera after replacement and whether you get a printed calibration report.
- If the windshield is cracked in front of the driver and visibility is affected, do not drive at night or in rain until it is fixed.
The Florida factor
Boca Raton gives a windshield a harder life than most places. A car parked at Town Center or a beach lot in July has glass that can be well over 140 degrees on the outside. Then the driver gets in, sets the A/C to max and aims it at the windshield. That fast temperature swing across a chip is exactly what makes a short leg run into a long crack. If you have a fresh chip, park in shade, point the defrost vents away from the glass for the first few minutes, and avoid washing a hot car with cold water.
Afternoon thunderstorms are the other enemy. Rain driven into an open chip carries dirt into the break and leaves moisture that makes resin cure cloudy. Covering a fresh chip with clear tape before the 3 p.m. storm rolls in does more good than it sounds. Construction traffic on I-95, the Turnpike and the Glades Road corridor, along with gravel trucks heading to new developments west of 441, means stone strikes are frequent, so many Palm Beach County drivers see a chip every year or two.
In Florida, the comprehensive deductible does not apply to windshield damage under s. 627.7288, Florida Statutes, so a chip repair or replacement is often free to drivers who carry comprehensive coverage. That makes delaying a repair even harder to justify. The insurance details, and what changed in 2023, are covered in the windshield insurance guide linked below.
Notes for specific makes
- Tesla: Model 3 and Model Y glass integrates the camera housing and, on many cars, a large glass roof. Windshield replacements need the correct part and a camera calibration, which Tesla service or a properly equipped glass shop handles. Expect pricing at the high end of the range.
- Subaru: EyeSight uses a stereo camera pair behind the windshield. Subaru specifies approved glass and a calibration after replacement, and aftermarket glass with optical differences can cause EyeSight errors. Ask the shop what glass it will use.
- Mercedes-Benz: Many models carry rain and light sensors, a camera, acoustic laminated glass and sometimes heads-up display glass. A replacement can easily exceed $1,200 with calibration, which is why fixing a chip early pays off.
Auto Glass shops near Boca Raton
- Boca Raton Auto Glass Repair1750 Arcadia Way, Boca Raton, FL 33432, Boca Raton, FL
- Florida Prime GlassBoca Raton, FL
Frequently asked questions
Will a repaired chip disappear completely?
Usually not. A good resin repair restores most of the strength and makes the chip much less visible, but a faint mark tends to remain. The goal is stopping the crack, not cosmetic perfection.
Are DIY windshield repair kits any good?
For a small, clean bullseye chip, a $15-$25 kit can work if you follow the directions carefully and do it in shade. Star breaks and anything with legs are better left to a technician with a vacuum injector. A botched DIY fill can make a later professional repair impossible.
How long after a windshield replacement can I drive?
It depends on the urethane used and the temperature and humidity. Many products list a safe drive-away time from 30 minutes to a few hours. The installer should tell you the time for the specific adhesive. The windshield helps the airbags and roof work in a crash, so do not cut it short.
Can a chip turn into a crack while the car is parked?
Yes. Heat from the sun expands the glass unevenly, and the cooling at night or after a storm contracts it. Cars that sit for weeks in an open lot can come back with a long crack that started from a chip nobody noticed.
Is it illegal to drive with a cracked windshield in Florida?
Florida law requires a windshield of approved safety glass and working wipers, and an officer can cite a vehicle that is unsafe to drive. The statute does not list a crack size that is automatically illegal, so whether a specific crack draws a citation is up to the officer. A crack that blocks your view is a safety problem either way.
Related guides
More on this job: Auto Glass in Boca Raton, costs and how to choose a shop
- AAA Club Alliance: windshield repairs and auto glass
- AAA: advanced driving systems raise repair costs (2023 study)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.7288, windshield deductible
- Florida Statutes s. 316.2952, windshields and wipers
General information, not a diagnosis. A car problem can have causes a guide cannot see, so have anything safety-related inspected in person. Read our editorial policy.