Are stone chips fair wear and tear on a lease car?

Yes, when each is 3mm or less and not rusted, up to four on a panel, six on a door edge and eight on a forward-facing panel such as the bonnet.

Can I be charged if the leasing company never repairs the scratch?

Yes. BVRLA guidance allows the charge even when the company sells the car unrepaired, and the ombudsman has accepted that in several decisions.

What is a swage line?

The crease or styling line pressed into a body panel. No dent on a swage line counts as fair wear and tear.

When can a leasing company charge for scratches, dents and stone chips?

A scratch is chargeable when it is longer than 25mm, shows primer or bare metal, or is one of more than four on a panel. A dent is chargeable when it is wider than 15mm, breaks the paint, or sits on the roof or a swage line. Stone chips are chargeable over 3mm, when rusted, or beyond four on a panel.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every figure links to its source.

The limits

The four size limits drawn to the same scale. Screens vary, so measure the car with a real ruler.

Mark	Acceptable	Count allowed
Scratch	25mm or less, no primer or metal showing, can be polished out	Four on a panel
Dent	15mm or less, paint unbroken	Two on a panel, none on the roof or a swage line
Stone chip	3mm or less, not rusted	Four on a panel, six on a door edge, eight on a forward-facing panel

A swage line is the crease pressed into a panel, usually running along the side of the car at door handle height.¹²

What these charges cost

Charges are set per panel and depend on the repair needed. One LeasePlan bill charged £45 for a scratch over 25mm that had not gone through the top coat and £135 for one that had.³ A Leasys bill ranged from £48 for a dent to £168 for a scratched door.² A Santander bill charged £160 a panel to refinish poor paintwork.⁴

How the ombudsman has applied the limits

A dent "slightly over" 15mm was chargeable.⁵
A dent that crossed a swage line was chargeable whatever its size.⁶
More than four scratches on one panel was chargeable even though each was short.²
A crack that left a 5mm hole in a bumper justified an £875.89 charge, because cracks and holes are outside the standard altogether.⁷
Four charges worth £660 were removed where the photographs did not clearly show the damage.⁸

Bumpers, trims and mouldings

On unpainted trims and mouldings the same 25mm scuff limit applies, provided the part is not broken, cracked or deformed.²

What to do with your bill

Match each line to a photograph and look for a measuring scale.
Check whether the mark is on a swage line or the roof.
Count the marks on that panel.
Dispute lines where the photo does not show the size, depth or count claimed.

Quick answers

Are stone chips fair wear and tear on a lease car?: Yes, when each is 3mm or less and not rusted, up to four on a panel, six on a door edge and eight on a forward-facing panel such as the bonnet.
Can I be charged if the leasing company never repairs the scratch?: Yes. BVRLA guidance allows the charge even when the company sells the car unrepaired, and the ombudsman has accepted that in several decisions.
What is a swage line?: The crease or styling line pressed into a body panel. No dent on a swage line counts as fair wear and tear.