Foggy, yellowed headlights are not just ugly. They cut your visibility by up to 80% at night, which makes them a safety issue. Headlight restoration in Toronto typically costs between $80 and $250 depending on the severity of the damage and what the shop includes. Here is a full breakdown of what affects the price and what you should expect.
Why Headlights Get Cloudy
Modern headlight lenses are made of polycarbonate plastic, not glass. The factory applies a UV-resistant clear coat to protect the plastic, but over time that coating breaks down. Toronto's combination of road salt spray, UV exposure, and temperature swings accelerates this process. Once the clear coat fails, the polycarbonate oxidizes and turns yellow, hazy, or milky. This typically starts happening around the 4-5 year mark, though it varies by manufacturer.
Headlight Restoration Cost in Toronto (2026)
Prices vary across the GTA, but here is what you will typically find in 2026. A basic wet sand and polish runs $80-$120 per pair. This removes light oxidation and restores clarity, but the results may only last 6-12 months without a protective coating. A professional restoration with ceramic clear coat runs $150-$250 per pair. This is the proper way to do it — multi-stage wet sanding from 800 to 3000 grit, machine polishing, and a UV-resistant ceramic clear coat that lasts 2-3 years.
At Beyond Detail, headlight restoration starts at $99 per pair and includes wet sanding, machine polishing, and a ceramic clear coat application. We do not offer the quick-spray versions because they do not last.
DIY Headlight Restoration vs Professional
You can buy a headlight restoration kit from Canadian Tire for $20-$40. These kits include sandpaper, polishing compound, and sometimes a sealant wipe. They work for mild oxidation, but there are a few problems. First, without a proper machine polisher, you will leave sanding marks that scatter light and reduce visibility. Second, the sealant included in most kits lasts 2-3 months before the haze comes back. Third, if you sand too aggressively or unevenly, you can make the lens worse.
A professional restoration uses a DA polisher with specific pad and compound combinations that eliminate sanding marks completely. The ceramic clear coat we apply after polishing bonds to the polycarbonate and provides genuine UV protection, which is the only way to prevent the haze from returning quickly.
When Restoration Will Not Work
If the lens has internal fogging (moisture inside the housing), restoration will not fix it. That is a seal failure and the headlight housing needs to be opened, dried, resealed, or replaced. If the lens has deep cracks, chips, or the plastic has degraded to the point where it is flaking, replacement is the better option. New OEM headlight assemblies cost $200-$800+ per side depending on the vehicle. Aftermarket replacements can be cheaper but the lens quality varies. In most cases, a professional restoration is a fraction of the replacement cost and gets the lens back to near-new clarity.
Headlight Restoration and Safety Inspections
In Ontario, severely oxidized headlights can cause a safety inspection failure. The inspection checks that headlights produce adequate illumination, and a heavily hazed lens blocks enough light to fail the test. If you are buying or selling a used car, getting the headlights restored before the safety can save you the cost of a full headlight replacement that a mechanic might otherwise require.
How Long Does Headlight Restoration Take?
A proper headlight restoration takes 45-90 minutes per pair. The wet sanding stage takes the most time because you need to work through multiple grits progressively. Rushing this step leaves scratches. The polishing and clear coat application add another 20-30 minutes. We can usually do headlights while your car is in for another service like a detail or tint, so there is no extra trip.
Book Your Headlight Restoration in Scarborough
Beyond Detail offers professional headlight restoration in Scarborough starting at $99 per pair. We serve Toronto, Markham, Pickering, and the entire GTA. The service includes wet sanding, machine polishing, and a ceramic clear coat for long-lasting results. Call (647) 689-6109 or visit our headlight restoration page to book.