Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Headlight bulb
Checked on 30 July 2026.ClickMechanic, Car lights replacement cost guide (as of 30 July 2026)
What does headlight bulb cost in the UK?
£30 to £200 fitted at an independent garage, VAT included, on a mainstream car. The midpoint of that range is about £115, and where you land inside it is decided by access, parts and wheel size rather than by the garage's postcode.
On plenty of cars this is a two minute job with no tools and you pay for the bulb only. The published range covers a garage doing it, and the reason it stretches so far is access. ClickMechanic quote £30 to £200 for exterior lamp work, one to two hours on a normal car and up to four where the bumper or the whole headlamp unit has to come out to reach the back of the bulb. Three things set where you land. Bulb type, since a halogen is a few pounds and a xenon or LED module is not; whether the car needs the wheel arch liner or bumper disturbed; and whether the aim needs resetting afterwards, because a headlamp whose aim is outside the limits is itself a major defect. Change bulbs in pairs if the other side has done the same mileage, because a fresh bulb next to a dim one is obvious from twenty metres.
How this job compares
| Job | Area | Fitted price |
|---|---|---|
| Front wiper blades | Visibility | £19 to £45 |
| Headlight bulb | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | £30 to £200 |
| Exhaust section or full system | Noise, emissions and leaks | £100 to £1,200 |
Other lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment work
| Job | Fitted price | Labour |
|---|---|---|
| Rear number plate lamp | £30 to £200 | 0.5h |
| Car battery | £30 to £300 | 1h |
Common questions
- How much does headlight bulb cost?
- £30 to £200 fitted at an independent garage, including VAT, for a mainstream car.
- How urgent is it?
- Fix it before you drive at night, but it is not a safety emergency in daylight. A headlamp that is missing or inoperative is a major defect, and a bulb is the cheapest defect on the car to put right.
- What moves the price within that range?
- Access, parts and wheel size, mostly. A job that needs the bumper or an arch liner off costs an hour more than the same job on a car where it does not, and a genuine part can be several times an aftermarket one.
- Is this price for one side or both?
- The detail below says where a published price covers a pair. Where it does not, treat the range as one side and expect the second to add less than double, because the labour overlaps.
Sources
Every figure on this page was read off the publisher's own page on the date shown.