Replaced Your Windscreen? What Happens to Your Crit'Air Sticker

The Crit’Air sticker is destroyed when your windscreen is removed. It cannot be peeled off and reapplied. You must apply for a new one — your vehicle’s category does not change, so the process is straightforward.

Why the sticker cannot survive a windscreen change

Crit’Air stickers are designed to be tamper-proof. They use a security adhesive that causes the sticker to fragment and self-destruct when any attempt is made to remove it. This is intentional — it prevents stickers being transferred between vehicles or counterfeited.

When Autoglass, National Windscreens, or any other fitter removes your old windscreen, the sticker goes with it. There is no way to save it.

Before your windscreen replacement

If you have a planned windscreen replacement (as opposed to an emergency chip or crack repair):

1. Save your digital certificate — if you still have the PDF emailed when you first applied, it remains valid as interim proof
2. Apply for a replacement sticker before the fitting — this way you will have the new digital certificate ready immediately
3. Tell your garage — mention that you have a Crit’Air sticker on the windscreen. Some fitters are not aware of them and may not mention the loss

Chip and crack repairs

If your windscreen is being repaired rather than replaced (a resin injection into a chip or crack), the sticker is not affected. Only a full windscreen replacement destroys it.

After the replacement

1. Apply for a new sticker — the process is identical to your first application
2. Use the digital certificate — you are covered from the moment the application is submitted
3. Display the new sticker — when it arrives in 10–14 working days, apply it to the same position on your new windscreen

Your vehicle’s Crit’Air category is based on fuel type and registration year, neither of which changes with a windscreen replacement. You will get the same category as before.

Will insurance cover the replacement sticker?

Most UK motor insurance windscreen policies do not explicitly mention Crit’Air stickers. However:

• The sticker is an accessory fitted to the windscreen
• Its destruction is a direct consequence of the windscreen replacement
• Some insurers will reimburse the cost if you include it in your claim

It is worth asking your insurer when you make the windscreen claim. The cost is small, but there is no harm in requesting it.

MOT warning

Some garages have been known to remove Crit’Air stickers during an MOT inspection, mistaking them for an obstruction. Tell your garage not to remove it. The sticker is positioned in the bottom corner of the windscreen and does not affect the MOT. If a garage removes it without your consent, you will need to order a replacement.