California Motor Vehicle Glass Act

The law preserves a driver's choice of repair shop while requiring clearer disclosures about advanced driver-assistance-system calibration and insurance-covered repair costs. It also targets claim solicitation, inflated charges, and false insurance information.

What the law does ​

• Voids contracts made on or after January 1, 2027, that transfer an insured driver's policy duties or post-loss benefits to someone else, while allowing the driver to authorize payment to a service provider.
• Requires glass shops to disclose whether a vehicle has an advanced driver assistance system, whether manufacturer-recommended calibration is needed, and whether the shop will perform it to manufacturer specifications.
• Requires written notice of calibration results and directs shops to tell drivers to use a certified dealer or qualified specialist when calibration is unsuccessful or unavailable.
• Requires an insurance claim and claim or referral number before a shop contracts for first-party-insurance-paid glass work.
• Requires good-faith and updated estimates, reasonable and customary charges, and itemized invoices and receipts.
• Bars claim-referral incentives, false or misleading claim information, unverified promises of no out-of-pocket cost, inflated or unnecessary work, and other fraudulent practices.
• Protects a driver's right to choose any qualified glass shop or recalibration facility and bars insurers and their representatives from misleading, threatening, or coercing that choice.
• Authorizes civil penalties up to $500 for a first violation and up to $2,000 for each later violation.

Who it affects ​

• Drivers making first-party insurance claims for windshield or other motor-vehicle-glass repair or replacement.
• Motor vehicle glass repair shops and businesses paid to solicit glass-repair insurance claims.
• Insurers, insurance producers, adjusters, and their representatives.