How much does phone screen replacement cost in Virginia?

There is no single Virginia price for a phone screen replacement, and there is no dated Virginia price list to quote. What you pay depends on four things: your phone model, the type of replacement screen, who does the work and whether a warranty or plan covers the damage. The reliable way to a real number is a written quote that names the part, the total and the warranty.

What sets the price

The model. Screens for newer and larger phones cost more than screens for older, smaller ones, and some models have parts that are harder to get. Know the exact model name before you ask anyone for a price.

The type of screen. A repair can use a genuine manufacturer part or a part made by someone else. Apple says its service uses only genuine Apple parts.^[1] An independent shop may offer one or more grades of replacement screen at different prices, and the cheaper grade can look or feel different. Ask which one is in the quote.

Who does the work. Apple says it inspects the device to determine the final service fee, that its estimated fees are for out-of-warranty service and may be subject to tax, and that a shipping fee may be added if it has to ship the device.^[1] Apple Authorized Service Providers can set their own service fees and will provide their own estimate.^[1] So two authorized locations can quote different totals for the same repair, and an independent shop will have its own price again.

What else is damaged. A cracked screen on top of a bent frame, a damaged back glass or liquid damage is a bigger repair. A shop can only tell you after it looks, so expect a quote to be an estimate until the phone is opened.

Does a warranty or plan cover it?

Accidental damage is the catch. Apple's one-year limited warranty covers manufacturing issues but does not cover accidental damage.^[1] A dropped phone is usually accidental damage, so a standard warranty rarely pays for a cracked screen.

A protection plan is different. For service covered by an AppleCare plan, your service fee is the same at Apple and all Apple Authorized Service Providers.^[1] Other manufacturers and carriers sell their own plans, each with its own deductible, so read yours before you pay a shop out of pocket.

How to get a quote you can compare

Ask every shop the same questions, and ask for the answers in writing:

• the exact part: genuine manufacturer part, or an aftermarket part, and which grade
• the total including tax, and whether that can change once the phone is opened
• how long the repair takes
• the warranty: how long it lasts and what it covers

Warranty length is worth comparing. Apple covers its service and replacement parts for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty, whichever is longer.^[1] An independent shop's coverage may be shorter or longer. What matters is that it is written down. For more on choosing between shops, see is it safe to use a third-party phone repair shop.

Before you hand the phone over, back it up. When you collect it, test the touch response across the whole screen, the display, the cameras and the speakers before you pay and leave. Problems found at the counter are far easier to fix than problems found a week later.

If you were charged for work that was not done

A written itemized quote protects you. The Virginia Consumer Protection Act prohibits misrepresenting that goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, grade, style, or model, and misrepresenting that repairs, alterations, modifications, or services have been performed or parts installed.^[2] If a shop sold you a genuine part and installed something else, or billed for a repair it did not make, start by asking the shop to put it right in writing. If that fails, the Consumer Protection Section of the Attorney General's office handles a variety of consumer complaints against businesses operating in Virginia.^[3]

Stop and call a pro if

• A shop will not put the part type, price and warranty in writing. Without that, you cannot compare quotes or hold anyone to one.
• The damage goes beyond the glass. A bent frame, a cracked back glass or any liquid damage means the repair is bigger than a screen swap. Ask a repair business for a diagnosis rather than buying a screen alone.
• Touch or display problems return after a repair. Take the phone back to the shop within its warranty, with the receipt, and ask for it to be corrected.
• You are tempted to open the phone yourself. A phone is sealed and its screen is connected to delicate parts, so leave the replacement to a repair business.

Getting a screen fixed near you

If the phone is also losing charge quickly, read what a battery replacement costs before you book. See screen replacement help or read more phone and tablet repair answers.

When you are ready for prices on your own phone, describe the repair once and local repair businesses quote it.