Covered
The coating or film failing.
Not covered
Chips, scratches, water spots.
Keep it alive
Registration and yearly visits.
In this guide 5 sections
Swipe to see the whole table
| Warranty | Term | Yearly service required | Cap or remedy | Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XPEL FUSION PLUS Premium (coating) | 8 years | Yes, paid, within 30 days of the anniversary | Lesser of the cost or $1,000; installer covers labor | Yes, remaining term |
| Ceramic Pro coatings | Up to lifetime, by product | Yes, or the term drops (lifetime to 7 years for Ultimate ION) | Re-treat, or lesser of the cost or $2,000 | Only with the yearly service |
| Opti-Coat Pro+ | 7 years (3 if the car is 6 to 10 model years old) | No; Pro3 lifetime needs yearly maintenance | Repair, or lesser of the cost or $5,000 | No |
| System X | Up to lifetime, by product | Yes, logged within 30 days, or void | Lesser of the cost or $1,000, then it ends | No |
| XPEL ULTIMATE PLUS film | 10 years | No | Repair or replace | Yes |
| STEK DYNO film | 12 years (varies by region) | Yes, paid; STEK care product required | Film price only; labor not covered | Only if the new owner registers within 30 days |
| 3M Scotchgard Pro Series film | 10 years | No | Installer removes and reapplies | Yes, with the paperwork |
Every one is a “limited” warranty
Federal law sorts written warranties into “full” and “limited”. A full warranty has to cover any later owner and can’t ask you to do more than notify the warrantor; every coating and film warranty we read calls itself limited. That’s allowed, and it’s why registration, inspections and transfer rules can be conditions.
What they cover, and what they don’t
Coating warranties cover the coating’s own failure. XPEL’s FUSION PLUS Premium covers oxidation, loss of gloss, UV damage and fading. Ceramic Pro adds bird droppings, bug splatter and tree sap. Film warranties cover the film: XPEL lists yellowing, cracking, blistering and delamination, and 3M lists yellowing, bubbling and cracking.
Almost all of them exclude the damage owners worry about most: stone chips, scratches, water spots, collisions and hail, and damage from automatic or brush car washes. System X says a brush wash voids its warranty, and Ceramic Pro excludes damage from automatic and brush washes.
The conditions that void them
Read these before you book, because missing one can end the warranty.
- Registration: Ceramic Pro, Opti-Coat and System X are registered by the installer, usually within 30 days. STEK needs you to register and click an activation email within 30 days.
- Yearly service: XPEL FUSION PLUS, Ceramic Pro and System X require a paid inspection within about 30 days of each anniversary, by a certified installer. Opti-Coat’s Pro3 lifetime term requires yearly maintenance, which Opti-Coat prices at $350.
- Products: Ceramic Pro says finding non-Ceramic Pro products voids it. STEK requires its own film care product.
- Repairs: System X requires a repaired panel to be re-treated at your cost within 30 days.
How a claim works
Claims go through the installer who did the work, with the warranty card and the original invoice, and usually need the maker’s approval first. Ceramic Pro asks for a report within 30 days; STEK within 15 days of finding the problem. Payouts are capped: XPEL’s coating at $1,000, System X at $1,000, Ceramic Pro coatings at $2,000 and its film at $4,000, Opti-Coat at $5,000, each or the price paid if lower. STEK pays up to the film’s price and doesn’t cover labor.
Your rights under federal law
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act generally bars a warrantor from requiring a particular brand of product or service to keep a warranty, unless it’s provided free or the FTC grants a waiver. The FTC’s rule says a warrantor may deny a claim only if it can show the outside product or service caused the damage. We haven’t found FTC guidance on how that applies to coating and film inspections, so treat the terms above as what each maker publishes.
A coating or film doesn’t void your car’s factory warranty by being there. The FTC says a dealer can deny a repair only by showing the aftermarket product caused the damage.
Professional installation
Ask shops what’s in the price
Find installers near you, then ask about the exact product, the prep and which surfaces get coated.
Sources
Product claims come from the manufacturers’ own instructions, linked below. Prices come from shops’ published price lists.
- XPEL: FUSION PLUS Premium coating warrantyTerm, annual inspection, caps and exclusions.
- XPEL: warranty informationFilm warranty lengths, transfer and exclusions.
- Ceramic Pro: coating warranty (9/2025)Annual service, caps, transfer and exclusions.
- Ceramic Pro: PPF aftercare and warrantyFilm terms and the annual service.
- Opti-Coat: warranty termsTerms by product and vehicle age.
- System X: automotive warranty termsRegistration, annual inspection and caps.
- STEK: DYNO film warrantyRegistration, care product and labor terms.
- 3M: Scotchgard Pro Series warranty cardFilm defects covered, transfer and remedy.
- FTC: Businessperson’s Guide to Federal Warranty LawFull and limited warranties, and the tie-in rule.
- 16 CFR 700.10The FTC rule on “authorized dealer only” warranty clauses.
- FTC: Auto warranties and service contractsAftermarket parts and your car’s factory warranty.
