Following the ASTM and ISO test standards, a series of scratch tests were carried out on four categories of polymers: I) ductile and strong, II) ductile and weak, III) brittle and weak, and IV) brittle and strong. The scratch damage features were characterized by using a desktop scanner for scratch visibility assessment, and optical and electron microscopes for detailed damage mechanisms investigation. Various scratch damage mechanisms were identified for the different categories of polymers. The effect of testing rate on possible alteration of scratch damage mechanisms was also studied. The stress fields experienced by the polymer during scratch were determined using three-dimensional finite element methods modeling. It is found that both the material characteristics and the complex stress state exerted on the scratched surface are responsible for the various scratch damage mechanisms observed. A generalized scratch damage mechanism map for polymers is presented. The usefulness of the above understanding for designing scratch-resistant polymers is also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.