How do you carry out a vehicle inspection that holds up in a dispute?

By Jean-Michel Boni - updated 18 September 2026

Short answer

A vehicle condition report carries weight in a dispute when it meets four conditions: it is agreed by both parties (the renter has seen and accepted it), dated, complete (every side of the vehicle, plus the mileage and fuel gauges) and intact (you can show the photos were not edited afterwards). Under French law, proof can be provided by any means: the judge assesses its probative value, and no software can guarantee it. Time-stamped photos, signed at pick-up and at return, with verifiable integrity, weigh far more than a paper diagram ticked in a hurry.

Key facts

  • Four conditions: agreed by both parties, dated, complete, intact.
  • Proof can be provided by any means in commercial matters and, for legal facts, between a business and a consumer (article 1358 of the French Civil Code).
  • Article 1379 of the French Civil Code presumes reliable a copy that preserves the integrity and the date of the original document.
  • A proof reference calculated when the photo is taken makes it possible to prove that the file has not changed since.

The six-point method

  1. Carry out the inspection with the renter present, before handing over the keys. An inspection done alone, after the customer has left, is no longer agreed by both parties: it becomes your word against theirs.
  2. Always photograph the same zones, in the same order. The four sides, the roof, the four wheels, the windscreen, the front interior, the rear interior, the boot, the dashboard. A consistent sequence makes before/after comparisons readable by a third party.
  3. Photograph the gauges. Mileage and fuel level in the same photo as the dashboard: it is the only way to settle a disagreement over the kilometres charged.
  4. Describe each item of pre-existing damage in words. “8 cm scratch on the front right wing” is better than a cross on a diagram. A judge reads text, not your system of crosses.
  5. Get it signed, and hand over a copy immediately. A condition report the renter never received is the first argument of their defence.
  6. Repeat exactly the same sequence at return. Same angles, same order. Comparability is what turns two sets of photos into evidence.

What French law says, in plain terms

Freedom of proof
In commercial matters, proof may be given by any means (article L110-3 of the French Commercial Code). For legal facts, article 1358 of the French Civil Code sets out the same principle. No condition report format is imposed, but the judge freely assesses the value of what you produce.
Reliable copy
Article 1379 of the French Civil Code provides that a reliable copy has the same probative value as the original, and that reliability is presumed, until proven otherwise, when the copy results from a process that reproduces the form and content and whose integrity is guaranteed over time.
Electronic signature
The eIDAS regulation distinguishes three levels: simple, advanced and qualified. Only a qualified signature benefits from the presumption of reliability under article 1367 of the French Civil Code. A simple signature remains admissible; it is simply easier to challenge.

Integrity: the point almost nobody addresses

The classic gap in an evidence file is not the photo: it is being unable to show that it was not modified after the vehicle came back. A bad-faith opponent only has to suggest that you edited the image or changed its date.

Sealing at the moment of saving closes that gap. When the photo is taken during the inspection flow, Flotly records a unique proof reference tied to the file. If the photo is edited afterwards, even by a single pixel, the check fails. You can rerun this check at any time from the inspection report.

That is what Flotly does: every inspection photo is dated and locked when it is saved, and an integrity check can be rerun at any time. Disclosure: Flotly is our product. The principle (proving that a photo has not changed) is not proprietary: you can demand it from any vendor.

The five mistakes that lose a dispute

  • Doing the pick-up inspection after the customer has left, “to save time”.
  • Photographing only existing damage and not the intact areas: you then cannot prove anything about what appeared later.
  • Using different angles at pick-up and at return: the photos are no longer comparable.
  • Not giving the renter a copy, or giving it three days later.
  • Charging for damage without a repair quote or invoice to back it up: the amount will be disputed even if the damage is established.

Frequently asked questions

Does a smartphone inspection carry the same weight as a paper one?

Yes, and often more: proof can be provided by any means, and a dated, intact set of photos is more detailed than a paper diagram. What matters is not the medium but whether the report is agreed by both parties, dated and intact.

Can the renter refuse to sign the condition report?

They can. Record the refusal, have it witnessed if possible, and keep your time-stamped photos. A refusal to sign does not cancel the value of what was recorded; it only weakens the fact that both parties agreed to it.

How long should you keep a condition report?

At a minimum, align with the limitation period that applies to your contractual relationship, and keep invoicing-related documents in line with your accounting obligations. In practice, many rental businesses keep them for ten years. Have this period confirmed by your accountant and document it in your GDPR record of processing.

Is a photo time-stamped by the phone enough?

A phone's EXIF metadata is easy to change; it is a clue, not solid evidence. A photo sealed by the system when it is saved (date, staff member, vehicle, proof reference) is much harder to challenge.

Further reading