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Vehicle inspection template

A joint condition report ready to print, with the vehicle diagram and its numbered zones, the damage grid, mileage and fuel readings, checks and signatures. Choose your vehicle type: the diagram changes.

Legal noticeTemplate provided for information only, based on French rental practice. It does not constitute legal advice. Have your standard document reviewed by a legal professional.
Vehicle type

The diagram, zone numbering and specific checks adapt to the type you choose.

Parties and vehicle
Readings at pick-up
Format: zone no. ; type ; remarks. Each line fills a row of the document grid.
Readings at return (optional)

Print two copies: one for the rental company, one for the renter. Photograph each damage recorded and staple the dated photos to the report.

Document preview

Vehicle inspection report

Joint condition report at pick-up and at return - Passenger car

Rental company
Renter
Agreement no.
Location
Vehicle
Registration number

1. Readings

ReadingPick-upReturn
Date and time
Mileage
Fuel / charge level01/41/23/4Full01/41/23/4Full
Cleanliness (inside / outside)▢ OK ▢ Needs cleaning▢ OK ▢ Needs cleaning

2. Vehicle diagram and inspection zones

How to use: circle the zone concerned on the diagram, then write its number in the grid below. Type of damage: S scratch · D dent · B broken / chipped · M missing part · T dirt or stain · W abnormal wear.

Damage location diagram - Passenger car Top view 12345 Front 67 Rear 89 Left side (driver) 1011121314151617 Right side (passenger) 1819202122232425
  1. 1 Bonnet
  2. 2 Windscreen
  3. 3 Roof
  4. 4 Rear window
  5. 5 Boot / tailgate
  6. 6 Front bumper
  7. 7 Grille and headlights
  8. 8 Rear bumper
  9. 9 Rear lights
  10. 10 Front left wing
  11. 11 Front left door
  12. 12 Rear left door
  13. 13 Rear left wing
  14. 14 Left sill
  15. 15 Left mirror
  16. 16 Front left tyre / rim
  17. 17 Rear left tyre / rim
  18. 18 Front right wing
  19. 19 Front right door
  20. 20 Rear right door
  21. 21 Rear right wing
  22. 22 Right sill
  23. 23 Right mirror
  24. 24 Front right tyre / rim
  25. 25 Rear right tyre / rim

3. Damage grid

ZoneTypePick-upReturnRemarks
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢
▢▢

4. Checks

Item checkedPick-upReturn
Tyres and wheels
Front left tyre (wear, cuts)▢▢
Front right tyre▢▢
Rear left tyre▢▢
Rear right tyre▢▢
Spare wheel or puncture repair kit▢▢
Jack and wheel brace▢▢
Wheel trims / locking wheel nuts▢▢
Lights and signals
Dipped and main beam headlights▢▢
Side lights and indicators▢▢
Brake lights and reversing light▢▢
Fog lights▢▢
Horn▢▢
Glass and visibility
Windscreen (chip, crack)▢▢
Side windows▢▢
Rear window▢▢
Mirrors (exterior and interior)▢▢
Wipers and washers▢▢
Interior
Interior cleanliness▢▢
Seats and upholstery▢▢
Floor mats▢▢
Dashboard and warning lights▢▢
Car radio / screen▢▢
Odour (tobacco, animal)▢▢
Exterior
Exterior cleanliness▢▢
Aerial▢▢
Fuel flap / charging port▢▢
Tow bar▢▢
Documents and safety
Vehicle registration certificate (copy)▢▢
Insurance certificate▢▢
Blank accident report form▢▢
High-visibility vest▢▢
Warning triangle▢▢
Breathalyser▢▢
Accessories handed over
Keys (number: ____)▢▢
Charging cable▢▢
Phone holder / GPS▢▢
Child seat▢▢
Snow chains▢▢
Toll tag▢▢

5. General remarks

At pick-up:

 

 

At return:

 

 

6. Signatures

The parties acknowledge that they have jointly inspected the condition of the vehicle described above. If no written reservation is made when the vehicle is taken, the vehicle is deemed to match this inspection report.

Pick-up - The rental companyDate, signature
Pick-up - The renterDate, signature, words "read and approved"
Return - The rental companyDate, signature
Return - The renterDate, signature, words "read and approved"

Template provided for information only by Flotly, based on French rental practice - it does not constitute legal advice.
This paper document protects you… as long as you don't lose it, it is signed, and the photos that go with it are dated. With Flotly, the inspection is done with time-stamped photos from a phone and stays attached to the booking. → flotly.io

Get this template and the 2 other tools by email

The document above is already printable, for free and without giving anything. If you want to find it again later, we will send you the links to all three tools (vehicle inspection, rental agreement, price calculator) in a single email.

How to carry out a vehicle inspection

  1. Do it together, with a clean vehicle, in daylight. A "joint" inspection means both parties check the vehicle together. A dirty vehicle or an inspection done at night makes any finding open to dispute.
  2. Walk around the vehicle in the same order every time. Front, driver's side, rear, passenger side, roof, then interior. The routine prevents omissions.
  3. Mark each damage on the diagram by circling the zone, then note its number, type (scratch, dent, broken, missing) and size in the grid.
  4. Record the mileage and fuel level with the ignition on, and tick the levels on the same line.
  5. Photograph each damage with a scale reference and a wide shot. The dated photo is what settles a dispute, not the cross on the paper.
  6. Have both parties sign at pick-up, then repeat the same check at return, on the same document.

Why one diagram per vehicle type

A panel van has no rear passenger doors and no rear wings: it has a load area side panel, a sliding side door and two rear doors. A scooter has no sills and no windscreen, but a leg shield, an exhaust and a stand. A campervan adds a living area with service hatches, an awning and tanks. Using a saloon car diagram for these vehicles leaves whole zones out of the inspection, and those are precisely the ones that end up in disputes. That is why this tool offers four separate diagrams.

What paper cannot do

A paper inspection report only carries weight as evidence if it is signed, kept, and backed by photos whose date cannot be disputed. In practice, three things weaken it: the sheet gets lost, the signature is missing at return, and the photos stay on an employee's phone. If you see this in your business, the problem is not your template: it is the medium.

Rental agreement generator →Parties, vehicle, rental period, price, security deposit, insurance excess, mileage, return, signatures. Free and printable. Rental price calculator →Floor price, recommended price and break-even point, based on your real cost of ownership.

Frequently asked questions

Is a vehicle inspection report mandatory?

Under French law, no text imposes a specific format for vehicle rental, unlike residential leases. But in a dispute over damage, it is up to the rental company to prove that the damage did not exist at pick-up. Without a signed inspection report, that proof is very hard to provide: the document is therefore essential in practice, even if the law does not require it.

Blank or pre-filled version?

Both are available. The blank version can be printed in bulk and filled in by hand at the counter. The pre-filled version uses the information entered in the form (parties, vehicle, dates, mileage, fuel, known damage) and only leaves what has to be checked on the spot.

How long should I keep the inspection report?

Keep it at least for the limitation period that applies to disputes under the agreement, and align with how long you keep your accounting records. In practice, five years is a prudent rule. Keep the pick-up and return documents together, with the photos.

Can I use it for a campervan or motorhome?

Yes. Choose "Campervan": the diagram adds the roof and its vents, the living area side door, the service hatches and the awning, and a specific block of checks appears (tanks, gas, leisure battery, crockery, awning, levelling ramps).

Do I need an inspection at return too?

Yes, and on the same document: it is the comparison between pick-up and return that provides the evidence. A pick-up inspection on its own proves nothing about where damage found later came from.