The vehicle condition report is the company's record of the car before your rental, so every scratch, dent and chip should be on it before you sign.
- Walk around the car with a staff member if you can, compare the diagram with what you see and have missing damage added.
- Keep a copy or a photo of the signed report, together with your own dated photos.
At the desk you get a contract, a key and often a sheet of paper with a little drawing of a car on it. That drawing, the vehicle condition report, looks like a formality. It is the first document the company will look at if it claims damage after your trip. If a scratch is on the report, it was there before you. If it is not, the company may say it happened during your rental.
This guide explains what the report is, what should be on it and how to check it in five minutes, even when there is a queue behind you.
What is a vehicle condition report?
The vehicle condition report goes by many names: check-out sheet, damage form, handover protocol, inventory of fixtures. In every case it records the condition of the car when you take it. Usually it has:
- a diagram of the car from the front, back, both sides and above;
- marks or numbers for existing damage, with a legend (scratch, dent, chip, crack);
- the fuel or charge level and the mileage;
- sometimes a list of equipment, such as a spare wheel, warning triangle, charging cable or child seat;
- your signature and often that of a staff member.
More and more companies use a tablet or an app instead of paper. The idea is the same: a record of the starting point.
Why this one document matters so much
When a damage claim arrives after your rental, the question is almost always the same: was the damage already there? The European Consumer Centres advise inspecting the car together with a staff member, using the checklist or diagram the company provides, and photographing or noting any existing damage before you leave. ECC Finland puts it plainly: even the smallest scratches and dents should be recorded on the vehicle condition report, and you should ask for a copy.
The report works in two directions. A complete report protects you, because it shows what was there. An incomplete report signed by you can be used against you, because it suggests the car was fine.
Ask for a walk-around with a staff member
ECC Malta advises not to leave with the car before the company employee has signed the information. If someone is available, ask them to walk around the car with you. Point at every mark you see and ask them to add it. A report checked by both sides is much stronger than one you filled in alone.
If nobody is available, for example in a car park at night, do the check yourself and photograph everything. Our article on which photos to take at pick-up gives a fixed order.
Compare the diagram with the car, panel by panel
Do not just glance at the drawing. Work through the car in a fixed order and compare each part with the report:
| Part | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Bumpers, front and back | Scrapes on the corners and the underside |
| Doors and side panels | Small dents from other doors, long scratches |
| Wheels and rims | Kerb damage on the rim edge, worn or damaged tyres |
| Windscreen and windows | Stone chips and small cracks, especially low on the glass |
| Mirrors and lights | Cracked housings, scratched glass |
| Roof and bonnet | Hail dents, scratches from luggage |
| Interior | Stains, burns, tears, missing parts |
The pick-up checklist on this site lists the 12 photos to take and works on your phone. Is the form in a language you do not read? The damage form translator explains every field.
Check the numbers: fuel, mileage, equipment
The report should show the fuel or charge level and the mileage. ECC Malta advises making sure the representative records the fuel level correctly. If the tank is not full while the report says full, have it corrected now. Otherwise you may pay for fuel you never had. Check the equipment as well: if the report lists a charging cable or a spare wheel, make sure it is actually in the car.
Have missing damage added before you sign
Found something that is not on the report? Ask for it to be added and signed or initialled by the staff member. If they refuse or say it is "too small", write it on the report yourself, for example "scratch rear left door, approx. 5 cm, not marked", and photograph the page. ECC France adds a basic rule that also applies here: do not sign any contract you do not understand.
Keep a copy, and keep it safe
Ask for a copy of the signed report, on paper or by email. If you only get a screen, photograph it. Store the copy with your contract and your own photos. The evidence mode on this site helps you keep photos with date and time in one place.
What if the desk rushes you?
Busy airport desks can feel stressful. You have the right to look at what you sign. A full walk-around takes about five minutes, which is little compared to a claim that can run into hundreds of euros. If staff will not walk around with you, say that you will do the check yourself, and do it before you drive off the parking spot.
How the report helps if a claim arrives
When a claim arrives later, compare it with your copy of the report and your photos:
- If the damage is on the report, it was there before you. Point this out in your objection.
- If it is not on the report but visible on your pick-up photos, send the photos.
- If neither shows it, ask the company for its own evidence: return photos, the inspection time and a repair invoice. Read what a damage claim should contain and who has to prove the damage.
Then write your objection. Our guide on how to dispute a damage claim walks you through it.
Frequently asked questions
The desk says small scratches don't need to be written down. Is that true?
It may be the company's internal policy, but a later claim can still mention a small scratch. ECC Finland advises recording even the smallest scratches and dents. Ask to add them anyway, or note them yourself and photograph the note.
The report is in a language I don't read. What now?
The EU does not require a contract in your own language, and ECC France warns that a foreign-language contract still counts in a dispute. Ask what each section means, translate it with your phone, and do not sign anything you do not understand.
There is no paper report, only a tablet. How do I keep a copy?
Ask for the digital report to be sent to your email before you leave. If that is not possible, photograph the screen with the diagram and the time visible.
Can I refuse a car that has a lot of damage?
You can ask for another car. Whether the company has to give you one depends on availability and your contract. If you take the car, make sure every damage is on the report.