Vehicle Intake & Inspection: the full procedure
The walk-around that documents existing damage with photos and confirms the package before any work begins.
- Applies to: Whoever checks vehicles in.
- Frequency: Every vehicle, at intake.
- Scope: Covers intake and pre-work inspection.
What you need
- Vehicle inspection form (VIF)
- Camera / phone
The procedure, step by step
- Confirm the job — Confirm the customer, vehicle, agreed package and add-ons, and any special requests or problem areas on the VIF.
- Walk around and photograph damage — Walk the whole vehicle and photograph existing condition — use wide, reference, and close-up shots of scratches, dents, chips, and stains before you touch the car.
- Note keys and valuables — Record key handover and note any valuables/personal items (and where they are or that they were removed).
- Assess condition vs package — Check condition against the package — heavy soiling, pet hair, or damage may change the time/price (flag add-ons now, not later).
- Confirm with the owner — Where possible, review the inspection with the owner and get sign-off (timestamped) so pre-existing damage is on record.
Quality check before you finish
- Customer, vehicle, package, requests on the VIF.
- Existing damage photographed (wide/reference/close-up).
- Keys + valuables noted.
- Condition assessed; add-ons flagged.
- Owner reviewed/signed where possible (timestamped).
This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Auto Detailing business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.
Sources
- Autogeek / Mike Phillips — Documenting Pre-Existing Damage & VIF (autogeekonline.net)
- IDA Certification Study Guide — Prep Wash (scope) (carwashmag.com)
About Free Vehicle Intake SOP
Free printable detailing intake SOP: the walk-around that documents existing damage with photos, notes keys and valuables, and confirms the package before work starts.
How to use
- Read the full procedure top to bottom before the work — the SOP runs in order and each step builds on the last.
- Toggle Ink-saver (black & white) for a cheaper mono print for the binder; leave it off for the full-color version.
- Click Print SOP to print or save as PDF. Print one per crew, laminate it for the binder, or attach it to the job in your scheduling system.
- Train new hires on it and have staff sign off. Found something out of date? Use the feedback link — flagged SOPs are re-researched against the source list.
Frequently asked questions
Why inspect a car before detailing?
A documented walk-around with photos records pre-existing scratches, dents, chips, and stains before you touch the car — protecting you from blame for damage that was already there. It also confirms the agreed package and surfaces problem areas that change the time or price.
What is captured at detailing intake?
Customer and vehicle details, the agreed package/add-ons, photo documentation of existing condition and damage, location of keys and any valuables, and any special requests or problem areas — all before work begins.
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