By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Auto Repair Intake Forms: Capture the Right Details Before You Pop the Hood

Every auto repair shop has a version of the same story: a car comes in for a brake job, the tech finds a rusted fuel line, the shop fixes it, and then the customer disputes the charge because nobody authorized that work. Or worse — a tow-in arrives with undocumented prior collision damage, and six weeks later the owner claims your shop caused the dent in the quarter panel.

A solid intake form prevents both of those headaches. It documents the vehicle's condition on arrival, captures what the customer actually wants done, and establishes clear authorization boundaries. Here is what belongs on yours.

Vehicle Identification: VIN, Year, Make, Model, and Mileage

This sounds obvious, but too many shops write down "2019 Honda Civic" and call it done. The VIN is not optional — it is the only field that unambiguously identifies the vehicle. A 2019 Civic could be an LX, EX, Sport, or Touring, each with different parts catalogs and labor times. The VIN tells you the exact trim, engine, transmission, and factory options.

Mileage at drop-off matters for warranty verification and for establishing a maintenance baseline. If the customer later claims the shop put 200 miles on the car, you have the intake mileage documented. Capture the odometer reading, not a customer estimate.

Also note the license plate number and state. If a vehicle gets left on your lot for 60 days without contact, you will need that plate number for the lien process.

Insurance Claim vs. Cash Pay

This distinction changes everything about how the job gets written up. Insurance work means you are dealing with an adjuster, a claim number, a deductible, and potentially a supplement process. Cash pay means the customer is your only point of contact.

Your intake form should have a clear checkbox or radio button: Insurance Claim or Customer Pay. If it is insurance, capture the claim number, insurance company, adjuster name and phone number, deductible amount, and whether the customer has already filed the claim or needs you to help initiate it. For body shops especially, this section is critical — the supplement process on a collision repair can add weeks and thousands of dollars, and the customer needs to understand that up front.

Authorization Levels: Diagnose vs. Repair

This is where shops get into disputes. The customer brings the car in because the check engine light is on. They want a diagnosis. You diagnose it, find a bad catalytic converter, and replace it. The customer gets a $2,400 bill and says they never authorized the repair — just the diagnosis.

Your intake form needs to separate these two authorizations clearly:

• Authorization to diagnose: The customer is approving a diagnostic fee (state the amount) and agreeing that the shop will inspect the vehicle and provide an estimate.
• Authorization to repair: The customer is approving specific work up to a stated dollar amount. Any work beyond that amount requires a phone call and verbal or written approval.

Some states legally require written authorization before performing auto repairs. Even where it is not technically required, having it on paper protects you. Include a field for "Do Not Exceed Amount" — the maximum the shop can charge without calling the customer for additional approval.

Parts Preference: OEM, Aftermarket, or Used

Customers have opinions about parts, and those opinions have cost implications. OEM parts cost more but match factory specifications. Aftermarket parts are cheaper but vary in quality. Used or salvage parts are the budget option but come with no warranty from the manufacturer.

Your intake form should include a parts preference field with at least three options: OEM Only, Aftermarket Acceptable, or Used/Salvage Acceptable. For insurance work, the insurer often dictates this — many policies allow aftermarket parts for vehicles over a certain age. Document the customer's preference regardless, because if the insurer pushes aftermarket and the customer wanted OEM, that conversation needs to happen before parts are ordered, not after they are installed.

Tow-In Condition Documentation

When a vehicle arrives on a flatbed, you have a narrow window to document its condition before it becomes your responsibility. Your intake form needs a vehicle condition section with checkboxes for pre-existing damage: dents, scratches, cracked glass, missing trim, fluid leaks, flat tires, and interior condition.

This is especially important for body shops and for any vehicle that arrives non-running. If you can, take photos at intake and note on the form that photos were taken. The form itself should have a "Condition at Arrival" section that the service writer fills out during the walk-around, not something the customer self-reports.

For tow-ins where the customer is not present, note who authorized the tow, where it was towed from, and whether the keys are with the vehicle. Vehicles that arrive without keys create a whole separate workflow.

Prior Repair History and Customer Concerns

A "Customer Complaint" field is standard. But go further. Ask whether the vehicle has had prior repairs for the same issue. A transmission that has already been rebuilt once tells a very different story than a first-time failure. Ask whether the vehicle has been to another shop for this problem — and if so, what was done.

This is not about being nosy. It is about avoiding a situation where you diagnose and repair a problem, only to find out the customer already paid another shop to fix the same thing six months ago and is now disputing your charge because "it should still be under warranty from the last repair."

Contractors in other trades face similar documentation challenges. If you also run a general contracting business, you know the value of documenting pre-existing conditions before starting any work. IT support and computer repair shops face the same issue with device condition at drop-off — was that cracked screen there before or after? The principle is identical — what was already broken when you showed up?

Customer Contact and Vehicle Release

Capture multiple contact methods: cell phone, work phone, email. Ask for the preferred method and the best time to reach them. Nothing slows down a job like spending three days trying to reach a customer for authorization on additional work.

Include a field for who is authorized to pick up the vehicle. If someone other than the owner drops off the car, document that person's name and their relationship to the owner. This matters when the vehicle is done and someone you have never met shows up wanting to take it.

For more on structuring the initial client contact in a service business, see our guide on what to capture on the first call.

Build It Right the First Time

A good auto repair intake form is not a bureaucratic exercise — it is a liability shield and a customer service tool. When the form is thorough, the customer knows you are professional. When the authorization levels are clear, disputes drop. When the vehicle condition is documented, fraudulent damage claims disappear.

Our auto repair and body shop intake form covers all of this in a structured, fillable PDF that your service writers can complete in minutes. Every field described above is built in. If your shop handles multiple trade services, take a look at the Trade Services Bundle for the full collection.