Valet Damage Documentation by City

A quick condition-record routine

Start with wide photos of the front, rear, and both sides. Then capture the wheels, windshield, mirrors, and any existing damage from close range. Keep the original files and record the location and handoff time. At return, repeat the same sequence before you leave the lot. A consistent process makes it easier to show what changed, if anything, during the handoff.

These guides add context for drivers in major cities. They are general educational resources, not legal advice or a statement about any specific parking operator.

Explore city guides

• New York vehicle handoff guide
• Los Angeles vehicle handoff guide
• Chicago vehicle handoff guide
• Miami vehicle handoff guide
• Las Vegas vehicle handoff guide
• San Francisco vehicle handoff guide

Make the guide actionable

Read the city guidance before you park, then use a repeatable capture sequence at the curb or lot entrance. CarShake can help create that before-and-after record in a mobile browser. Review how it works or begin a free condition record.

If staff identify an existing mark at check-in, photograph it again with the attendant nearby and keep any ticket or receipt. Calm, contemporaneous notes are more useful than trying to reconstruct events days later.