Car damage app
The car damage app that answers the only question that matters at return: was it already there?
A photo of a dent proves the dent exists. It doesn't prove when it happened. Lexio records every damage on the photo at pickup, puts the pickup shot next to the return shot, has the customer sign both, and turns a new damage into a charge, a deposit decision, or an insurance claim — without leaving the rental file.
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Record each damage where it is, as what it is
Each damage is drawn as a box directly on the photo — up to 50 on a single shot — and tagged with a type: scratch, dent, crack, broken part, stain, or other. The agent places it in one of six zones of the vehicle (front, rear, and the front and rear of each side) and can add a comment. Lexio keeps the untouched original next to the annotated copy, so nobody can say the photo was edited to show something that wasn't there.
Old damage or new damage, decided on the spot
Most disputes start with "that scratch was already there." At return, the damage recorded at pickup is listed, each one with an "already there" check, and the camera shows the pickup photo of the same angle in a corner of the screen while the agent shoots. For anything found at return, the agent records whether it was already there or is new. The final report prints pickup and return photos side by side, view by view, so the answer doesn't depend on anyone's memory.
A damage record the customer has signed
A damage list nobody signed is your word against theirs. In Lexio, the customer signs on the phone or tablet at pickup and again at return, and the condition sections — annotated photos included — are part of the rental contract document. The date and time are stamped onto each photo by default. To see which fields a written record should include, our free vehicle inspection form template follows the same pickup and return structure.
From new damage to a charge or a deposit decision
Once a damage is marked as new, the agent can enter the amount to bill, and it becomes a damage charge on the rental — Lexio doesn't guess repair costs, you set them. The security deposit is decided on the same screen: release it, keep all or part of it with a written reason, or put it on hold. If you settle deposits in writing, our free security deposit return letter itemizes each deduction.
Bigger damage? Open the claim from the return
When the damage is too large to simply bill, the Pro plan lets you declare it as a claim right from the return screen. The claim keeps its own file in Lexio — photos, documents, insurance details, and any third party involved — linked to the rental it came from, instead of a thread of emails and a folder of screenshots. To set expectations with customers before it happens, see our guide to the rental car damage waiver.
No damage missed because no angle was skipped
Damage you didn't photograph at pickup is damage you can't charge at return. Lexio's camera follows a fixed set of views — ten for a car, including the windshield, interior, trunk, and dashboard; a shorter set for motorcycles and scooters — and you choose which views your business requires. The full inspection flow is described on our vehicle inspection app page.
Phone photos and a paper form, or a damage record
Most rental businesses already take photos. The difference is whether those photos can settle a dispute without a back-and-forth.
| Situation | With Lexio | Phone photos + paper form |
|---|---|---|
| Where the damage is recorded | A box on the photo, with type, zone, and comment | A photo in an agent's camera roll, a note on a paper form |
| Old or new at return | Pickup photo of the same angle shown while shooting; each damage marked old or new | Scrolling through someone's phone to find the pickup photo |
| Customer agreement | Signed at pickup and at return, inside the rental contract | A signature on a form that doesn't contain the photos |
| What happens next | Damage charge, deposit decision, or claim from the same screen | Re-typing amounts into an invoice and emailing the photos |
Frequently asked questions
Follow one damage from pickup to charge, live
Damage marking, old versus new at return, customer signature, deposit decision, and claim — in one demo.