Quick Summary:
- Photograph the full windscreen straight-on, plus both top corners.
- Capture close-ups of each chip with a coin for scale.
- Take timestamped shots of all windows, mirrors, and headlamp lenses.
- Photograph the signed damage report notes, including date, time, and initials.
Windscreen chips and small cracks are among the easiest types of damage to miss at pick-up, and the hardest to dispute later without clear images. For car hire in the United Estates, you will usually be expected to return the vehicle with the glass in the same condition as collected. A robust photo set protects you if a chip was already there, if a crack spreads from an existing impact, or if the supplier’s record is incomplete.
This checklist focuses on capturing proof that is easy for a desk agent, claims team, or insurer to verify, clear context shots, close-ups that show location and size, and evidence that the issue was documented on the agreement at collection time.
If you are comparing options for car hire in the United States, these steps apply across most suppliers and vehicle classes, from compact cars to SUVs and vans. The key is consistency, take the same set of photos every time, in a logical order, before you drive away.
Before you start: set up your phone for usable evidence
Take two minutes to prepare your camera settings, because good admin can matter as much as the photo itself. First, enable location tagging and ensure the date and time on your phone are correct. Then, turn off any “beauty” filters, and avoid wide-angle distortion for close-ups, if your phone forces wide mode, step back slightly and zoom in a little instead.
Create a dedicated album named with the rental reference, vehicle plate, and pick-up date. If you expect poor signal in the car park, avoid using apps that only store images in the cloud, keep local copies until the rental is complete. If your phone supports it, keep the original file format and do not compress before saving.
Finally, wipe the glass quickly with a dry microfibre or a tissue. Dust can look like a chip, and glare can hide a real impact point. You are not trying to detail the car, you are trying to make the condition obvious.
The essential windscreen photos: context first, then detail
Start with context shots that prove you are photographing the correct vehicle. Stand about two to three metres in front of the car and take a straight-on photo that includes the number plate and the full windscreen. If you cannot include the plate, include another identifier such as a fleet sticker plus the windscreen.
Next, take angled shots from the front-left and front-right corners. These help show chips that only catch the light from certain angles and make it harder for anyone to argue the damage is on a different area of glass.
Now move to systematic coverage. Photograph the windscreen in sections, top-left quadrant, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right. Hold the camera level and keep the A-pillars visible where possible, because the edge areas are where chips often turn into cracks.
For each chip or scratch you find, take at least three photos:
1) A close-up that fills the frame with the damage, in sharp focus.
2) A “scale” shot with a coin or key next to the chip, without covering it.
3) A mid-range shot showing the chip’s location relative to a reference point, such as the wiper sweep, the edge seal, or a visible dot matrix band.
Do not rely on a single close-up. Claims teams need to see both the detail and where it sits on the windscreen. If the chip is near the driver’s view area, make sure one of your photos clearly shows that position from the driver side.
Capture how the chip looks under different light
Some impacts disappear in shade and reappear in direct sun. After your initial set, change your angle to catch reflections. A simple method is to take one photo with the sun behind you, then one with the sun off to your left, then one with the sun off to your right. If it is night or you are in a covered garage, use your phone torch held to the side, not directly behind the camera, so the chip casts a visible highlight.
If you spot a crack line, photograph its full length. Start at one end, take a mid shot, then continue along the crack in overlapping frames until you reach the other end. This creates a record if the crack spreads later. If there is existing resin repair, photograph it too, as it can be mistaken for fresh impact damage.
Do not forget other glass: windows, mirrors, lights, and roof glass
Windscreens draw the most attention, but disputes can also arise over side windows, rear glass, mirror glass, and even headlamp lenses, which many suppliers treat similarly to glass for damage purposes. Do a quick, repeatable circuit around the car.
Take one photo per side that shows the full profile, including windows. Then take closer photos of each window pane, front left, rear left, rear right, front right, plus the rear screen. If the vehicle is an SUV, a minivan, or a van, include any fixed rear-quarter glass and any sliding-door glass.
For mirrors, take a close-up of the mirror surface and a second shot showing the housing, because scuffs on the housing are commonly recorded. For headlamps and tail lamps, photograph the lens face-on and at a slight angle, looking for cracks, star marks, or moisture inside.
If you are hiring a larger vehicle, such as through van hire in the United States or a people carrier, also check for panoramic roof glass. Take a shot from outside (roof edge visible) and, if safe, a shot from inside looking up to show any chips or scratches.
Include timestamp proof without relying on editing
Your phone’s metadata usually records date, time, and sometimes GPS, but you cannot assume a third party will check it. The simplest approach is to include a “time anchor” photo as part of the set.
At pick-up, take a photo of the rental desk receipt or the pick-up confirmation screen on your phone, then immediately photograph the car, starting with the number plate and full windscreen. Keep these images adjacent in your camera roll. If the pick-up is contactless, photograph the kiosk screen showing the time, or take a screenshot of the check-out completion page and keep it unedited.
Avoid adding timestamps using third-party apps after the fact. Marked-up images can look altered. If you need to annotate, keep an original copy and a separate annotated copy, so you can always provide the untouched original.
What to photograph on the paperwork and where to add notes
Photos are strongest when paired with written acknowledgement. Before leaving, review the vehicle condition or damage report. This can be paper, a printed check sheet, or a digital form in an app. Your goal is to ensure any windscreen chip or glass issue is explicitly recorded, not hidden under vague wording.
Photograph the following documents or screens:
1) The condition diagram showing the windscreen area, including any marked damage codes.
2) The written notes section, especially where “glass” or “windscreen” is mentioned.
3) The page showing the rental agreement number, vehicle registration, date, and your name.
When adding notes, be specific. For example, “existing chip, 3mm, lower passenger side, 6cm above bottom seal” is far better than “small chip”. If there are multiple chips, list them separately. Ask the agent to initial the note or confirm it in the app, then photograph the completed entry. If you are using a supplier like Avis car hire in the United States or National car hire in the United States, the process may vary by station, but the principle is the same, make sure the recorded description matches your photos.
If the agent says “it’s fine” but will not record it, politely insist, and if they still refuse, note the refusal in your own written record. Take a photo of the report as provided, then a photo of your own note on a separate piece of paper or in your phone notes showing date and time. Keep it factual and calm.
A simple shot list you can follow in under ten minutes
Use this order to avoid missing anything when you are tired from travel:
First, identifiers: number plate, VIN plate if visible, dashboard mileage and fuel level.
Second, windscreen: full straight-on, both front corners, four quadrant coverage.
Third, each chip: close-up, scale shot, mid-range location shot, plus one alternate-light angle.
Fourth, other glass: each side profile, each window pane, rear screen, mirrors, roof glass, headlamp and tail lamp lenses.
Fifth, paperwork: condition diagram, notes section, agreement header page, and signatures or initials.
This routine works whether you have arranged car rental in the United States for a short city trip or a longer interstate drive where stone chips are more likely. The point is to build a complete story: what was already there, where it was, and that it was acknowledged at pick-up.
Common mistakes that weaken your proof
One common issue is taking only close-ups. Without a mid-range reference shot, it can be hard to prove the chip is on the windscreen rather than a side window, or to prove it is not a new chip elsewhere.
Another issue is blur. Chips are tiny, and autofocus can lock onto reflections. Tap the screen exactly on the chip, hold steady, and take two or three shots to be safe.
A third issue is missing the edges. Damage near the windscreen border is particularly important, because cracks can spread from the edge due to body flex and temperature changes.
Finally, do not forget to take exit photos at drop-off. While this article focuses on pick-up, a matching set at return makes it much easier to show the glass condition did not change during your hire.
How to store and share your photos if a dispute arises
Keep the originals until the deposit is released and the hire is fully closed. If you need to send evidence, share a small bundle that tells the story in order: the time anchor, full windscreen context, chip close-ups with scale, and the agreement notes. If the supplier asks for only a few images, prioritise the context plus the written acknowledgement, then add close-ups.
If you are travelling as a group, consider backing up the album to a second device or to offline storage. Losing a phone can mean losing your best proof.
FAQ
How many windscreen photos should I take at pick-up? Aim for at least six: full windscreen, two corner angles, four quadrant coverage, then three per chip (close-up, scale, and location) if you find damage.
What is the best way to show the size of a chip? Place a coin or key next to the chip and photograph both in focus. Also take a mid-range shot so the chip’s position on the glass is clear.
Should I take photos of headlamps and mirrors too? Yes. Many car hire agreements treat lamp lenses and mirror glass as chargeable damage, so add clear face-on and angled shots for each.
What if the damage report does not include a place for windscreen notes? Ask the agent to add a written note in the comments section or on an attached sheet. Photograph the updated record, including any initials or confirmation in the app.
Is it enough to rely on my phone’s metadata for timestamps? Metadata helps, but also take a “time anchor” photo of the pick-up receipt or confirmation screen, then immediately photograph the vehicle identifiers and windscreen.
