In short. A French repair order should identify the customer and vehicle, record the requested repairs and vehicle condition, and state the estimated cost and immobilisation period.
Definition: A French garage's repair order, or ordre de réparation, records the work agreed with the customer before repairs begin. It identifies the customer and vehicle, describes the requested repairs and vehicle condition, and states an estimated cost and the period during which the vehicle remains unavailable.
Key facts
As of 17 October 2026, the consumer guidance sets out the following details:
- The DGCCRF's repair-order guidance specifies the date, customer identity, vehicle type, mileage, exact repairs, estimated cost or calculation method, and immobilisation period.
- The Institut national de la consommation (INC), in Les garagistes en 20 questions-réponses, recommends recording the vehicle's condition and installed equipment alongside the repairs.
- The INC's guidance produced with AFOC describes repair orders and estimates as optional documents and says a signed estimate becomes a contract.
What should the written order contain?
The DGCCRF recommends establishing the order when the vehicle is dropped off. It describes a document on the garage's letterhead, signed by both the customer and the professional. Alongside the exact work requested, the garage records the symptoms observed and the vehicle's condition, then contacts the customer after diagnosis.
A blank field checklist adapted from that guidance is:
Garage letterhead: [garage details]
Date: [date]
Customer identity: [customer details]
Vehicle type: [type]
Odometer mileage: [reading]
Observed symptoms: [description]
Vehicle condition: [description]
Exact repairs requested: [description]
Estimated repair cost: [amount]
If an exact price cannot be stated, calculation method: [method]
Vehicle immobilisation period: [period]
Customer signature: [signature]
Garage representative signature: [signature]
The INC practical guide specifies a signed document in duplicate. If the garage has no prepared form, it describes using plain paper bearing the establishment's stamp.
How does the estimated cost differ from a detailed estimate?
The DGCCRF guidance allows an estimated repair cost on the order. Where an exact price cannot be stated, the document gives a calculation method that lets the customer verify the price.
For substantial work, the same guidance recommends a detailed estimate, called a devis. It lists the precise work, labour cost and time, required spare parts, value added tax amount, repair deadlines and the estimate's validity period. The estimate commits the professional to the specified scope, cost and deadlines; once signed, it also serves as a repair order.
What should happen if the work or timing changes?
The immobilisation period is the time during which the vehicle remains unavailable for use. The DGCCRF includes it among the repair-order fields and says the garage must indicate an execution deadline.
Dismantling can reveal additional work. The same guidance says the garage must inform the customer. The INC practical guide adds that the garage must obtain the customer's agreement before carrying out previously unplanned repairs. The DGCCRF describes comparing the original order with the invoice to identify repairs or products that were never requested.
Related terms
- How should a garage handle repair work beyond its initial estimate?
- How can a used-car dealer mark mileage and the vehicle identification number?
- Which prices must a French home-repair business publish online?
FAQ
Is a repair order compulsory?
The DGCCRF says repair orders and estimates are optional. It recommends requesting an order when you leave the vehicle and an estimate for substantial work.
Can you request an order if the garage has no form?
The INC practical guide says the garage cannot refuse an order when you request one. It describes plain paper with the establishment's stamp as an alternative to a prepared form.
Can the garage charge for preparing an estimate?
The INC's AFOC guidance says it can charge, provided it tells you beforehand that the estimate is chargeable and states the amount.
Sources
- DGCCRF, "Véhicule automobile : l’ordre de réparation décrit la nature des travaux à effectuer", 30 June 2022
- Institut national de la consommation, "Les garagistes en 20 questions-réponses", verified 31 July 2025
- Institut national de la consommation, "Devis et ordre de réparation du garagiste : des documents essentiels avec l'AFOC", 11 September 2025
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