In short. A French garage must obtain customer agreement before performing additional repairs beyond the agreed scope.
Definition: In France, a garage must obtain the customer's agreement before carrying out repair work outside the agreed scope. A detailed estimate, called a devis, sets out the proposed repairs, their cost and the expected completion time.
Key facts
- As of October 2026, the DGCCRF, France's consumer protection authority, explains in its garage guidance that an estimate binds the professional on the extent of the work, cost and timing.
- The National Consumer Institute's garage questions and answers says the garage must obtain approval before performing additional repairs, including when they become necessary during the work.
- The DGCCRF's estimate guidance describes an estimate as an offer of contract that binds the parties once accepted.
What does the initial estimate cover?
The DGCCRF's garage guidance lists the precise repair description, labour costs and time, necessary parts, value added tax (VAT), repair deadlines and the estimate's validity period. Once signed, the estimate also serves as the repair order, the document recording the work commissioned.
The authority distinguishes this detailed estimate from the estimated cost recorded when the vehicle is deposited. Its repair-order guidance allows a calculation method when an exact price cannot be stated and describes the garage returning to the customer after diagnosis.
What happens when further repairs become necessary?
The National Consumer Institute requires the customer's agreement before additional work starts. It also explains that silence does not constitute acceptance of an estimate.
The DGCCRF's garage guidance specifically addresses additional work identified after dismantling: the professional must inform the customer. A supplementary estimate is a practical way to describe the proposed change and record approval. The following blank template adapts the authority's estimate fields and its signed repair-order format; it is an editorial example.
Supplementary repair estimate
Garage details: [name and address]
Customer: [name]
Date: [date]
Vehicle and mileage: [details]
Additional repairs proposed: [description]
Labour time and cost: [details]
Parts required and cost: [details]
VAT amount: [amount]
Total additional cost: [amount]
Repair completion deadline: [date]
Estimate valid until: [date]
Customer approval and signature: [details]
Garage signature: [details]
The DGCCRF's general estimate guidance also specifies that an estimate is dated and signed by the professional, and includes the parties' contact details.
Related terms
- What should a French garage's repair order specify before work begins?
- Which prices must a French home-repair business publish online?
- Which urgent repairs fall outside the French withdrawal right?
FAQ
Must you obtain an estimate for every car repair?
The National Consumer Institute says an estimate is not generally compulsory for automotive repairs. It recommends requesting one before substantial, expensive work.
What can you check if additional repairs appear on the invoice?
The DGCCRF's garage guidance says you can compare the invoice with the repair order and contest repairs or products that were not requested.
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
- DGCCRF, "Devis", 20 January 2023
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