Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
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United StatesDo I need service records to keep my vehicle warranty or contract valid?
The FTC advises keeping them. It says a warranty company could ask for your maintenance records and that a claim might be denied without them. This page shows what the FTC says for a vehicle warranty and for a service contract, and gives a records checklist built from its list.
The short answer
- You need not use the dealer: the FTC says "You don’t have to use the dealer for repairs or maintenance to keep your warranty in effect." It adds that it is illegal for a dealer to deny warranty coverage because you had routine maintenance or repairs done by someone else. The FTC adds one limit: if the warranty says the work will be done for free, the dealer or manufacturer can make you use repair facilities it chooses.1
- The records: the FTC says "The warranty company could ask for your maintenance records." It says records "will be helpful if you have to use your warranty and show that you properly maintained your vehicle. Otherwise, your claim might be denied."1
- Service contracts can carry their own maintenance terms: a contract "might require you to follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations for routine maintenance." If you do not, "it might void the contract and end coverage."1
- What the FTC page does not say: it does not describe a legal duty to keep records. It advises keeping them.
Two different products
The FTC describes an auto warranty as "a promise to fix certain defects or malfunctions during a specific timeframe after you buy a vehicle." A manufacturer's warranty "is included in the price of a new vehicle."1 An auto service contract, sometimes called an "extended warranty," is an optional contract sold by manufacturers, dealers or independent companies. The FTC says it "is not a warranty as defined by federal law, because you buy it separately."1 The rules about records differ a little between the two, as the table shows.
| Topic | Vehicle warranty | Service contract |
|---|---|---|
| Where maintenance is done | The FTC says you do not have to use the dealer for repairs or maintenance to keep your warranty in effect.1 | The FTC says the contract might limit who can provide services. Read it before you sign.1 |
| Maintenance duty | The FTC says a warranty company could ask for your maintenance records.1 | The FTC says the contract "might require you to follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations for routine maintenance, like oil changes."1 |
| If records are missing | The FTC says "Otherwise, your claim might be denied."1 | The FTC says if you do not follow the recommendations, "it might void the contract and end coverage."1 |
| Advice | Keep records of repairs and maintenance.1 | "Keep your service records and receipts to show you’ve maintained your vehicle."1 |
A records checklist built from the FTC's list
The FTC says to keep records of repairs and maintenance "like oil changes, tire rotations, belt replacement, new brake pads, and inspections."1 For a service contract it adds receipts.1 Use this as a starting list. Your own warranty booklet or contract may name more.
- Oil changes
- Tire rotations
- Belt replacement
- New brake pads
- Inspections
- Any other repair or maintenance the warranty or contract mentions
- Receipts for all of the above
- The manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule from your owner's materials, so you can match your records to it
The last item is our practical addition. It follows from the FTC's statement that a contract might require you to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for routine maintenance.1
When a claim is denied for another reason
The FTC page says a manufacturer or dealer "must prove the aftermarket or recycled part caused the damage before they can deny warranty coverage."1 That statement is about parts. See car modifications and your warranty and independent repair shops and your warranty. For a service contract claim, see how a vehicle service contract claim works.
Where this fits our standard
Point 1 of our standard asks whether contract terms and exclusions are disclosed in plain language. The Register reports how we check providers by category. It describes a method, not a recommendation of any company.
How to verify this yourself
- Open the FTC page (reference 1) and read the "Facts About Auto Warranties" and "Facts About Auto Service Contracts" sections. Every statement above comes from it.1
- Read the maintenance section of your own warranty booklet or contract. It decides what you must do and show.
- Check your records against the checklist above and fill any gap by asking the shop that did the work for a copy of its invoice.
What this page is not
This is general information from an FTC consumer page, not legal advice. It does not say whether a particular claim will be paid or denied, and it does not interpret your contract. The page does not cover state law or lemon laws.
What to do next
Start a folder today, paper or digital, for every service receipt and invoice. Then read the maintenance section of your warranty booklet or contract. Start from the vehicle warranties hub.