Answers

Physically, yes — anything that can unlock and start the car can drive it, and a key card left at the counter grants exactly that with no expiry and no notification. Legally it is a different matter: a shop holds your car as a bailee and owes a duty of reasonable care, and driving it beyond what the job requires is outside that duty. What you actually control is whether the trip leaves a record.

See key cards at the shop.

A key card left at a shop keeps full, permanent drive access until you delete it from the car's Locks screen — there is no expiry and no notification. A Tesla stores up to 19 keys, so a card left in March is still a valid drive credential in November. Ask for the card back at pickup and remove it from the key list while you are standing at the car.

Because the key list lives in the car rather than in an account. Keys are added and removed only at the vehicle's touchscreen under Controls > Locks, using the trash icon next to the key, and an already-authenticated key has to be present to make the change — so removal is a physical act performed inside the vehicle. There is no app button and no Fleet API command that deletes a key. A card that is missing but still on the key list is still a working drive credential, and any product claiming it can switch one off over the air is describing something Tesla does not offer.

No. It is a passive NFC credential with no cellular radio and no connection to Tesla's servers, and Tesla publishes no per-card usage log — so there is no record of which key unlocked or drove the car, and no way to locate one that is lost. What can be tracked, with the owner's consent, is the vehicle itself, through Fleet API telemetry.

The full breakdown: can you track a Tesla key card.

Collision work runs in weeks, not hours, and that changes what handing over a key card means. The card is a full drive credential with no expiry, no PIN, and no notification; a Tesla holds up to 19 keys, so the card you left in March is still valid in November unless someone deletes it. Tesla publishes no per-card usage log, so nothing records which key moved the car, and there is no remote wipe — deletion happens only at the vehicle's touchscreen under Controls > Locks. Valet Mode is not the fix here either, because it locks the frunk and glovebox, and a collision or PPF crew needs the frunk. The practical version: photograph the odometer at drop-off, ask for the card back at pickup, and delete it from the key list while you are standing at the car.

The long version: Tesla key cards at the shop.

Six things, and only one of them is the key. Photograph the odometer and the car's condition yourself before you hand it over, because that is the one record you control. Decide how the shop gets in: an NFC key card is a full drive credential with no expiry, no PIN, and no notification, and it stays on the car's key list — up to 19 keys — until someone deletes it at the touchscreen under Controls > Locks, while a third-party app authorization through Tesla's own consent screen is the only option that is scoped and revocable from your phone. Agree a Sentry Mode setting with the shop rather than assuming: Tesla says Sentry can increase power consumption and is unavailable in Low Power Mode on the current Model Y, behavior varies by vehicle and software, and it is not a guarantee that an incident will be recorded or prevented. Agree a charging plan too, because a multi-week collision stay can flatten both the high-voltage pack and the 12V battery. Do not reach for Valet Mode as the fix — it locks the frunk and the glovebox, which a collision, PPF, or wrap crew needs open. And plan the exit before you need it: ending access is two controls rather than one, the app authorization in your Tesla account and the key list in the car, and a shop closing its own visit record does not establish that either was cleared.

The card in detail: Tesla key cards at the shop. The four access paths ranked: give a shop access to your Tesla — and take it back.

Yes, when the owner grants location permission through Tesla and the vehicle supplies a reading. GuestLot shows the last-reported location with its timestamp during the visit. It is not a guarantee of the car's present position. A staff parking note is labeled separately, and the shop's report remains private unless the shop chooses to share it.

Location readings include their observation time. Access and collection limits are listed on the limits page.

They are separate systems and neither one is a substitute for the other. Valet Mode caps speed at 70 mph, limits power, locks the frunk and glovebox, and hides your profiles and key list. Service Mode is a technician state entered on the touchscreen or over a cable — no app can set it, because Tesla's Fleet API has no command for it.

Full breakdown: Valet Mode vs Service Mode.

Discuss Sentry settings and a charging plan with the shop before a long stay. Tesla says Sentry can increase power consumption and is unavailable in Low Power Mode on the current Model Y. Behavior varies by vehicle and software. Sentry is not a guarantee that every incident will be recorded or prevented.

Yes, slowly, and on long collision jobs it is a real problem rather than a theoretical one — owner forums carry threads about cars sitting at body shops for months with both the high-voltage pack and the 12V battery dead. Ask the shop what its charging plan is before a multi-week stay, and whether anyone will be notified if the state of charge falls.

There are four ways and they are not equivalent. Leaving an NFC key card is the most common and the least accountable: it is a full drive credential with no expiry, no PIN, and no notification, and it stays valid on the car's key list until someone deletes it at the touchscreen under Controls > Locks. Authorizing a third-party app through Tesla's own consent screen is the only option that is scoped and revocable from your phone — Tesla grants named scopes, and an app cannot widen its own. Valet Mode is not an access method at all; it restricts a car that still drives, and it locks the frunk, which is the wrong default for PPF, wrap, or collision work. Staying with the car is the fourth, and for a short job it is a real answer. Whichever you choose, ending it is two controls rather than one — the app authorization in your Tesla account, and the key list in the car — and a shop closing its visit record does not establish that either was cleared.

Four options ranked by what you give up: how to give a shop access to your Tesla — and take it back.

Yes. Review the third-party app in your Tesla account and revoke its permission. Also check the car's key list and remove any shop key that should no longer work. App authorization and paired keys are different controls; a GuestLot close-out alone does not establish that every Tesla permission or key was removed.

Step by step: give a shop access to your Tesla — and take it back.

Choose around your workflow. Tekmetric and Shopmonkey handle repair orders and digital inspections; Tesla's Service Portal and Toolbox provide repair resources and diagnostics. Standard Fleet serves body shops with vehicle tracking and digital access, while KeyTrak includes key control and location intelligence. GuestLot focuses on a customer's visit, with condition records, staff handoffs, available Tesla readings, and optional owner reports.

Side by side: GuestLot vs shop management software.

Several products cover different parts of the job. Standard Fleet explicitly offers body-shop vehicle tracking and digital access. KeyTrak combines key control with location intelligence. Shop management systems provide job status and inspection records, with integrations varying by vendor. GuestLot shows a connected Tesla's last-reported location and timestamp alongside its visit record, with the owner's authorization.

What GuestLot records, field by field: a sample AccessReceipt.

The repair half is settled and it is not ours to restate: Tesla publishes model-specific Body Repair Procedures, structural repair guidelines, and an approved-collision-center program, and those documents govern the work. Document intake alongside the repair workflow. Decide before the car arrives how access is granted — key card, virtual key, or an authorization the owner can revoke — and who is accountable for it. Photograph the odometer and the panels at drop-off. Expect a multi-week stay to drain the pack, and agree a charging plan up front. Do not default to Valet Mode: it locks the frunk, which you need. Then close access deliberately at hand-back, rather than discovering months later that a card is still on the key list.

Written out for the trade on collision and body shops.

Through Tesla's own Approved Collision Center program, not by hiring a technician with a certificate. Shops that have completed it describe factory training on Tesla's repair procedures, the tooling that training requires, structural welding certification through I-CAR covering aluminum and steel separately, and a facility audit before Tesla lists the shop — then Tesla's General Terms and Conditions for Collision Services, signed before the shop can order restricted parts or use the Tesla Approved name. Certification is maintained rather than banked: shops describe ongoing renewal, not a fixed term. Tesla's own collision-support pages are the authoritative source for the current steps, and no third-party writeup is a substitute for them before you commit staff time or budget.

The five gates, one by one: Tesla certified body shop requirements.

The requirements depend on the work. Tesla's Approved Collision Center program is relevant to approved collision repairs and restricted parts. Its Service Portal also provides resources for professional maintenance and repair; access to every manual is not contingent on collision certification. Use Tesla's current requirements for the specific repair and do not treat GuestLot as repair authorization or certification.

Certification, and what it does not cover: how to become a Tesla certified body shop.

Yes, but with less in the record. Check-in, the job policy, key custody, and the hand-back all work from the counter. Telemetry does not, because Tesla requires the owner to authorize through their own account and add a virtual key to the car — a shop can never connect a customer's Tesla unilaterally.

The shop can still keep a visit record with manually entered condition notes, parking location, key handoffs, and pickup details. Vehicle-reported location and other Tesla readings are unavailable without authorization. Missing readings say 'not recorded'. The shop chooses whether to publish an owner report.

GuestLot provides vehicle visibility and documentation. It does not guarantee protection or replace your physical security arrangements. It records the visit and, at close-out, discards its stored Tesla connection tokens. That is separate from revoking the app in Tesla or removing paired keys; those should be reviewed at pickup.

The whole list of things it will not do: limits we will not hide.

GuestLot cannot stop someone driving a car. Available location and mileage readings can add context to the visit, but missing signals cannot establish that a vehicle stayed on the lot. Continuous alerts require a provisioned and monitored data and delivery service; the current product should not be treated as an always-on security monitor. The shop can keep notes and share an owner report when it chooses.

The case pattern: a customer car was damaged at your shop.

Liability depends on the facts and the applicable law. Some jurisdictions shift an evidentiary burden to the shop after an owner shows the vehicle arrived undamaged and was returned damaged. Preserve condition records, handoff notes, and other relevant evidence, and review the claim with your insurer or counsel. A GuestLot report does not determine negligence or coverage.

A repair order can be one useful part of a claim file, especially when it includes inspection media and notes. Intake and release condition records, timestamps, staff handoffs, and available vehicle readings can add context. The cited ISO conditions require cooperation and inspection of relevant records; they do not specifically require GuestLot or a particular telemetry product. Your policy, insurer, and the facts determine what additional evidence is needed and whether coverage applies.

The condition, clause by clause: what evidence a garage keepers claim requires. The term of art is duties after a loss.

If you hold customers' vehicles, general liability alone does not cover them — garage keepers is the line that responds to damage to cars in your care, custody, and control. Which form you carry decides when it pays: Legal Liability only on negligence, Direct Primary regardless of fault, Direct Excess after the owner's own policy. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.

Forms, limits, and exclusions: garage keepers liability. Why the two coverages are not alternatives: garage liability vs garage keepers. Defined: garage liability and care, custody, and control.

A shop can invite the owner to authorize a Tesla connection before the appointment. Confirm the vehicle's connection status when it arrives. At pickup, GuestLot closes the visit and discards its stored connection tokens; the owner should separately review Tesla app permissions and any keys paired for the visit.

Yes, and there are two normal ways to let one. Hand over a key card, which is a full drive credential that works exactly as it always does. Or enable Valet Mode, which still lets the car be driven but caps it at 70 mph, reduces power, locks the frunk and glovebox, and hides your profiles, key list, and saved Home and Work destinations. PIN to Drive is automatically disabled while Valet Mode is on, so an attendant will never be asked for a driving PIN.

The full restriction list: Tesla Valet Mode at a valet stand.

Do not infer Sentry state solely from Valet Mode. Check the vehicle's actual setting and the manual for its model and software. GuestLot leaves missing Sentry readings as not recorded, rather than assuming on or off.

No app or vehicle setting can guarantee safety. Choose a responsible operator, agree how the vehicle may be used, and review keys and app permissions at retrieval. Valet Mode limits some vehicle functions; condition records, staff handoffs, and available timestamped readings can add context without proving that nothing happened.

Three things change when the car is a Tesla, and the first two are vehicle behavior rather than software. Credential: an attendant needs something that drives the car, and a key card is the normal one — Tesla's current Model Y manual states a key card is used to access and drive the vehicle in Valet Mode, so turning the mode on does not replace the credential. Restrictions: Valet Mode caps the car at 70 mph, reduces drive power, locks the frunk and glovebox, hides driver profiles, the paired-key list, and saved Home and Work destinations, and disables PIN to Drive — so an attendant is never asked for a driving PIN, which is the opposite of what most stands assume. A Glovebox PIN still opens the glovebox if the owner set one. Charge: an overnight or multi-day stay drains the pack slowly, so agree who plugs the car in, and when, before the keys change hands. Software covers the fourth part only — the record. GuestLot keeps staff handoffs, condition notes, and any owner-authorized readings with their source and timestamp; it does not run the parking operation, manage charging, or guarantee that nothing happened.

The full restriction list and where it stops: Tesla Valet Mode at a valet stand. Written out for the trade on valet operators.

GuestLot keeps a visit record with staff handoffs, condition notes, and any authorized Tesla readings. Location is the last reported position with a timestamp. At retrieval, the operator closes the visit and chooses whether to publish a private owner report. Continuous alert delivery requires additional services to be provisioned and should not be assumed active.

Written out on the valet operators page.

Start by creating a shop and recording a visit with the VIN, customer details, and expected pickup. A basic visit record requires no added tracking hardware. Connected vehicle readings require Tesla authorization and a working integration; continuous monitoring and notification delivery have additional setup requirements.

$179 per location per month, flat, with one plan and no per-vehicle charge. The product includes visit records, key handoffs, condition documentation, available authorized Tesla readings, and optional owner reports. Connected readings depend on authorization and vehicle availability; continuous monitoring and message delivery require their supporting services to be configured.

Full breakdown on pricing, and the per-vehicle comparison on GuestLot vs Standard Fleet.

Owners do not need a GuestLot account. They authorize through Tesla's screen, and can view a private owner report if the shop chooses to enable and share its link. A report is not automatically sent at pickup.

The vehicle and partial VIN, visit timestamps, condition documentation, staff-entered context approved for sharing, and available readings with their sources and times. Missing information says 'not recorded'. The shop must explicitly enable report sharing. A closed GuestLot visit does not prove every Tesla permission or paired key was removed.

See every field, on two illustrative sample reports.

Never. We collect only what the custody job requires, we do not sell or share vehicle data with data brokers or consumer reporting agencies, and GuestLot closes the visit and discards its stored connection tokens at pickup. Connected-car enforcement over the last two years has been aimed squarely at companies that did the opposite.

Written out in full on the privacy page.