diff --git a/app/api/inspections.py b/app/api/inspections.py
index 3a17d0f..caeee38 100644
--- a/app/api/inspections.py
+++ b/app/api/inspections.py
@@ -41,13 +41,24 @@ _UUID_RE = re.compile(
 
 
 def _parse_datetime(value):
-    """Parse an ISO 8601 datetime string; return None on failure."""
+    """Parse an ISO 8601 datetime string; return None on failure.
+
+    Handles the formats produced by both the web forms and iOS
+    ISO8601DateFormatter(), which appends a 'Z' UTC suffix:
+        2026-05-28T09:41:00          (web form)
+        2026-05-28T09:41:00.000      (web form with ms)
+        2026-05-28T09:41:00Z         (iOS ISO8601DateFormatter)
+        2026-05-28T09:41:00.000000Z  (iOS with fractional seconds)
+    """
     if not value:
         return None
     from datetime import datetime
+    # Strip trailing 'Z' (UTC marker) so strptime can parse it as naive datetime.
+    # The system treats all datetimes as Eastern-local; UTC offset is ignored.
+    normalised = value.rstrip('Z') if isinstance(value, str) else value
     for fmt in ('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S', '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f', '%Y-%m-%d'):
         try:
-            return datetime.strptime(value, fmt)
+            return datetime.strptime(normalised, fmt)
         except (ValueError, TypeError):
             pass
     return None
@@ -275,6 +286,12 @@ def create_inspection():
         notes_payload['_inspector_notes'] = data['notes']
     notes_payload['_form_data'] = form_data
 
+    # If the client sent completed_at but it failed to parse (e.g. unrecognised
+    # format), fall back to now rather than storing NULL.  This mirrors the
+    # PATCH handler's behaviour.
+    if completed_at is None and status == 'completed':
+        completed_at = now_eastern()
+
     inspection = Inspection(
         template_id          = template_id,
         facility_id          = facility_id,