Free truck inspection checklist
Free truck inspection checklist (PDF). Heavy vehicle check: coupling, air brakes, tyres, lights, load restraint and fluids. AU NHVR aligned. Download free.
Updated 4 June 2026
Truck Inspection Checklist
Periodic heavy vehicle and trailer safety inspection record
Coupling & Connections
Air Brake System
Tyres, Wheels, Suspension & Lights
Engine, Fluids & Cabin
Load Restraint & Documentation
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Short answer
A truck inspection checklist records a periodic check of a heavy vehicle and its trailer: coupling, air brakes, tyres and wheels, lights, steering and suspension, fluids, cabin and load restraint, with pass, fail or not-applicable results. Monthly or service-aligned cycles are practice. HVNL sections 60 and 89 bar using a heavy vehicle over 4.5 t that breaches the standards or is unsafe, outside WA and the NT.
Checked against Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) (Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland)) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack truck inspection checklist contains 31 checks across 5 sections. Sections covered: Coupling & Connections, Air Brake System, Tyres, Wheels, Suspension & Lights, Engine, Fluids & Cabin, Load Restraint & Documentation.
- A truck inspection checklist is a periodic heavy-vehicle safety check covering coupling, air brakes, tyres, lights, load restraint and fluids in more depth than the daily pre-trip.
- It supports the operator and driver duties under the Heavy Vehicle National Law to keep a regulated heavy vehicle roadworthy.
- Air brake checks, including reservoir drain, low-pressure warning and a leak-down test, are central to a heavy-vehicle inspection.
- Load restraint equipment must meet the Load Restraint Guide; check straps, chains, dogs and anchor points as part of every inspection.
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Used by construction, mining and field service teams
What is a truck inspection checklist?
A truck inspection checklist is a structured form for a thorough periodic safety inspection of a heavy vehicle and, where fitted, its trailer or coupling. It covers the fifth wheel or tow coupling, the air brake system, tyres and wheels, lights and reflectors, steering and suspension, engine and fluids, the cabin, and load restraint equipment, recording a pass, fail or not-applicable result for each item with notes on any defect to be rectified. It is built for rigid trucks, prime movers and trailers rather than light vehicles.
Transport operators, fleet managers, drivers and workshops use this checklist as the periodic heavy-vehicle record that sits above the quick daily pre-trip check. It examines the coupling and air brake system in the detail that heavy vehicles demand and produces the documented evidence that a truck was inspected and kept roadworthy. In MapTrack, the inspection runs as a mobile form against each truck and trailer, with photos and defect work orders captured against the asset. Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, both the operator and the driver hold duties to ensure a regulated heavy vehicle is roadworthy and its load restrained, and a documented inspection regime is how those duties are evidenced.
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Benefits of using this truck inspection checklist
- Heavy-vehicle focus: covers coupling, air brakes and load restraint, the items that matter most on rigids, prime movers and trailers.
- Air system confidence: structured brake and air checks, including leak-down and low-pressure warning, catch faults before they reach the road.
- Coupling safety: fifth wheel, kingpin, jaws and trailer connections are inspected so a trailer cannot disconnect in transit.
- Load restraint check: straps, chains, dogs and anchor points are verified against the Load Restraint Guide before the truck is loaded.
- Deeper than the pre-trip: a periodic inspection finds developing wear and brake faults that a daily walk-around will not surface.
- NHVR evidence: a signed inspection record supports the operator and driver roadworthiness duties under heavy-vehicle law.
- Defect to repair: failed items are logged with an action and rectified-by date so a truck is not run with a known fault.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your checklists from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Email the right people when a form is submitted, with an automation you set up.
- File every completed form against the asset, location or person it covers.
- Download any completed form as a PDF, with failed answers listed at the top.
- Fill in forms offline; they upload when the device is back online.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Set who can view, fill in or edit forms with user roles.
- Upload a paper form (PDF, Word, Excel or a photo) and MapTrack's AI builds a digital version for you to check.
- Schedule services by odometer, engine hours or date for every vehicle.
- Keep fuel receipts and service records with each vehicle's inspections.
- Record repair costs on each work order against the vehicle.
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Maintenance Planning Supervisor, Supagas
What to include in a truck inspection checklist
This truck inspection checklist covers 10 key areas:
- Vehicle details: registration, fleet number, make and model, odometer and inspection date.
- Coupling: fifth wheel, kingpin, jaws, tow coupling, safety chains and trailer connections.
- Air brake system: reservoir drain, build-up time, low-pressure warning, leak-down test, park brake.
- Tyres and wheels: tread, pressure, sidewall, wheel nut indicators, dual spacing and spare.
- Lights and reflectors: headlights, indicators, brake, marker, reverse and trailer lights.
- Steering and suspension: play, airbags, springs, shock absorbers and chassis condition.
- Engine and fluids: oil, coolant, fuel, AdBlue, and any oil, coolant or air leaks.
- Cabin and controls: horn, seatbelt, mirrors, gauges, warning lights and tachograph or device.
- Load restraint: straps, chains, dogs, curtains, gates and anchor points condition.
- Overall result, defects table, and driver plus supervisor sign-off.
How to use this truck inspection checklist
- Park the truck safely and record the vehicle details.: Position the truck on level ground with the engine off and the park brake applied, and chock the wheels if needed. Record the registration, fleet number, make and model, odometer and inspection date before you start so the inspection record is complete and traceable to the asset.
- Inspect the coupling and trailer connections.: Check the fifth wheel or tow coupling, kingpin, locking jaws, release handle, safety chains and the trailer electrical and air line connections. Confirm the coupling is secure and undamaged and that nothing could cause the trailer to disconnect under load on the road.
- Test the air brake system thoroughly.: Drain the air reservoirs, check the build-up time, confirm the low-pressure warning activates, and perform a leak-down test with the brakes applied. Check the park brake holds and inspect brake chambers, slack adjusters and lines. Treat any air leak or warning fault as a fail.
- Check tyres, wheels, suspension and lights.: Inspect each tyre for tread, pressure and sidewall damage, check wheel nut indicators and dual tyre spacing, and examine airbags, springs and shock absorbers. Have a second person confirm all headlights, indicators, brake, marker, reverse and trailer lights and reflectors are working.
- Inspect fluids, cabin and load restraint equipment.: With the engine cool, check oil, coolant, fuel and AdBlue levels and look for leaks. Confirm the horn, seatbelt, mirrors, gauges and warning lights work, then inspect straps, chains, dogs, curtains and anchor points against the Load Restraint Guide before any load is applied.
- Record the result, raise defects and sign off.: Mark the overall result, list any failed item in the defects table with an action and a rectified-by date, and complete the driver and supervisor sign-off. Take the truck out of service for any defect affecting roadworthiness or load restraint until it is repaired and re-checked.
In MapTrack, you can track your fleet with GPS and digital pre-starts. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full truck inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this checklist?
Run a full truck inspection on a set periodic cycle, typically monthly or aligned to a service interval, and always before a major trip or after a significant repair, while the daily pre-trip check is completed every shift before driving. Trailers should be inspected on the same cycle as the prime mover. In MapTrack, you can schedule the periodic inspection against each truck and trailer and trigger it by date or odometer, so the deeper heavy-vehicle check runs reliably alongside the daily pre-trip rather than being missed.
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Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template is a starting point. Check the current requirements that apply to your equipment, work and location. The template alone does not establish compliance.
| Standard | Edition | Clauses this template relies on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)Heavy vehicle standards, the unsafe vehicle offence and loading requirements, in participating jurisdictions only (not WA or the NT). | Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National RegulationIn-service braking and coupling standards the inspection checks against. | Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| National Heavy Vehicle Inspection ManualNHVR inspection criteria for heavy vehicles, brakes and couplings. It is not a maintenance or record-keeping standard. | Version 3.2 (August 2026) |
| National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National RegulationLoading performance standards that load restraint must meet. | Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Load Restraint Guide 2025Information guide showing restraint methods that meet the Schedule 7 standards. It is not a legal document. | Load Restraint Guide 2025 (Edition 4) | Whole instrument | National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (earlier editions published by the National Transport Commission) |
| Model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Work Health and Safety Bill)Primary duty to provide and maintain safe plant, including trucks used for work, so far as is reasonably practicable. | Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025) |
| Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee) |
Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland)
Heavy vehicle standards, the unsafe vehicle offence and loading requirements, in participating jurisdictions only (not WA or the NT).
- s 60: A person must not use, or permit to be used, on a road a heavy vehicle that contravenes an applicable heavy vehicle standard.
- s 89: Safety requirement: a person must not use, or permit to be used, on a road a heavy vehicle that is unsafe.
- s 111: A person who drives or permits driving must ensure the vehicle, its components and load comply with the loading requirements.
Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint)
In-service braking and coupling standards the inspection checks against.
- Schedule 2, Part 7: Braking system requirements for all heavy vehicles, heavy motor vehicles and heavy trailers.
- Schedule 3, Part 5: Mechanical connections between vehicles in combinations: couplings, kingpins, towbars and their load ratings.
National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual
Edition: Version 3.2 (August 2026)
NHVR inspection criteria for heavy vehicles, brakes and couplings. It is not a maintenance or record-keeping standard.
- Heavy Vehicle Inspection Checklist: NHVR checklist summarising the inspection items for heavy motor vehicles.
- Section 2: Brakes: inspection criteria and reasons for rejection.
- Section 3: Couplings: inspection criteria, including safety chains.
Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint)
Loading performance standards that load restraint must meet.
- Schedule 7: Loading performance standards: 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and lateral, and 0.2g vertical if friction or limited vertical displacement is relied on.
Load Restraint Guide 2025
Edition: Load Restraint Guide 2025 (Edition 4)
Information guide showing restraint methods that meet the Schedule 7 standards. It is not a legal document.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (earlier editions published by the National Transport Commission)
Model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Work Health and Safety Bill)
Edition: Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025)
Primary duty to provide and maintain safe plant, including trucks used for work, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- s 19: Primary duty of care: a PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others, including safe plant, systems, training and supervision.
Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee)
Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.
Check the current source
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The numbers behind this truck inspection checklist
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<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Truck inspection checklist</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Vehicle details: registration, fleet number, make and model, odometer and inspection date.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Coupling: fifth wheel, kingpin, jaws, tow coupling, safety chains and trailer connections.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Air brake system: reservoir drain, build-up time, low-pressure warning, leak-down test, park brake.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Tyres and wheels: tread, pressure, sidewall, wheel nut indicators, dual spacing and spare.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Lights and reflectors: headlights, indicators, brake, marker, reverse and trailer lights.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Steering and suspension: play, airbags, springs, shock absorbers and chassis condition.</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/truck-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Truck inspection checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Free to reuse, including commercially. This template is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Copy it, adapt it, put it on your own site or in your own docs. All we ask is that you credit MapTrack with a link back to this page. The snippet above already includes that credit, so if you use it as-is you’re covered.
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Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this checklist. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.
The MapTrack truck inspection checklist contains 31 checks across 5 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Truck inspection checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/truck-inspection-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Truck inspection checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/truck-inspection-checklist
Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/templates/truck-inspection-checklist.
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