What should a ute daily check cover?

A ute daily check should cover the exterior (tyres, lights, mirrors, windscreen, wipers, body condition, numberplates and tow bar/hitch if fitted), under the bonnet (oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, battery and belts), interior (seatbelts, horn, handbrake, gauges, warning lights and air conditioning), and onboard equipment (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, hi-vis vests, torch, recovery equipment, tools, cargo barrier/tray, UHF radio and spill kit if required). Complete the check before the first use of each day.

How often should service vehicles be checked?

Service vehicles used for work purposes should receive a daily pre-use inspection before the first use of each day or shift. This visual and functional check takes 5–10 minutes and catches defects before they become a safety risk on the road. In addition to daily checks, service vehicles should follow the manufacturer's scheduled service intervals, typically every 10,000–15,000 km or 6–12 months. If the vehicle is used in harsh conditions (dust, gravel roads, heavy loads), increase the inspection frequency accordingly.

What safety equipment should be in a ute?

At a minimum, a work ute should carry a first aid kit (stocked and in date), a fire extinguisher (charged with a current service tag), a warning triangle or reflectors, at least two hi-vis vests, a working torch, and recovery equipment such as a tow rope/strap and jumper cables. Depending on your industry and site requirements, you may also need a UHF radio, spill kit, tools and a cargo barrier. Check your company policy, site induction requirements and state/territory regulations for specific obligations.

Is the template free to use without MapTrack?

Yes. You can download and use the ute / service vehicle daily check template for free. Open the file and use your browser's Print → Save as PDF to keep a copy. No MapTrack account required. If you later want digital vehicle inspections tied to each asset with scheduled reminders, photo evidence and automatic defect alerts, we'd be happy to show you MapTrack.

Skip to download form

Free ute / service vehicle daily check

Enter your email below to download the PDF-ready checklist. No account required.

A ute / service vehicle daily check is a form used to inspect a ute or service vehicle before use each day. It covers the vehicle condition, onboard tools, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and safety equipment. This page explains what to include, how to use the template, and offers a free PDF-ready form you can download and use straight away. No sign-up required.

Last updated: 2026-02-21 · MapTrack

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 21 February 2026

How to use: Fill vehicle and driver details → walk around and check exterior → inspect under bonnet → check cabin → verify onboard equipment → mark Pass/Fail → record defects → sign and date → save as PDF (Print → Save as PDF).

✓ PDF-ready. Open and print to PDF
✓ Covers vehicle condition, tools, first aid, fire extinguisher and safety gear
✓ Free to use with or without MapTrack

See the template in action →

Download free PDF template

Trusted by Australian fleets and contractors

We use your email to send your download and occasional MapTrack updates. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy

Preview the template

See the first part of the checklist below. Enter your email above to download the full ute / service vehicle daily check (PDF-ready).

Download to get the full template →

What is a ute / service vehicle daily check?

A ute / service vehicle daily check is a structured inspection form completed by the driver before using a ute, van or light commercial vehicle for work purposes. It is a visual and functional walk-around that covers the vehicle exterior (tyres, lights, mirrors, windscreen, body condition), under the bonnet (oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, battery, belts), cabin controls (seatbelts, horn, handbrake, gauges, warning lights) and onboard equipment (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, hi-vis vests, torch, recovery gear, tools, cargo restraint, UHF radio and spill kit). The completed form provides a documented record that the vehicle and its safety equipment were inspected and any defects reported before driving.

Benefits of daily ute / service vehicle checks

Driver and crew safety: catch tyre, brake, light and fluid issues before they cause a breakdown or accident on the road.
Tool and equipment accountability: confirm that essential tools, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and recovery gear are present and in working order before leaving the depot.
WHS compliance: demonstrate that vehicles used for work are inspected regularly, supporting your duty of care under WHS legislation.
Reduced downtime: early detection of minor issues prevents costly breakdowns and unplanned repairs in the field.
Fleet visibility: a consistent daily check across all utes and service vehicles gives fleet managers visibility of vehicle condition and recurring defects.
Audit trail: a signed daily form provides documented evidence for insurance claims, incident investigations and fleet audits.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you move from paper or static PDFs to digital forms in MapTrack, you get:

Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
Ability to share forms digitally.
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.
Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).

Book a demo to see digital vehicle inspections and fleet compliance in MapTrack.

What to include in a ute / service vehicle daily check

Our free daily check template includes:

Vehicle details: registration, make/model, odometer, fleet number, job/site.
Driver details: name, licence number, date.
Exterior: tyres, lights, mirrors, windscreen, wipers, body condition, numberplates, tow bar/hitch if fitted.
Under bonnet: oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, battery, belts.
Interior: seatbelts, horn, handbrake, gauges, warning lights, air conditioning.
Safety equipment: first aid kit (present, stocked, in date), fire extinguisher (charged, current service tag), warning triangle/reflectors, hi-vis vests (x2 minimum), torch (working).
Recovery and communication: tow rope/strap, jumper cables, UHF radio, spill kit (if required).
Tools and cargo: tool kit present, tools secured, cargo barrier/tray, load secured, tie-downs.
Overall result: Pass / Action Required / Fail.
Defects table: defect description, action taken, rectified by.
Driver and supervisor sign-off: signature, name, date and time.

How to complete a ute / service vehicle daily check

Fill in the vehicle details (registration, make/model, odometer, fleet number, job/site) and driver details (name, licence, date) at the top of the form.
Walk around the exterior. Check tyres for condition and pressure, inspect all lights, mirrors, windscreen, wipers, body panels, numberplates and tow bar if fitted. Mark Pass or Fail for each item.
Open the bonnet. Check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, battery terminals and belts. Mark Pass or Fail.
Sit in the cabin. Check seatbelts, horn, handbrake, dashboard gauges, warning lights and air conditioning. Start the engine and confirm no warning lights remain on.
Check onboard safety equipment - first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, hi-vis vests, torch, recovery gear, UHF radio, spill kit.
Confirm tools are present and secured, cargo barrier is in place and any load is restrained.
If any item fails, record it in the defects table with a description and action taken. Do not drive the vehicle if defects affect roadworthiness until they are rectified.
Select the overall result (Pass / Action Required / Fail), sign and date the form. Save or print a copy for the fleet records.

In MapTrack, you can register each vehicle as an asset, attach digital inspection forms, schedule daily checks, and get automatic alerts when a defect is reported. All evidence sits on the vehicle record, ready for fleet audits. Book a demo to see how.

Get the free template

Enter your email above to download the ute / service vehicle daily check.

Back to download form

How often to check service vehicles

Utes and service vehicles used for work purposes should receive a daily pre-use inspection before the first use of each day or shift. This visual and functional check takes 5–10 minutes and catches defects before they become a safety risk on the road. In addition to daily checks, vehicles should follow the manufacturer's scheduled service intervals - typically every 10,000–15,000 km or 6–12 months. Many organisations also require a more detailed weekly or monthly inspection that includes tyre tread measurements, fluid top-ups, tool inventory and fire extinguisher expiry dates. If a vehicle is used in harsh conditions (dust, gravel roads, heavy loads), increase the inspection frequency accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

What should a ute daily check cover?: A ute daily check should cover the exterior (tyres, lights, mirrors, windscreen, wipers, body condition, numberplates and tow bar/hitch if fitted), under the bonnet (oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, battery and belts), interior (seatbelts, horn, handbrake, gauges, warning lights and air conditioning), and onboard equipment (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, hi-vis vests, torch, recovery equipment, tools, cargo barrier/tray, UHF radio and spill kit if required). Complete the check before the first use of each day.
How often should service vehicles be checked?: Service vehicles used for work purposes should receive a daily pre-use inspection before the first use of each day or shift. This visual and functional check takes 5–10 minutes and catches defects before they become a safety risk on the road. In addition to daily checks, service vehicles should follow the manufacturer's scheduled service intervals, typically every 10,000–15,000 km or 6–12 months. If the vehicle is used in harsh conditions (dust, gravel roads, heavy loads), increase the inspection frequency accordingly.
What safety equipment should be in a ute?: At a minimum, a work ute should carry a first aid kit (stocked and in date), a fire extinguisher (charged with a current service tag), a warning triangle or reflectors, at least two hi-vis vests, a working torch, and recovery equipment such as a tow rope/strap and jumper cables. Depending on your industry and site requirements, you may also need a UHF radio, spill kit, tools and a cargo barrier. Check your company policy, site induction requirements and state/territory regulations for specific obligations.
Is the template free to use without MapTrack?: Yes. You can download and use the ute / service vehicle daily check template for free. Open the file and use your browser's Print → Save as PDF to keep a copy. No MapTrack account required. If you later want digital vehicle inspections tied to each asset with scheduled reminders, photo evidence and automatic defect alerts, we'd be happy to show you MapTrack.

Need digital ute checks with defect alerts and audit trails?

Register each vehicle in MapTrack. Schedule daily inspections, complete them on mobile with photos, and get automatic alerts when defects are reported, all evidence on the vehicle record, ready for any audit.

Book a demo Fleet pre-start inspections

Pre-start inspections · Compliance · Templates · Resources