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?', answer: "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.", }, { question: '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.

Free ute / service vehicle daily check

Jump to download form ↓

Enter your email below to download this ute / service vehicle daily check as a ready-to-use PDF.

Free ute and service vehicle daily check (PDF-ready). Vehicle condition, tools onboard, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and safety gear. Download free.

Last updated: 2026-02-21

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 21 February 2026

How to use: download the PDF, print or complete digitally on any device.

✓PDF format, ready to print or fill on screen
✓Use as-is or customise to suit your operation
✓Go digital in MapTrack for photos, alerts and audit trails

See template in action →

Download free PDF template

Trusted by teams across Australia and New Zealand

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

Preview the template

See the first part of the ute / service vehicle daily check below. Download the full version above.

Download to get 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 using this ute / service vehicle daily check

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 digitise ute / service vehicle checklists 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).
Auto-schedule pre-start forms so operators are prompted before every shift.
Flag overdue pre-starts on the dashboard so nothing leaves the yard unchecked.
Link each pre-start to the asset record for a complete inspection history.

Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles ute / service vehicle checklists.

Try MapTrack free for 30 days

Full access to every feature. No credit card required. Per-asset pricing so you scale as your fleet grows.

Start free trial

No credit card required
30 days free trial
Cancel anytime

What to include in a ute / service vehicle daily check

This ute / service vehicle daily check covers 11 key areas:

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 use this 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 run digital pre-starts attached to each asset. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.

Get the free template

Enter your email above to download the full ute / service vehicle daily check as a PDF.

Back to download form

How often should you complete this checklist?

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?', answer: "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.", }, { question: '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.

Need to run digital pre-starts attached to each asset?

Register every ute / service vehicle in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.

Start free trial Book a demo

Pre-start inspections · All templates · Pricing · Book a demo