Free vehicle inspection checklist
Free vehicle inspection checklist (PDF). Periodic light and heavy vehicle safety check: tyres, brakes, lights, fluids and cabin. Download free.
Updated 4 June 2026
Vehicle Inspection Checklist
Periodic light and heavy vehicle safety inspection record
Exterior & Body
Tyres, Wheels & Brakes
Steering, Suspension, Lights & Electrics
Engine, Fluids & Cabin
Safety Equipment & Documentation
Inspector
Signature
Print name
Date
Supervisor / Fleet Manager
Signature
Print name
Date
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Short answer
A vehicle inspection checklist records a periodic, whole-of-vehicle check of a light or heavy vehicle: tyres, brakes, lights, fluids, steering, body and cabin, with pass or fail results and defects. Fleet managers and workshops run it commonly monthly, before long trips and after major repairs; that cycle is fleet practice. Where the HVNL applies, section 89 prohibits using an unsafe heavy vehicle on a road.
Checked against Model WHS Act (Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025)) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack vehicle inspection checklist contains 34 checks across 5 sections. Sections covered: Exterior & Body, Tyres, Wheels & Brakes, Steering, Suspension, Lights & Electrics, Engine, Fluids & Cabin, Safety Equipment & Documentation.
- A vehicle inspection checklist is a periodic, whole-of-vehicle safety check that goes deeper than the quick daily pre-start, covering tyres, brakes, lights, fluids and cabin.
- Use it monthly or before long trips; use the daily pre-start every shift. This checklist is the more thorough periodic record that sits above the pre-start.
- Australian roadworthy and the WHS duty to maintain plant both expect documented evidence that vehicles are inspected and defects rectified.
- Any item that affects safe operation, such as failed brakes or bald tyres, should take the vehicle out of service until rectified and signed off.
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Used by construction, mining and field service teams
What is a vehicle inspection checklist?
A vehicle inspection checklist is a structured form used to carry out a thorough periodic safety inspection of a road vehicle, covering the exterior and body, tyres and wheels, brakes, steering and suspension, lights and electrics, engine fluids, cabin controls and onboard safety equipment. It works for both light vehicles, such as utes and vans, and heavy vehicles, recording a pass, fail or not-applicable result against each item along with notes and any defect that needs rectification before the vehicle returns to the road. This is the broad light-and-heavy vehicle hub checklist: where a dedicated truck inspection checklist drills into the coupling, air brake system and load restraint that rigids and prime movers demand, this form is the single periodic record you can run across a mixed fleet of cars, utes, vans and trucks using not-applicable where an item does not fit the vehicle.
Fleet managers, transport operators, workshops and supervisors across construction, civil, mining and trades use this checklist as the periodic safety record that sits above the quick daily pre-start. It catches the wear and developing faults a 5-minute walk-around will miss, and it forms the documented evidence that a vehicle was checked and made roadworthy. In MapTrack, this inspection runs as a mobile form against each vehicle, so results, photos and defects are time-stamped and a failed item can raise a work order on the spot. The legal grounding is layered: the WHS Act 2011 section 19 places a primary duty on the person conducting the business to provide and maintain plant, including vehicles, in a safe condition; regulated heavy vehicles carry parallel roadworthiness and maintenance duties under the Heavy Vehicle National Law; load restraint must meet the loading performance standards (for heavy vehicles, Schedule 7 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation) explained in the Load Restraint Guides; and ISO 55001 frames systematic inspection as part of a managed asset lifecycle. Getting it wrong is not a paperwork problem - an undocumented inspection regime exposes the operator to improvement and prohibition notices, defect notices that ground the vehicle, denied insurance claims after an incident and, where a foreseeable defect causes harm, personal liability for officers under the WHS due-diligence duty.
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Types of vehicle inspection
This checklist is the periodic, deeper inspection. Use it alongside a daily pre-start that the driver completes each shift, and a handover check whenever a vehicle changes drivers or comes back from hire.
Which variant you need depends on the vehicle and the country. In Australia, the Heavy Vehicle National Law applies in the ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria to vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM and combinations including one; WA and the NT have their own laws. In the US, commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce fall under the FMCSA rules in 49 CFR Part 396, which cover the driver vehicle inspection report and the annual inspection.
Specialist inspections cover dangerous goods vehicles, underground mine vehicles and hire vehicles, each with items a general checklist does not include.
- Vehicle pre-start checklist (daily, any vehicle)
- Light vehicle pre-start checklist (cars, utes and vans)
- Truck and heavy vehicle pre-start checklist
- Daily vehicle inspection form
- NHVR heavy vehicle inspection checklist (Australia, over 4.5 t GVM)
- Driver vehicle inspection report, DVIR (US, 49 CFR 396.11)
- DOT annual vehicle inspection checklist (US, 49 CFR 396.17)
- FMCSA commercial vehicle inspection report (US)
- Rental vehicle inspection checklist (before and after hire)
- Vehicle handover inspection form
- Dangerous goods vehicle inspection (Australia, ADG Code)
- Underground vehicle inspection checklist (US mines, MSHA)
- Vehicle checkout inspection form
- Ute and service vehicle daily check
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Benefits of using this vehicle inspection checklist
- Whole-of-vehicle coverage: one form checks exterior, tyres, brakes, lights, fluids, cabin and safety gear so nothing important is skipped.
- Light and heavy ready: the same structured checklist suits utes, vans and trucks, with not-applicable used where an item does not fit.
- Roadworthy evidence: a completed and signed inspection is documented proof the vehicle was checked and made fit for the road.
- Defect capture: any failed item is recorded with an action and a rectified-by date, so faults are fixed rather than forgotten.
- Catches what pre-start misses: a periodic deep check finds developing wear, fluid loss and brake fade that a quick daily walk-around overlooks.
- Audit and incident ready: signed inspection history supports insurer, auditor and post-incident questions about vehicle condition.
- Driver accountability: dual sign-off ties the inspector and the supervisor to the recorded condition of the vehicle on the day.
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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What to include in a vehicle inspection checklist
This vehicle inspection checklist covers 10 key areas:
- Vehicle details: registration, fleet number, make and model, odometer and inspection date.
- Exterior and body: panels, mirrors, glass, wipers, doors and number plates.
- Tyres and wheels: tread depth, pressure, sidewall condition, wheel nuts and spare.
- Brakes: service brake, park brake, pedal feel and, for heavy vehicles, air system.
- Steering and suspension: play, alignment feel, shock absorbers and springs.
- Lights and electrics: headlights, indicators, brake lights, reverse and beacons.
- Engine and fluids: oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid and visible leaks.
- Cabin and controls: horn, seatbelts, gauges, demister and warning lights.
- Safety equipment: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangles and load restraint.
- Overall result, defects table, and inspector plus supervisor sign-off.
How to use this vehicle inspection checklist
- Park safely, record the vehicle details and gather the checklist.: Bring the vehicle to a level, safe area with the engine off and the park brake on. Record the registration, fleet number, make and model, current odometer and the inspection date before you begin so the record is complete and traceable.
- Walk the exterior and inspect tyres, wheels and body.: Move around the vehicle checking panels, mirrors, glass, wipers and plates, then inspect each tyre for tread depth, pressure, sidewall damage and wheel nut security. Note any damage or wear that could affect safe operation, including the spare.
- Check brakes, steering, suspension, lights and electrics.: Test the service and park brakes, feel for steering play, and inspect suspension components. Have a second person confirm all lights, indicators, brake and reverse lights and beacons operate. For heavy vehicles, check the air brake system and warning devices.
- Inspect engine fluids and look for leaks.: With the engine cool, check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid against their correct levels, and look underneath for oil, coolant or fuel leaks. Top up where safe and flag any persistent leak as a defect for the workshop to investigate.
- Check the cabin, controls and onboard safety equipment.: Inside the cab, confirm the horn, seatbelts, gauges, demister and dashboard warning lights work, then verify the fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangles and any load restraint equipment are present, in date and serviceable for the vehicle type.
- Record the result, raise defects and sign off.: Mark the overall result as pass or fail, list any failed item in the defects table with an action and a rectified-by date, and complete the inspector and supervisor sign-off. Take the vehicle out of service for any defect that affects safe operation until it is repaired.
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 vehicle inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this checklist?
Run a full vehicle inspection on a set periodic cycle, commonly monthly for active fleet vehicles and always before a long trip or after a significant repair, while the daily vehicle pre-start is completed every shift. High-use, heavy or off-road vehicles warrant more frequent inspections. In MapTrack, you can schedule the periodic inspection against each vehicle and trigger it by date or by odometer reading, so the deeper check is never skipped and the lighter daily pre-start still runs on top of it.
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Work Health and Safety Bill)The primary duty of care, covering work vehicles as plant; the inspection and defect record show how vehicles are kept safe. | 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)In participating jurisdictions, covers vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM and combinations including one: vehicle standards, the unsafe vehicle offence and Chain of Responsibility duties. | 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 RegulationHeavy vehicles only: the in-service standards for lights, brakes, tyres and other items this checklist inspects. | Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National RegulationHeavy vehicles only: the load restraint performance standards behind the checklist's load restraint items. | Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Asset management - Asset management system - RequirementsFrames periodic inspection as part of operational planning and life cycle management of assets. | ISO 55001:2024 (Edition 2) |
| International Organization for Standardization (ISO)Sold by the publisher |
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)
The primary duty of care, covering work vehicles as plant; the inspection and defect record show how vehicles are kept safe.
- 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)
Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland)
In participating jurisdictions, covers vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM and combinations including one: vehicle standards, the unsafe vehicle offence and Chain of Responsibility duties.
- s 6: Defines a heavy vehicle as a vehicle with a GVM or ATM over 4.5 tonnes, or a combination including one.
- 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 26C: Primary duty: each party in the chain must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of its transport activities.
Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint)
Heavy vehicles only: the in-service standards for lights, brakes, tyres and other items this checklist inspects.
- Schedule 2: Other vehicle standards for single heavy vehicles: safety, marking, dimensions, lights, brakes, emissions and speed limiting.
Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint)
Heavy vehicles only: the load restraint performance standards behind the checklist's load restraint items.
- 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.
Asset management - Asset management system - Requirements
Edition: ISO 55001:2024 (Edition 2)
Frames periodic inspection as part of operational planning and life cycle management of assets.
- 8.1: Operational planning and control, including life cycle management of assets.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)Sold by the publisher
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 vehicle inspection checklist
The pages below gather the figures behind this kind of check. Each figure on them carries its source and date, so you can quote it in a toolbox talk, a budget case or a board paper without chasing the original report.
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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;">Vehicle 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;">Exterior and body: panels, mirrors, glass, wipers, doors and number plates.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Tyres and wheels: tread depth, pressure, sidewall condition, wheel nuts and spare.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Brakes: service brake, park brake, pedal feel and, for heavy vehicles, air system.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Steering and suspension: play, alignment feel, shock absorbers and springs.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Lights and electrics: headlights, indicators, brake lights, reverse and beacons.</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/vehicle-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Vehicle 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.
Cite this template
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 vehicle inspection checklist contains 34 checks across 5 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Vehicle inspection checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-inspection-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Vehicle inspection checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/vehicle-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/vehicle-inspection-checklist.
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