Vehicle inspection checklist: daily, DOT and forklift checks to copy
Copy a daily vehicle inspection checklist and forklift pre-shift check, plus the DOT rules for DVIRs and annual inspections and what to do when an item fails.
Start from the work orders template
Take requests, assign jobs, track them to done.
A vehicle inspection checklist is the list a driver works through before using a truck, van or trailer: brakes, steering, lights, tires, wheels, mirrors, wipers, horn, coupling and emergency equipment. Anything that fails a safety check keeps the vehicle parked until it’s fixed. Commercial trucks also need a written report of defects and an inspection every 12 months.
It’s for fleet and yard managers, contractors and shops that run trucks, trailers or forklifts: checklists to copy, the federal rules in plain words, and what to do when an item fails. Do your trucks count? If a truck, or a truck and trailer together, is rated at or weighs 10,001 pounds or more and is used across state lines, the Department of Transportation (DOT) rules below apply to it.
If failed items get lost on the way to the shop, skip to GoodTaco’s work order template. It turns each defect into a work order with a mechanic and a due date.
How we researched this: checked October 2026, in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) forklift pages and each app’s own pricing page. This guide isn’t legal advice: check with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or your state for your own fleet.
Daily vehicle inspection checklist (pre-trip walk-around)
Run this pre-trip inspection checklist in the same order every time. It works for pickups and vans too; skip what yours doesn’t have. Oil changes and other scheduled services belong on a preventive maintenance checklist.
Copy this sheet into a document and print one per vehicle per day. The tables after it say what counts as a defect.
DAILY VEHICLE INSPECTION
Date: _______ Driver: ____________
Unit: _______ Odometer: __________
Trailer: _______
OK Defect
[ ] [ ] Paperwork, last report
[ ] [ ] Seat belts
[ ] [ ] Mirrors and windshield
[ ] [ ] Emergency equipment
[ ] [ ] Fluids, belts, hoses
[ ] [ ] Battery, leaks
[ ] [ ] Gauges, warning lights
[ ] [ ] Horn
[ ] [ ] Wipers, washers, defroster
[ ] [ ] Steering
[ ] [ ] Parking brake
[ ] [ ] Service brakes
[ ] [ ] Lights and reflectors
[ ] [ ] Tires
[ ] [ ] Wheels and rims
[ ] [ ] Suspension, exhaust, fuel
[ ] [ ] Body, doors, load
Trailer
[ ] [ ] Coupler or fifth wheel
[ ] [ ] Chains, breakaway cable
[ ] [ ] Plug and air lines
[ ] [ ] Trailer brakes
[ ] [ ] Trailer lights
[ ] [ ] Trailer tires and wheels
[ ] [ ] Jack, ramps, gate, load
Defects (unit, part, what's wrong):
__________________________________
__________________________________
Out of service? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Driver signature: ________________
Mechanic: [ ] Repaired
[ ] Repair not needed
Work order: _______ Date: _______
Mechanic signature: ______________
Next driver reviewed: ____________Studying for the commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills test? Use the pre-trip routine in your state’s CDL manual instead.
In the cab, before you start
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Registration, insurance card and proof of the annual inspection, for trucks that need one | Missing or expired |
| The last inspection report | It lists a defect with no sign-off that it was repaired |
| Seat belts | Frayed, or the buckle doesn’t latch |
| Mirrors and windshield | Cracked, loose, or blocking your view |
| Emergency equipment: fire extinguisher and warning triangles on commercial trucks | Missing, not mounted, or the extinguisher’s gauge doesn’t show charged |
| First aid kit, wheel chocks and anything else your company requires | Missing |
Under the hood, engine off
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | Below the add mark |
| Coolant | Below the cold-fill line |
| Brake, power steering and washer fluid | Low |
| Belts | Cracked, frayed or loose |
| Hoses | Cracked, bulging or leaking |
| Battery | Loose, cracked, or corroded terminals |
| The ground under the vehicle | Fresh oil, coolant or fuel |
Start it up
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Gauges and warning lights | A warning light stays on, or oil or air pressure doesn’t build |
| Horn | Doesn’t sound |
| Wipers and washers | Don’t clear the glass, or a blade is torn |
| Heater and defroster | Don’t clear the windshield |
| Steering | Too much play, binding or noise |
| Parking brake | The vehicle moves when you pull gently against it in low gear |
| Service brakes | The pedal is soft or sinks, or the vehicle pulls to one side in a slow test stop |
| Air brakes, if fitted | Pressure is slow to build, the low-air warning doesn’t work, or you can hear a leak |
Lights and reflectors
Turn on the headlights and flashers, and have someone press the brake pedal.
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Headlights, high and low beams | Out or dim |
| Turn signals and hazard flashers, front, side and rear | Out or not flashing |
| Brake lights | Out |
| Tail, marker and clearance lights | Out, or a lens is cracked |
| Reflectors and reflective tape | Missing, or covered in dirt |
Walk-around: tires, wheels, brakes and body
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Tires | Low, cut, bulging, cords showing, or tread below the limit: on commercial trucks, 4/32 inch on the front tires and 2/32 inch on the rest (49 CFR 393.75) |
| Wheels and rims | Cracked, loose or missing lug nuts, or rust streaks from the lugs |
| Brakes you can see without crawling under | Leaking fluid, loose or broken parts, hoses rubbing |
| Suspension | Broken or shifted springs, leaking shocks or air bags |
| Exhaust | Loose, leaking, or touching wiring or fuel lines |
| Fuel tank and cap | Leaking, loose straps, or the cap is missing |
| Body, doors and load | Loose parts, doors that won’t latch, or a load that isn’t secured |
Trailer add-on
Check a hooked-up trailer as its own unit, with its own number on the sheet.
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| Coupler, hitch or fifth wheel | Not latched and pinned, or the fifth wheel jaws aren’t locked around the kingpin |
| Safety chains | Not crossed under the tongue and hooked to the truck |
| Breakaway cable, on trailers with electric brakes | Not attached to the truck |
| Electrical plug and air lines | Loose or damaged, or the air couplings leak |
| Trailer brakes | Don’t grab in a slow test stop |
| Trailer lights | Brake, turn, tail or marker lights out |
| Tires and wheels | Same checks as the truck |
| Jack or landing gear | Not fully raised |
| Ramps, gate and doors | Not secured for travel |
| Load | Not tied down, or heavier than the trailer is rated for |
Rental yards run the same check at every check-out and return; our trailer rental software guide covers recording it. Whether trailers customers tow need annual inspections depends on their use, so ask FMCSA or your state’s DOT.
Write each defect so the mechanic can fix it without calling the driver: “TRK-3 right front tire worn to 3/32 in.”, not “tire bad”.
To log the sheets in Excel or Google Sheets, paste this block into cell A1 of a new sheet, copy the Status formula down, and sort by Status to see every open defect.
Date Driver Unit Odometer Result Defect Out of service Work order Repaired on Next driver reviewed Status
2026-10-27 Derek Shaw TRK-3 61284 Defect Right front tire worn to 3/32 in. Yes WO-1112 2026-10-28 2026-10-29 =IF(E2="OK","OK",IF(I2="","Open defect",IF(J2="","Repaired, not reviewed","Closed")))What are the DOT vehicle inspection requirements?
FMCSA’s three inspection rules (a check before each trip, a written report of defects, and an inspection every 12 months) apply to commercial motor vehicles used on highways in interstate commerce. A vehicle counts when it (49 CFR 390.5T):
- has a weight rating or actual weight of 10,001 pounds or more, counting the truck and trailer together when it tows, so a pickup with an equipment trailer can qualify,
- is designed or used to carry more than 8 people for pay, or more than 15 people not for pay, counting the driver, or
- carries hazardous materials in amounts that need placards.
Interstate commerce includes in-state legs of a load’s trip to or from another state. Trucks that never do that follow state rules, which usually match these. States may exempt in-state trucks under 26,001 pounds, but not ones that carry placarded hazardous materials or are designed or used to carry 16 or more people, counting the driver (49 CFR 350.305).
The driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR)
Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers prepare a written report at the end of each day’s work, for each vehicle they drove. It covers at least 11 parts, the core of any DOT inspection checklist:
- service brakes, including trailer brake connections
- parking brake
- steering
- lights and reflectors
- tires
- horn
- windshield wipers
- mirrors
- coupling devices
- wheels and rims
- emergency equipment
The driver names the vehicle, lists any defect found or reported that would affect safety or could cause a breakdown, and signs it. If no defect was found or reported, no report is needed. Paper or electronic reports both count, and FMCSA has a sample report form you can print.
Before the vehicle runs again, the carrier repairs any listed defect likely to affect safety, then certifies on the report that it was repaired or didn’t need repair. Keep the report, that certification and the next driver’s review for 3 months.
Exempt: carriers that run only one commercial motor vehicle, driveaway-towaway operations (such as driving an empty vehicle to a dealer, buyer or repair shop), and private passenger carriers that aren’t a business.
The DOT pre-trip inspection
Before driving, the driver must be satisfied that the vehicle is safe and that the same 11 parts are in good working order (49 CFR 396.13, 392.7). If the last report listed defects, the driver reviews it and signs it, confirming the repairs were certified. Neither rule asks drivers to write the pre-trip check down; the written report is the end-of-day one.
The annual DOT inspection
Under 49 CFR 396.17, every commercial motor vehicle must have passed a periodic inspection in the last 12 months before it’s used, and each trailer in a combination counts as its own vehicle. The inspection covers at least the parts in Appendix A to Part 396, from brakes, steering and suspension to tires, lights and the frame.
- Who can do it: your own inspector or a garage, fleet leasing company or truck stop, with a federal or state training certificate or a year of training or experience as a commercial vehicle mechanic or inspector (396.19). A state inspection program that meets the federal standards counts.
- Proof on the vehicle: the report, or a decal with the date, where the report is kept, the vehicle, and a certification that it passed.
- The report: the inspector, the carrier, the date, the vehicle, and each part checked with its result, kept for 14 months where the vehicle is housed or maintained (396.21). FMCSA has a sample annual inspection report.
- If a part fails: it’s repaired promptly to the federal standard (396.17(g)), and a defect that makes the truck unsafe parks it until it’s fixed.
Keep each vehicle’s inspection, repair and maintenance records for a year, and for 6 months after it leaves your control (396.3); our equipment maintenance log guide shows what they hold.
What happens at a DOT roadside inspection?
Roadside inspectors follow the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) inspection levels. Level I checks the driver’s papers and the whole vehicle. Level II checks the same items, but only what can be seen without getting under the vehicle. Level III checks only the driver and the papers. A truck placed out of service can’t be driven until it’s repaired.
These are the federal rules as of October 2026; hazardous materials and passenger carriers have more, and states may add inspections. Read Part 396 or ask FMCSA or your state’s DOT.
Forklift inspection checklist (OSHA daily check)
OSHA’s general industry rule for powered industrial trucks covers forklifts, motorized hand trucks and similar machines (29 CFR 1910.178):
- Before use, at least daily. Examine each forklift before it’s put in service. Where forklifts run around the clock, examine them after each shift.
- Unsafe means out of service. Don’t use a forklift with a condition that affects safety. Report defects right away and have them fixed by people authorized to do repairs.
- No paperwork required. OSHA has said the examination doesn’t have to be recorded in writing. A signed sheet each shift still shows it was done and tells the mechanic what failed.
The rule doesn’t cover farm vehicles or machines built mainly for earth moving or over-the-road hauling; for skid steers, use the daily check in the operator’s manual and the same tag-out steps below. States with their own OSHA-approved State Plan can have their own version, at least as effective. OSHA’s forklift eTool lists pre-operation checks like these and links to sample daily checklists.
Print these tables and tick each item that passes; write failures underneath with the forklift’s number, the date and your name.
Visual checks, key off
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| ☐ Fluid levels: engine oil, hydraulic fluid, coolant | Low |
| ☐ Leaks | Puddles under the forklift, or wet hoses and fittings |
| ☐ Tires | Cuts, chunks missing, or low pressure on air-filled tires |
| ☐ Forks | Cracked, bent, uneven tips, or a worn heel |
| ☐ Mast and lift chains | Chains loose, kinked or rusty, or one tighter than the other |
| ☐ Load backrest, overhead guard and finger guards | Missing, bent or loose |
| ☐ Capacity plate, decals and operator’s manual | Missing or unreadable |
| ☐ Seat belt and operator’s seat | Cut, missing, or the belt doesn’t latch |
| ☐ Electric forklifts: battery cables and connectors, battery restraints, water level, hood latch | Frayed cables, a loose battery, low water, or the hood won’t latch |
| ☐ Propane forklifts: tank, hoses and brackets | A dented or loose tank, the relief valve not pointing up, damaged hoses, or a gas smell (don’t start the forklift) |
| ☐ Gas and diesel forklifts: belts, hoses, radiator, air filter | Worn, leaking or clogged |
Operating checks, running
| Check | Write it up if |
|---|---|
| ☐ Accelerator and inching pedal | Sticks or jerks |
| ☐ Service brake and parking brake | Doesn’t stop or hold the forklift |
| ☐ Steering | Loose, stiff or noisy |
| ☐ Forward and reverse | Hesitates, slips or makes noise |
| ☐ Lift and lower, tilt forward and back, attachments | Jerky, drifts down on its own, or leaks |
| ☐ Horn, lights and back-up alarm | Don’t work |
| ☐ Hour meter | Not working; write down the reading |
| ☐ Anything else | Unusual noise or vibration |
What happens when a vehicle fails inspection?
These steps work for trucks, trailers and forklifts:
- Decide if it’s safe to use. A problem with brakes, steering, tires, wheels, lights, coupling or the load parks the vehicle; a torn seat cover can wait. Federal rules forbid driving a truck in a condition likely to cause a crash or breakdown (396.7).
- Tag it out. Park it, take the keys, hang a dated “Out of service” tag on the wheel or controls, and tell whoever assigns the vehicles.
- Write it up. The unit, the part, what’s wrong, who found it and when. For commercial trucks, it goes on the driver’s report.
- Make it a work order. One per defect, with a priority, a mechanic and a due date, so the repair has an owner.
- Repair it and record it. What was done, the parts and the hours, or what it’s waiting on.
- Sign it off. The mechanic certifies on the driver’s report that it was repaired or didn’t need repair, with the date and work order number. The next driver reviews and signs, and the tag comes off.
A truck that develops a defect on the road may go only as far as the nearest place it can be safely repaired, and only if that’s less dangerous than leaving it on the highway.
Do you need a vehicle inspection app?
It depends on what happens after the check:
- Paper forms or a DVIR book. Cheap and familiar, but a defect only reaches the shop if someone carries the page.
- A Google Form and a sheet. Google Forms comes with a free Google account: one question per item, one row per inspection. Nobody hears about a defect unless someone watches the sheet, and a form with a file upload question makes everyone who fills it in sign in to a Google account.
- An inspection app puts the checklist on drivers’ phones. Mitti by SafetyCulture has a free plan for teams of up to 10 with 5 active inspection templates; Premium is $24 a seat a month, billed yearly (Mitti pricing). Fleetio, fleet maintenance software, starts at $4 per vehicle a month billed yearly, or $5 monthly, with limited inspections. Those prices assume a 5-vehicle fleet, and there’s a 14-day free trial (Fleetio pricing).
- A work order app handles what comes after the check: the repair, the sign-off and the annual inspections. Our guide to free work order software compares free plans from MaintainX, Fiix, Coast and others.
Run inspection repairs with GoodTaco’s work order template
TRK-3’s worn tire was written up at 4:50 pm and fixed the next afternoon because it became a work order with a mechanic and a due date. GoodTaco’s work order template gives every failed item that path. Sign up free and you get your own copy. Its sample records are a property maintenance team’s buildings and boilers; clear them, then add your yards as sites and your trucks, trailers and forklifts as equipment.
Each defect is written up once. For trucks that need a driver’s report, the report stays the record: each morning, whoever reads the reports adds a work order for each defect. Vans, light pickups and forklifts don’t need a written report, so their drivers can send a defect from the template’s request link instead; it lands on the board as a request to review. Publish the app, then share the link. Only people signed in to your GoodTaco workspace can open the board and the work orders. Anyone else who has the link gets the request page and nothing more.
- Every defect gets an owner and a due date. The priority you pick sets the due date: Urgent the same day, High the next day, Normal within 7 days and Low within 14. The job shows in that mechanic’s My work, and goes on hold with what it’s waiting on, such as a part.
- The repair is written down once. Finishing a job asks what was done, the hours and the parts cost. Its number goes next to the mechanic’s sign-off on the driver’s report.
- Every defect on a unit stays on its page. Open TRK-3 and you see each of its work orders, open or done, with the hours and parts cost of the finished ones.
For annual inspections, add a repeating job for each unit every 12 months, and change “Create it this many days ahead” from 7 to 30 so there’s time to book the shop. Each work order is created that many days before it’s due when someone on your team who can edit opens the app, and it lands in the work order list and that mechanic’s My work. The next due date counts from the last due date, not the day the job was done, so set it a couple of weeks before each unit’s inspection runs out. Jobs are added one at a time; for a long list of units, ask GoodTaco to add an import.
To make it read like a yard, ask GoodTaco in plain words:
Rename sites to yards and equipment to units, with truck, trailer and forklift as the types. Add an “Out of service” switch to each unit that shows on the board, and a “Driver’s report date” on each work order.
Every version is saved, so you can roll back with one click. The app opens in any browser, including a phone’s.
GoodTaco is free to start. Paid plans start at $9 a month, and Pro at $49 a month includes 10 users; bigger teams talk to us about Enterprise.
If your inspection log already lives in a spreadsheet, like the one above, try our spreadsheet to app upload instead; no account needed.
Get every failed item fixed, signed off and on record. Start free, no credit card needed.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a daily vehicle inspection checklist?
The parts a driver can check on a walk-around: service and parking brakes, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, wheels and rims, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices and emergency equipment, plus fluid levels, leaks, belts, hoses and the load. Add the date, the unit number, the odometer reading, the driver's signature and space to describe any defect.
What are the 11 items on a DVIR?
Under 49 CFR 396.11, the driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) covers at least service brakes including trailer brake connections, the parking brake, the steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, the horn, windshield wipers, rear vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment.
Which vehicles need a DVIR?
Commercial motor vehicles used on highways in interstate commerce: a truck, or a truck and trailer together, rated at or weighing 10,001 pounds or more, a vehicle designed or used to carry more than 8 people for pay or more than 15 not for pay, counting the driver, and any vehicle carrying hazardous materials that need placards. Carriers that run only one commercial motor vehicle, driveaway-towaway operations (such as delivering an empty vehicle on its own wheels to a dealer, buyer or repair shop) and private passenger carriers that aren't a business are exempt. Trucks that stay in one state follow that state's rules.
Do drivers have to fill out a DVIR every day?
Only when there's a defect. Drivers of commercial motor vehicles prepare a written report at the end of each day's work for each vehicle they drove, but no report is needed when no defect was found or reported. Drivers still check the vehicle before every trip.
How often does a commercial vehicle need a DOT inspection?
At least once every 12 months. Under 49 CFR 396.17, every commercial motor vehicle, including each trailer in a combination, must have passed a periodic inspection in the last 12 months, with proof of it on the vehicle. The inspector's report is kept for 14 months. State inspection programs that meet the federal standards count.
Are forklift inspections required by OSHA?
Yes. Under 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7), each forklift is examined before it's used, at least daily, and after each shift where forklifts run around the clock. A forklift with a condition that affects safety isn't used until it's fixed. The examination doesn't have to be written down, but a signed checklist shows it was done.
What happens if a vehicle fails a pre-trip inspection?
If the defect affects safety, the vehicle stays parked until it's repaired. Write up the defect, tag the vehicle out of service, and turn the repair into a work order. For commercial trucks, the carrier certifies on the driver's report that the defect was repaired or that no repair was needed, and the next driver reviews and signs it before driving.
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