HGV Daily Walkaround Check Tool UK

Q: What information should a defect report contain?

Record the vehicle identifier, date, defect or symptoms, assessment, reporter and who received the report, including nil defects where none are found.

Q: How long should walkaround records be kept?

DVSA roadworthiness guidance says electronic defect and repair records must be available for 15 months and recommends retaining nil-defect reports for at least 3 months.

Use this free digital HGV daily walkaround checklist to inspect a vehicle and every trailer used, record nil defects or written safety concerns, preserve tractor checks during a trailer swap, and export a professional defect report.

Free UK HGV Safety Tool

HGV Daily Walkaround Check & Defect Report

Complete a structured DVSA-aligned vehicle and trailer check, record nil defects or safety concerns, swap trailers without repeating tractor checks, and download a clear daily record.

27 DVSA check areasMultiple trailer swapsNil-defect reportingPDF & CSV exportSaved on this device

How to use this daily walkaround check

Add journey details.
Enter the driver, company, vehicle registration, date and check time.
Inspect the vehicle.
Mark every applicable item Pass, Defect or N/A and describe each defect.
Check every trailer.
Add the attached trailer. If it changes, use Swap trailer to open a fresh trailer-only checklist.
Complete and export.
Confirm who defects were reported to, save the record and download PDF or CSV.

Driver, vehicle and check details

Driver name *

Company / operator *

Vehicle registration *

Check date *

Check time *

Location / depot

Is a trailer attached?

Odometer (optional)

Checklist progress0 of 0

Vehicle and cab checklist

Defect report and declaration

Items checked0

Defects found0

Trailers checked0

Record statusDraft

Overall defect assessment

Defects reported to

Report time

Additional notes / symptoms

I confirm I completed a meaningful walkaround check and the information recorded is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Draft check — complete every applicable item before finalising.

Restore JSON

Walkaround records saved on this device

Drafts and completed reports are stored in this browser. Download and retain company records under your operator's policy; defect reports and repair records may need to be available for at least 15 months.

Professional HGV Walkaround Checks and Trailer Swap Records

Drivers are responsible for making sure an HGV is safe before a journey. This free digital checklist follows the 27 areas in the DVSA daily walkaround guidance and lets a driver record a positive nil-defect report or describe faults and symptoms in writing.

Check every trailer used

DVSA roadworthiness guidance says the whole vehicle combination should be checked and, where trailers change multiple times, each trailer used should be checked. The Swap trailer control preserves the vehicle inspection and creates a fresh, timestamped trailer checklist.

Record defects clearly

A useful report identifies the vehicle, date, reporter, defect or symptom, assessment and who received the report. Dangerous defects must be fixed before the journey continues.

Keep an audit trail

Electronic defect records are acceptable when they are reliable and available. Export completed records and follow your operator's retention and repair-sign-off process. Defect and rectification records should generally be retained for at least 15 months.

Official guidance first

This independent tool supports a check; it does not replace driver training, an operator's approved defect system or professional assessment. Read the official GOV.UK HGV walkaround guidance.

Privacy: records stay in this browser unless you download or share them. Clearing browser data, using private browsing or changing devices can remove local records, so export important reports.

HGV Daily Walkaround Check FAQs

Do I need to check a replacement trailer?

Yes. Where trailers are changed, each trailer used should be checked. Use Swap trailer: tractor and cab checks remain, while the newly attached trailer starts its own blank checklist.

What information should a defect report contain?

Record the vehicle registration or identifier, date, defects or symptoms, your assessment, your name and who the defect was reported to. A daily checklist should also record nil defects.

How long should walkaround records be kept?

DVSA roadworthiness guidance says electronic defect reports and repair records must be available for 15 months. It recommends keeping nil-defect reports for at least 3 months. Follow your operator's policy.

Can I use this tool offline or on a phone?

The interface is mobile friendly and records are saved locally after the page loads. Important records should still be downloaded because browser storage can be cleared.