The daily walkaround check is a legal obligation for every UK operator running goods vehicles or PSVs. Miss it, skip the records, and the Traffic Commissioner has all the evidence they need. This is the law, the full checklist, and the records you must keep.
Template · Fleet
DVSA daily walkaround check, sorted.
The daily walkaround check is a legal obligation for UK goods vehicle and PSV operators. Here is the legal basis, the full inline checklist, and the records you must keep.
Free forever: 20 reports a month. No card, no trial clock.
The law
Why the check is non-negotiable
The Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to use a vehicle in a dangerous condition. The DVSA's Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness requires a systematic daily check before any vehicle goes on the road. Missed checks and incomplete records are significant evidence of poor compliance when the Traffic Commissioner reviews your operator licence.
Who does what
Driver and operator duties
- 1
Driver
Carries out the check before use, reports any defect found, and never drives a vehicle with a safety-critical defect.
- 2
Operator
Puts the system in place, ensures defects are rectified before service, and keeps the records that prove compliance.
The records
Keep them for 15 months
Walkaround check records must be retained for at least 15 months and be available for DVSA inspection at the operating centre. Electronic records are accepted, provided they are tamper-evident and can be produced on request. A defect that affects roadworthiness means the vehicle must not be used until it is rectified.
On WhatsApp
Defects flagged before the driver leaves the yard
Quickler sends the checklist to the driver's WhatsApp each shift. Any flagged defect lands on the fleet manager's dashboard in red, with a photo, timestamped and tied to vehicle and driver. The record is searchable immediately.
The short version
- The daily walkaround check is a legal obligation for operators holding a goods vehicle or PSV licence. Every operator licence walkaround check is shared between the driver who runs it and the operator who owns the records.
- Records must be retained for at least 15 months and be available for DVSA inspection at the operating centre.
- A safety-critical defect found on the check must be reported immediately, and the vehicle must not be used until it is rectified.
- This dvsa walkaround check free template gives you the full vehicle walkaround check checklist drivers can work through in minutes.
- Electronic records satisfy the requirement, provided they are tamper-evident and retained for the required period.
The law
Why the check is non-negotiable
The Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to use, cause, or permit a motor vehicle to be used on a road in a dangerous condition. Operators holding a standard or restricted operator licence have a specific obligation under their licence conditions to keep vehicles fit and serviceable.
The DVSA's Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness sets out how you discharge that duty. It requires a systematic daily check of every vehicle before it goes on the road, carried out by the driver or a competent person. The driver reports defects. The operator ensures the vehicle is roadworthy and keeps the records of checks and rectifications.
The Traffic Commissioner reviews your compliance record when deciding whether to grant, renew, or revoke an operator licence. Missed checks, defects driven on, and incomplete records are significant evidence of poor compliance management.
Who carries the can
Driver duties versus operator duties
The driver carries out the check before the vehicle is used, reports any defects found, and never drives a vehicle with a safety-critical defect. A driver cannot be required to use a vehicle they know to be dangerous. If a driver is pressured to run a vehicle in a known defective condition, the operator carries the liability.
The operator's duty is broader. The operator puts in place a system that makes the daily check happen, ensures defects are rectified before the vehicle returns to service, and maintains records. The check sheet is the operator's evidence that the system works. Without records, the operator cannot demonstrate compliance to the Traffic Commissioner. That is why the daily walkaround check template uk operators rely on doubles as your audit trail.
The checklist
The full DVSA walkaround check
Here is the complete vehicle walkaround check checklist. Work through it top to bottom, every shift, before the wheels turn. This is the dvsa daily check template your drivers can follow in minutes.
- Tyres: Condition of all tyres including spare. No cuts, bulges, or exposed cord. Tread depth at or above the legal minimum (1.6mm for goods vehicles on the central three-quarters of the tread). No under- or over-inflation. Wheel nuts secure.
- Wheels: No visible cracks, damage, or corrosion. All wheel nuts present and secure. No unusual looseness or play.
- Headlights: Both operational on main beam and dipped beam. Lenses clean and undamaged.
- Brake lights: All operational. Check by walking behind the vehicle while an assistant operates the brake pedal.
- Indicators: All operational front and rear. Check hazard lights too.
- Reversing lights: Operational where fitted.
- Side and marker lights: All operational. Relevant for longer vehicles.
- Number plate lights: Operational. The rear plate must be illuminated at night.
- Mirrors: All present, clean, and correctly adjusted. No cracks or damage to mirrors or mountings. Extended mirrors secure where fitted.
- Windscreen: No cracks or chips in the driver's line of sight. Clean inside and out. Screen wash reservoir full.
- Wipers: Both front wipers operational and blades in good condition. Rear wiper where fitted.
- Horn: Operational.
- Engine oil: Level checked and within range. No oil leaks under the vehicle.
- Coolant: Level checked and within range. No coolant leaks.
- Brake fluid: Level checked and within range.
- Power steering fluid: Level checked and within range where applicable.
- Fuel: Adequate for the day's work. No fuel leak.
- Load security: Load correctly loaded, secured, and within the vehicle's gross vehicle weight. No overhanging or unsecured items. Curtainsider straps tight and buckles secure where applicable.
- Body and doors: No damage that could injure other road users or let a load shift. Cab doors close and latch correctly. Body doors secure. No loose trim or bodywork.
- Exhaust: No excessive smoke on start-up. Exhaust system secure.
- Brakes: Pedal feel normal, not spongy or low. Air brake pressure builds correctly on air brake vehicles. Parking brake holds on a gradient. No brake noise or pulling under application.
- Steering: No excessive play. No unusual noises on full lock.
On WhatsApp
How Quickler runs the check
Quickler sends the walkaround checklist to the driver's WhatsApp at the start of each shift. The driver works through each item, typing yes or no, or sending a photo of a defect. Any flagged defect lands on the fleet manager's dashboard in red, before the driver has left the yard.
The check takes the same time as a paper one. The record is timestamped and tied to the vehicle and driver. Defects are photographed at the point they are found, not described in writing. At month end, the operator has a complete, exportable record of every check, by which driver, on which vehicle, on which date.
Firms filing paper sheets in a folder generate the record, but cannot retrieve it. Finding the sheet for a specific vehicle on a specific date six months ago means a manual search. The digital record is searchable in seconds. See the van check app for UK fleets, the van defect report template, and the fleet vehicle inspection checklist.
Questions, answered
Is a daily walkaround check a legal requirement for UK operators?
Yes. Operators holding a standard or restricted goods vehicle or PSV operator licence have a statutory obligation to ensure vehicles are not used on the road in a dangerous condition. The DVSA's Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness requires drivers to carry out a daily walkaround check. Failure to keep records is a factor the Traffic Commissioner considers when reviewing an operator licence.
How long must walkaround check records be kept?
DVSA guidance requires walkaround check records to be retained for at least 15 months. Records should be available for inspection at the operating centre. Electronic records are acceptable provided they are tamper-evident and can be produced on request.
What happens if a defect is found during the walkaround check?
Any defect must be reported immediately to the operator or transport manager. If it affects roadworthiness, brake performance, steering, tyres, or lights, the vehicle must not be used until rectified. The driver records the defect on the check sheet and the operator records the rectification action and date.
Can walkaround checks be completed electronically?
Yes. DVSA accepts electronic walkaround check records provided the system creates a tamper-evident audit trail and records are retained for the required period. Systems that deliver the check via a mobile app or WhatsApp and generate a timestamped PDF record satisfy these requirements.
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