Vehicle Inspection Checklist for Company Vehicles

By Nicole Hullihen, former SaaS Chief Operating Officer and Microsoft MVP · Updated October 24, 2026

Company vehicles keep many small businesses running: service vans, pickup trucks, delivery cars and box trucks. When one breaks down on the way to a job, you lose time and money. When a safety problem goes unnoticed, someone can get hurt. A simple vehicle inspection checklist catches problems early, keeps drivers safe and protects your investment.

This guide includes a free pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspection checklist, explains what to check, how to handle defects, what federal rules apply to commercial motor vehicles, how to pay drivers for inspection time and how to keep records.

Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Commercial motor vehicles are subject to detailed federal and state rules. If you operate commercial motor vehicles, review the FMCSA regulations that apply to you.

Why Inspect Company Vehicles?

• Safety: catch brake, tire and lighting problems before they cause an accident.
• Fewer breakdowns: small issues get fixed before they become big repairs.
• Lower costs: preventive maintenance is cheaper than emergency repairs.
• Accountability: a record of vehicle condition when each driver takes it.
• Compliance: commercial motor vehicles have specific federal inspection rules.

Pre-Trip vs. Post-Trip Inspections

Free Vehicle Inspection Checklist

What to Check and Why

Federal Rules for Commercial Motor Vehicles

Many small business vehicles, like cars and light pickups used locally, aren't commercial motor vehicles under federal rules. But larger trucks often are. Under 49 CFR 390.5, a commercial motor vehicle includes a self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property that has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, or meets certain passenger or hazardous materials thresholds.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs)

Under 49 CFR 396.11, motor carriers must require drivers to prepare a written report at the end of each day's work on each vehicle operated. The report covers parts and accessories including service brakes, parking brake, steering, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear vision mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims and emergency equipment.

• When a report is required: the rule requires a report when the driver finds or is told of a defect or deficiency that would affect safe operation or result in a mechanical breakdown. If no such defect is found, no report is required.
• Repairs: before the vehicle is operated again, the carrier must repair any listed defect likely to affect safety and certify on the report that the defect was repaired or that repair was unnecessary.
• Retention: the original report, the repair certification and the certification of the driver's review must be kept for three months from the date the report was prepared.
• Exceptions: the rule doesn't apply to private motor carriers of passengers (nonbusiness), driveaway-towaway operations or motor carriers operating only one commercial motor vehicle.
• Electronic reports are allowed under FMCSA rules.

Before Driving

Under 49 CFR 396.13, before driving a motor vehicle, the driver must be satisfied that it's in safe operating condition, review the last driver vehicle inspection report when one is required and sign it to acknowledge that required repairs were certified.

These rules are detailed and there are other FMCSA requirements for commercial vehicles. If you operate them, review the regulations or talk with a transportation safety professional.

Handling Defects

1. Record the defect clearly on the checklist.
2. Decide if it's safe to drive. If not, don't drive it; tag it out of service.
3. Report it to the person responsible for maintenance the same day.
4. Repair or document that repair isn't needed.
5. Sign off the repair before the vehicle goes back into service.
6. Keep the records.

Paying Drivers for Inspection Time

For hourly, non-exempt employees, vehicle inspections required by the employer are work. The Department of Labor says work not requested but suffered or permitted to be performed is work time that must be paid for, and federal rules count the time between the first and last principal activities of the workday. Have drivers clock in before the pre-trip inspection and clock out after the post-trip inspection. See travel time pay for hourly employees.

Recordkeeping

• Keep completed checklists for each vehicle in one place, paper or digital.
• For commercial motor vehicles, keep DVIRs and repair certifications at least as long as federal rules require.
• Track recurring defects by vehicle.
• Use inspection records to plan maintenance and replacement.
• Pair inspection records with mileage logs. See the mileage rate guide and tracker.

Vehicle Use Policy Basics

See the cell phone policy for driving and phone rules.

Example: A Plumbing Company With Five Vans

A plumbing company kept having vans break down on the way to jobs. The owner introduced a five-minute pre-trip checklist on a phone app and a post-trip defect report. In the first month, drivers flagged two worn tires, a burned-out brake light and a slow coolant leak, all fixed before they caused breakdowns. The owner now uses the reports to schedule maintenance and decide which vans to replace next year.

Common Mistakes

• Pencil-whipping the checklist without looking.
• Driving with known safety defects.
• No follow-up on reported defects.
• Inspections off the clock.
• No records for commercial motor vehicles.
• Ignoring trailers and towing equipment.
• Missing emergency equipment.

Vehicle Inspection Checklist: Getting Started

Training Drivers to Inspect

1. Walk around the vehicle with the driver and point out each item on the checklist.
2. Show what a defect looks like: worn tread, a bulging tire, a cracked mirror.
3. Have the driver do an inspection while you watch.
4. Explain when a defect means "don't drive."
5. Show how to report defects and who to call.

Refresh training once a year and whenever you add a new type of vehicle or equipment.

Seasonal Checks

Electronic Inspections

Many businesses move vehicle inspections to a phone app. Benefits include time-stamped records, photos of defects, automatic alerts to the person who handles repairs and easy searching. FMCSA rules allow electronic driver vehicle inspection reports for commercial motor vehicles. Whatever system you use, make sure drivers can complete it quickly and that someone acts on what they report.

Personal Vehicles Used for Work

If employees drive their own vehicles for work, you won't inspect them the same way, but you can still set expectations: a valid license and insurance, a vehicle in safe condition and a process for reporting accidents. Reimbursement and mileage rules are separate; see the mileage rate guide.

Quick Reference

Accident Procedures

Inspections reduce accidents, but drivers still need to know what to do if one happens:

1. Stop safely and check for injuries; call 911 if anyone is hurt.
2. Move to safety if possible and turn on hazard lights.
3. Call the police if required or if there's significant damage.
4. Exchange information with other drivers.
5. Take photos of all vehicles and the scene.
6. Report the accident to the company right away.
7. Complete an incident report.

Keep an accident kit in every vehicle with a copy of these steps, insurance information and a pen. See the employee incident report form.

Getting Started This Week

Print the checklist, put a few copies in each vehicle and walk through it with each driver. Ask drivers to complete it before their first trip each day for two weeks, and review the forms every Friday. Fix the defects they report quickly so drivers see that inspections lead to action. Then decide whether to move to a phone app for easier records.

Keep a simple log of each vehicle's defects and repairs. Over a year, it becomes a clear picture of which vehicles cost the most to keep on the road.

Maintenance Schedule

Follow each vehicle's owner manual for maintenance intervals, and use inspection reports to catch issues between scheduled service.

Questions Drivers Often Ask

Clear answers help drivers take inspections seriously and feel supported when they flag a problem.

Thank drivers who report problems. Every defect caught in the lot is one that won't cause a breakdown or accident on the road.

Track Drivers and Vehicles With Updoot

Updoot's mobile time clock lets drivers clock in before the pre-trip inspection, mileage tracking records trips and asset tracking keeps a record of each vehicle. SOP management keeps your inspection checklist and vehicle policy where every driver can find them.

Sources

• eCFR: 49 CFR 396.11, Driver Vehicle Inspection Report(s)
• eCFR: 49 CFR 396.13, Driver Inspection
• eCFR: 49 CFR 390.5, Definitions
• U.S. DOL: Fact Sheet #22, Hours Worked Under the FLSA

Frequently Asked Questions