Two DVSA documents cover the daily check on a heavy goods vehicle. The HGV daily walkaround checks guidance is written for drivers and lists what to look at. The Guide to maintaining roadworthiness is written for operators and transport managers and explains how the daily check fits into a maintenance system. This guide pulls the two together.
How often to check
The Guide to maintaining roadworthiness says at least one walkaround check should be done in every 24-hour period that the vehicle is in service. Vehicles doing arduous or off-road work may need more than one check in that time.
The drivers' guidance says to do the check before your journey.
Who does the check
DVSA's guidance tells drivers they are responsible for making sure the vehicle is safe to drive. The roadworthiness guide says the same responsibility is shared with the operator: drivers can be fined or prosecuted for roadworthiness offences, and operators are responsible for the condition of their vehicles too. The guide treats the "user" of a vehicle as both the driver and the person paying the driver.
An operator can hand the walkaround check to a responsible person who is not the driver. When that happens, the driver needs to see evidence that the check has been done before taking the vehicle out.
The roadworthiness guide also says the user of a towing vehicle is responsible for the roadworthiness of the trailer, even if the trailer belongs to someone else. So the trailer is part of the check.
What to check
DVSA's HGV list is longer than the van list because it covers air brakes, couplings, trailers and the markings a lorry has to carry. The table below summarises it. Use DVSA's page for the full detail and add anything specific to your vehicles, such as a crane, tipper gear or a tail lift.
| Area | What to look at |
|---|---|
| View | Windscreen not cracked, scratched, discoloured or heavily tinted. Mirrors and cameras present and nothing blocking the view. |
| Wipers and washers | Both work. Blades are not missing, damaged or worn. |
| Dashboard | Warning lights and gauges work, including engine, emissions, ABS and EBS warnings. |
| Steering and horn | Steering moves smoothly with power assistance and no jamming or excess play. Horn works and you can reach it from the seat. |
| Brakes | Air pressure builds correctly with no leaks. Footwell clear. Service brake and parking brake both work. |
| Height marker | The height shown in the cab is correct. It can change if the fifth wheel is moved or the load changes. |
| Cab | Seat belts undamaged, latch and retract. Cab mountings and tilt mechanism secure, doors close, steps safe. |
| Lights and reflectors | All lights and indicators work, with clean lenses of the right colour. Reflectors present, secure, the right colour and not covered. |
| Leaks, exhaust and AdBlue | Filler cap fitted properly. No fuel or oil leaking underneath with the engine running. No excessive exhaust smoke. Enough AdBlue. |
| Body | Fastenings, doors, panels, landing legs, sideguards and rear under-run guards secure. Spray suppression flaps fitted, undamaged and not clogged where required. |
| Battery and power | Battery secure, in good condition and not leaking. Know where any high voltage emergency cut-off switch is and that it works. On alternative fuel vehicles, know where the isolation switch is and check for leaks or damage. |
| Tyres and wheels | At least 1mm of tread, correct pressure, no deep sidewall cuts or cord showing, nothing trapped between twin wheels, wheel nuts secure. |
| Trailer and coupling | Brake lines and couplings clear and free from leaks or damage. Trailer parking brake works. Electrical connections secure. Trailer properly located in the fifth wheel or coupling with secondary locks in place. |
| Load | Secured so it cannot move. If in doubt, ask the person in charge of vehicle safety to arrange a check or have it resecured. |
| Plates and markings | Number plate complete, correctly spaced, clean and readable. Markings and warning plates visible and secure, including correct dangerous goods panels. |
| Other equipment | Any loading or specialist equipment fitted to the vehicle. |
DVSA suggests leaving the engine running after the first brake test, because an air leak is easier to hear that way.
Reporting defects in writing
Every defect found on the daily check, and any that show up during the journey, should be reported in writing to the person in your organisation who deals with vehicle defects. The roadworthiness guide says a defect must be the subject of a written report by the driver or another person responsible for recording defects.
DVSA's drivers' guidance lists what a report should contain:
- the vehicle registration or identification mark
- the date
- the defects or symptoms
- the driver's assessment of each defect, for example whether it is dangerous
- the driver's name
- who the defect was reported to
The roadworthiness guide adds two items for the office to complete: the repair work done and the date it was finished. A defect report with no record of the repair leaves the job half done on paper.
If a defect appears on the road, find a safe place to stop, then assess and report it. A dangerous defect must be fixed before the vehicle carries on.
Nil defect reports
DVSA's drivers' guidance says to use a form that lists every item checked each day and to record "nil" defects when nothing is wrong. The roadworthiness guide says a reporting system should include nil reporting where practicable, describes keeping nil reports as good practice, and recommends holding on to them for at least 3 months.
Nil reports matter because they are the only evidence that a check happened on a day when nothing was found. Without them, a run of quiet days looks the same as a run of missed checks.
How long to keep records
The roadworthiness guide says drivers' defect reports used to record faults and repairs must be kept for at least 15 months. It treats any report listing defects as part of the vehicle's maintenance record. Safety inspection records have the same 15-month minimum.
Roadside checks
Police and DVSA officers can stop lorries, vans, buses and coaches, either at the roadside or at a testing site. According to DVSA's page on roadside vehicle checks, they look at load weights and type, roadworthiness, tachograph records, the driver's vocational licence and whether the operator holds a valid licence. Failing to stop when a uniformed officer asks is an offence.
DVSA's walkaround guidance says officers can ask to see a record of your walkaround check at a roadside check. If they find a problem, they can issue a fine, or a prohibition that stops the vehicle being driven until the problem is fixed. The roadworthiness guide explains that a prohibition can take effect immediately or be delayed by up to 10 days, and stays in place until an examiner is satisfied the vehicle is fit for service. Using an HGV in a dangerous condition can lead to an unlimited fine and a prison sentence.
Paper or electronic records
Both work. The roadworthiness guide accepts electronic records of reported defects, provided they are available for 15 months along with the record of the repair. It says electronic defect reporting systems can be an effective way to manage drivers' walkaround checks, and that the data must be easy to get at for management and enforcement. DVSA publishes example defect report forms as annexes to the guide if you want a paper template.
Whichever you use, the questions an auditor or examiner will ask are the same: was the vehicle checked every day it was used, were defects reported, and what happened to each one.
Where VCT fits
VCT puts the daily check on the driver's phone in a web browser. You edit the checklist to add HGV items such as air build-up, coupling security and height markers. Drivers mark each item green, amber or red, and anything red or amber lands in a work queue with an owner. A defect only clears when a later check marks the same item green, and every check and defect is kept for the compliance pack PDF. VCT also checks each truck's road tax with DVLA and its annual test with DVSA every night. See HGV fleet compliance with VCT and the walkaround check app for details.
VCT follows DVSA's walkaround check guidance. It is not approved or accredited by DVSA, and it does not schedule safety inspections, manage operator licences, analyse tachograph data or track Driver CPC.
Sources
- DVSA: Carry out daily heavy goods vehicle (HGV) walkaround checks
- DVSA: Guide to maintaining roadworthiness
- DVSA: Roadside vehicle checks for commercial drivers
Checked on 14 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.