A daily vehicle inspection report is the driver's record of the vehicle they are about to drive or have just driven: what they checked, what they found wrong, and — if something was wrong — who repaired it and who looked at the repair before the next shift. This form covers the walk-round and the paper trail after it, and you can fill it in here and download the finished report as a PDF without creating an account.
A daily check that actually finds things
Daily checks rarely fail by being skipped. They fail by being ticked from the driver's seat. A good one is a walk, the same route every time, with hands on things:
- Read the last report before anything else. If it listed a defect, find the repair note before you start the engine.
- Look under the vehicle where it stood overnight. A fresh drip is easier to see on the ground than on the engine.
- Touch the tyres and look at the inside edges, not only the faces you can see from the kerb.
- Work the lamps with a helper, or against a shop window or the reflection in another vehicle.
- On air brakes, listen for leaks with the engine off and the brakes released, then again with them applied.
- Finish in the cab: warning lamps out, horn, wipers, mirrors set for you, belt on.
The rule, in one paragraph
In the US, the written driver vehicle inspection report for commercial motor vehicles comes from 49 CFR 396.11, and the next driver's review of it from 396.13. Who it applies to, when a no-defect report can be skipped, and how long reports are kept are covered in our post DVIR explained (blog.reportwalk.com/dvir-explained/). For the walk-round itself, item by item, see the pre-trip inspection checklist (blog.reportwalk.com/pre-trip-inspection-checklist/). Outside the US the names differ, but operator rules in most countries expect the same thing: a daily check, defects reported in writing, and repairs recorded.
Defect, certify, review — the loop that matters
A report that lists a defect starts a loop with three signatures. The driver signs for what they found. A mechanic or supervisor certifies that each defect has been repaired, or that repair is not needed for the vehicle to be driven safely. The next driver reads both and signs before setting off.
On this form, answering Yes to "did you find any defect today?" opens the defect log, the repair certification and the next driver's review on the same record, so the loop cannot be closed on a different piece of paper that goes missing. With no defects, the driver's signature closes the report.
Safe to drive, or not
Every defect gets a call: does it affect safe driving? Brakes, steering, tyres, wheel fixings, coupling, lamps needed for the conditions, the windscreen in the driver's view — if any of these are wrong the vehicle does not move until it is repaired. A torn seat cover or a broken interior lamp is reported and booked, and the vehicle carries on.
When the driver is not sure, the answer is that it affects safe driving. A mechanic can downgrade a defect on the repair certification; nobody can undo a crash.
Common questions
What is a DVIR?
A driver vehicle inspection report: the written record of a driver's check of a commercial vehicle, listing any defect that would affect safe operation or could cause a breakdown. When a defect is listed, the repair is certified on it and the next driver signs it after reviewing it.
Do I need a report if there are no defects?
Under US rules, since 2014 drivers of property-carrying commercial vehicles do not have to prepare one when no defect is found; drivers of passenger-carrying vehicles still do. Many fleets require a daily report from every driver anyway, because a signed no-defect report is the only evidence the vehicle was checked.
Who signs the repair certification?
Someone acting for the carrier or fleet — usually the mechanic who did the work or the maintenance supervisor. They certify either that the defect was repaired or that repair is not needed before the vehicle is driven again.
How long should daily vehicle inspection reports be kept?
For US commercial vehicles, the original report, the repair certification and the next driver's review are kept for three months from the date of the report. Many fleets keep them longer with the vehicle's maintenance file.
What is the difference between a pre-trip and a post-trip inspection?
The pre-trip is the driver making sure the vehicle is safe before driving it, including reading the last report. The post-trip is the end-of-day check that produces the report for the next driver and the workshop. This form records either, or both.
Can one report cover a truck and its trailer?
Yes. Answer Yes to the trailer question and the coupling and trailer checks appear, with the trailer number. Defects on the trailer go in the same defect log, with the trailer named in the location.