Driver vehicle check sheet — the DVSA-style checklist
A daily walkaround check is the simplest way to prove a vehicle is roadworthy. Use the checklist below as-is on paper — or do the whole thing on a phone with Karqi and skip the filing cabinet.
The daily check sheet
For cars and light vans. Adjust for HGVs and PSVs.
- Tyres — pressure, tread depth, sidewalls, wheel nuts
- Lights — headlights, indicators, brake lights, reflectors
- Mirrors — clean, secure, undamaged
- Windscreen & wipers — clear, washers topped up
- Brakes — handbrake holds, no pulling, no warning lights
- Steering — no excess play, no warning lights
- Suspension — no obvious sagging or knocks
- Fluids — engine oil, coolant, washer fluid, no leaks under the vehicle
- Horn, seatbelts, dashboard warning lights
- Number plates — clean, legible, secure
- Load — secure, within weight limits, doors latched
- First aid / fire / spill kit (if carried)
Driver signature: ____________________ Date: ___________ Vehicle reg: ___________
Why paper sheets cost you more than they save
- Sheets go missing. The DVSA asks for last month's checks; you're shuffling through a glovebox.
- Drivers back-fill the form on Friday for the whole week. Not compliance, just paperwork theatre.
- Defects get noted, then forgotten. No photo, no escalation, no fix.
Or do the whole checklist on a phone
Karqi turns this sheet into a guided walkaround on your driver's phone. Every check timestamped, every defect with a photo, every record in one place when the DVSA asks.