Every HGV must complete a daily walkaround check before it goes on the road, and DVSA can ask to see the record at a roadside stop. This guide sets out the full hgv walkaround check process for 2026, covering tyres, lights, brakes, coupling and marker plates, and shows where a digital vehicle check app such as SmartCam 4G fits alongside the physical inspection. SmartCam 4G timestamps each completed check and stores defect photos in the driver and manager portal, but it supports the legal inspection process rather than replacing it.
The walkaround check is a legal duty under the operator licence, not a paperwork exercise. This guide follows the structure DVSA sets out for daily HGV checks and adds the practical detail fleets ask about most: what to inspect, in what order, how long it realistically takes, and how digital vehicle checks change the record-keeping side of the job in 2026 without changing the inspection itself.
What you’ll need
- A vehicle-specific checklist covering every item the operator licence requires
- A smartphone or tablet if the fleet uses digital vehicle checks such as SmartCam 4G
- A torch for checking lights, indicators and the underside of the vehicle in low light
- A tyre tread depth gauge or reliable visual reference
- Access to the vehicle’s defect reporting route, whether that’s a paper book or an app
- Enough time before departure to complete every item properly rather than rushing the check
Step 1: Check tyres, wheels and mudguards
Start low and work around the vehicle systematically. Tyre condition is one of the most common causes of HGV prohibitions, so check tread depth, sidewall damage, uneven wear and correct inflation on every tyre, including inner twins on a twin-wheel axle.
Why it matters: a defective tyre on a loaded HGV is a serious safety and compliance risk, and DVSA treats tyre defects as a priority check item.
Walk the full circumference of each tyre rather than glancing at the outer face. Check wheel nuts for indicator paint or rust streaking that suggests a loose nut, and confirm mudguards are secure and undamaged.
Expected outcome: every tyre meets the legal tread depth and shows no cuts, bulges or embedded objects.
Common mistake: checking only the tyres visible from the driver’s side and missing damage on the nearside or inner twins.
Step 2: Inspect lights, indicators and reflectors
Lights confirm the vehicle is visible and predictable to other road users, which matters most in winter and on unlit rural routes.
Switch on headlights, sidelights, indicators, hazard warning lights, fog lights and the reversing light, then walk round the vehicle to confirm each one works and isn’t cracked or obscured by mud. Check reflectors and, on trailers, the rear marker plates.
Expected outcome: every lamp and reflector is clean, intact and working as intended.
Common mistake: testing lights from inside the cab only, without a second person or a walk-round confirmation that they’re actually illuminating.
Step 3: Check mirrors, windscreen and cab visibility
Mirrors and glass affect whether the driver can see pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles, which is the same visibility principle behind London’s Direct Vision Standard requirements for certain HGVs.
Check all mirrors are present, correctly adjusted, undamaged and clean. Inspect the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver’s line of sight, and confirm wipers and washers work.
Expected outcome: a clear, unobstructed view in every direction the mirrors cover.
Common mistake: adjusting mirrors after a different driver used the vehicle, rather than before setting off.
Step 4: Test brakes, steering and suspension
This is a safety-critical check that goes beyond a visual inspection.
Listen for air leaks on air-braked systems, check the brake warning lights extinguish correctly, and test the handbrake holds the vehicle on a slope. Check for uneven tyre wear that can point to steering or suspension faults, and look for oil leaks around axles and dampers.
Expected outcome: brakes apply smoothly, the parking brake holds, and there’s no unusual noise, leak or play in the steering.
Common mistake: skipping the air pressure build-up check when time is tight before departure.
Step 5: Check coupling, trailer connections and load security
For articulated and drawbar combinations, the coupling is one of the highest-risk points on the vehicle.
Confirm the fifth wheel or coupling is correctly engaged, check air and electrical lines are connected and undamaged, and verify the trailer brake and running lights work through the coupling. Check the load is secure and sheeted where required.
Expected outcome: the coupling shows no play, all lines are connected, and the trailer responds correctly to the brakes and lights.
Common mistake: assuming a coupling checked yesterday is still correct after a different trailer has been swapped in.
Step 6: Verify number plates, marker boards and warning plates
Statutory plates and markings are easy to overlook because they rarely fail, but a missing or obscured plate is still a reportable defect.
Check the front and rear number plates are clean, legible and correctly fitted, confirm rear marker boards and hazard warning panels (for example ADR plates on relevant loads) are present, and check the operator’s licence disc is displayed.
Expected outcome: every statutory plate and marking is visible and legible from a normal viewing distance.
Common mistake: a clean plate that’s become loose and tilted, which still fails inspection even though the lettering is readable.
Step 7: Record the check and report defects using digital vehicle checks
This is the step that’s changed most for fleets since digital vehicle checks became standard practice, and it’s where the inspection becomes an auditable record rather than a memory of what was looked at.
Once the physical inspection is complete, log the result through whatever system the fleet uses. On a SmartCam 4G-equipped vehicle, the driver works through a digital checklist on their phone or the in-cab device, photographs any defect found, and submits the check through the driver app. The timestamped record and any defect photos are then visible to the transport manager through the SmartCam portal, which is useful when DVSA or an insurer asks for evidence that a check actually took place on a specific date.
Why it matters: a paper record can be lost, filled in after the fact, or illegible. A digital vehicle check attaches a time, a location and, where a defect is flagged, photographic evidence to the inspection, which strengthens the operator’s own record-keeping without changing what DVSA requires of the driver.
The actions: open the digital vehicle check on the SmartCam 4G app before moving the vehicle, work through each item in the same order as the physical inspection, mark any defect found, attach a photo, and submit. If a defect is serious enough to affect roadworthiness, follow the fleet’s defect escalation process before the vehicle leaves the yard rather than after submitting the digital record.
Expected outcome: a complete, timestamped digital vehicle check record exists for that vehicle and that date, with any defects flagged and photographed rather than noted verbally.
Common mistake: completing the digital record from memory after the vehicle has already left site, which defeats the purpose of a same-day, same-location check. Digital vehicle checks support the driver’s and operator’s legal duties under the licence; they don’t replace the requirement to physically inspect, assess and repair the vehicle, and they don’t set their own retention rule separate from the operator’s existing record-keeping obligations. Fleets running mixed vehicle types often customise a walkaround checklist so the digital prompts match what each class of vehicle actually needs checked.
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Troubleshooting and common mistakes
Driver spots a defect after leaving the yard. Stop the vehicle at the earliest safe point, report the defect through the fleet’s driver defect reporting process, and do not continue the journey if the defect affects roadworthiness.
The app won’t load at a yard with poor signal. Digital vehicle checks still need to be completed before departure. Check the fleet’s guidance on offline or low-signal use, and fall back to a paper checklist as a backup rather than skipping the check.
Driver isn’t sure if something counts as a defect. When in doubt, report it. A reported non-defect costs a few minutes of review; an unreported real defect can cause a prohibition or a breakdown on the road.
Records aren’t reaching the transport office. Confirm the driver actually submitted the check rather than just opening it, and check the manager portal is being monitored daily rather than weekly.
A vehicle is shared between drivers on different shifts. Each driver completing a shift change should run their own walkaround check rather than relying on the previous driver’s record from earlier that day.
DVSA asks for the record at a roadside stop. Current DVSA guidance confirms officers may ask for evidence that a daily check took place. A digital vehicle check record with a timestamp and, where relevant, defect photos, is faster to produce than searching for a paper book.
Tools and resources
- SmartCam 4G digital vehicle checks: built-in checklist, photo capture and portal reporting for HGV walkaround checks, alongside SmartCam’s video telematics and tracking features
- A paper DVSA-style checklist: a sensible backup for low-signal yards or as a fallback during onboarding
- The fleet management portal: where completed digital vehicle checks and flagged defects are reviewed by the transport manager
- DVSA guidance on daily HGV walkaround checks: the current official source for what the check must cover and when it applies
FAQ
What is an HGV walkaround check and how often must it be done?
It’s a daily visual and functional inspection of the vehicle before it’s used, covering tyres, lights, brakes, mirrors, coupling and statutory plates. DVSA guidance confirms it’s required before the vehicle is driven on the day of use.
Can digital vehicle checks replace the legal walkaround check?
No. Digital vehicle checks such as SmartCam 4G record that the inspection happened and capture defect evidence, but the driver still has to physically inspect the vehicle. The app supports the record-keeping side, not the inspection duty itself.
What happens if DVSA asks to see my vehicle check record at a roadside stop?
DVSA guidance confirms officers may ask for evidence a daily check was carried out. A SmartCam 4G digital vehicle check record, with its timestamp and any defect photos, is usually quicker to produce than locating a paper logbook.
Can a driver access previous vehicle checks on their phone?
This depends on the system in use; check with the fleet’s own portal or app for how many past checks are accessible to the driver directly versus held centrally by the transport office.
Do digital vehicle checks help with a DVSA earned recognition audit?
Consistent, timestamped digital vehicle check records are the kind of evidence an operator typically presents in a DVSA earned recognition audit, alongside maintenance and driver hours records.
How does SmartCam 4G handle a defect found during the check?
The driver flags the item in the digital vehicle check, attaches a photo, and submits it. The transport manager sees the flagged defect through the portal and can follow the fleet’s own defect escalation process from there.
Conclusion
The HGV walkaround check itself hasn’t changed in 2026: tyres, lights, mirrors, brakes, coupling and statutory plates still have to be physically inspected before the vehicle moves. What’s changed is how fleets record that it happened. SmartCam 4G’s digital vehicle checks turn a daily inspection into a timestamped, photo-backed record that’s quick to produce at a roadside stop and easy for a transport manager to review centrally, which matters as much for day-to-day defect management as it does for compliance evidence. Pair the physical check with a digital vehicle check and defect reporting workflow and the daily HGV walkaround check becomes a record the operator can actually stand behind.
