PDF template
Vehicle defect report form.
A defect report form that records what was found, who was told, what was done about it and when the vehicle was fit to use again.
This is the paper version. FleetOptix does the same job on a phone, with the record filed against the vehicle or the driver automatically.
What is on the sheet
- The defect as the driver described it, in their words
- Vehicle, driver, date and time reported
- What was done, by whom, and the date of rectification
- A sign-off that returns the vehicle to service
Why this record matters
The defect report is the document that closes the loop a walkaround check opens. On its own a check proves somebody looked; the defect report proves what happened next, and it is the second half that an examiner reads most closely, because it shows whether the system actually changes anything.
An unclosed defect is worse evidence than no defect at all. A form with a reported date and an empty rectification line, filed and forgotten, demonstrates that the fleet knew about a fault and has no record of fixing it.
Use it with
- HGV walkaround check sheetA printable daily walkaround check sheet for HGVs, covering the items a driver is expected to inspect before the vehicle is used and the record that proves they did.
- PMI safety inspection sheetA preventative maintenance inspection sheet recording the safety-critical items checked, the measurements taken and the declaration that the vehicle is roadworthy.
- Roadworthiness guide summary checklistA summary checklist drawn from the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, for operators auditing their own maintenance arrangements against it.
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. General guidance, not legal advice. Checked October 2026.