[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":206},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-en-root-resources/trailer-inspection-checklist":3},{"content":4,"isFallback":182,"alternates":198},{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"description":180,"extension":181,"heroDark":182,"keywords":183,"locale":184,"meta":185,"navigation":189,"path":190,"seo":191,"sitemap":194,"stem":196,"translationKey":196,"__hash__":197},"content/resources/trailer-inspection-checklist.md","Trailer Inspection Checklist – Free Excel Template",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":177},"minimark",[10,47,93,135,141,147,155,161,168],[11,12,23,31],"essential-hero-lead-magnet-screenshot-section",{":formButton":13,":formFields":14,":image":15,":pitch":16,"buttonText":17,"downloadLink":18,"formName":19,"formTitle":20,"successMessage":21,"title":22},"{\"text\":\"Get Free Template\",\"type\":\"submit\",\"class\":\"btn btn--theme hover--theme submit\"}","[{\"name\":\"name\",\"type\":\"text\",\"class\":\"form-control name\",\"placeholder\":\"Name *\",\"autocomplete\":\"name\",\"required\":true},{\"name\":\"email\",\"type\":\"email\",\"class\":\"form-control email\",\"placeholder\":\"Email Address *\",\"autocomplete\":\"email\",\"required\":true}]","{\"src\":\"/assets/images/resources/trailer-inspection-checklist.webp\",\"alt\":\"Preview of the trailer register with status, next PM service, next annual inspection and open defects\"}","{\"body\":\"Run the same pre-trip trailer checks in UNIO24: each one is scheduled, done from a checklist and saved to the trailer's service history, from the web or the UNIO24Mobile app.\",\"link\":{\"text\":\"How maintenance management works\",\"href\":\"/product/maintenance-and-repair\"}}","Download Free","/assets/files/trailer-inspection-checklist.xlsx?v=2","Trailer Inspection Checklist Download","Download Your Free Template","Thanks! Your trailer inspection checklist is downloading now — check your Downloads folder. If it did not start, click Download Free again.","Free Trailer Inspection Checklist for Excel",[24,25,27],"template",{"v-slot:description":26},"",[28,29,30],"p",{},"A pre-trip checklist for each trailer, a log that keeps a trailer with a reported defect off the road until it's repaired, and a register of PM services and annual inspections due. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.",[24,32,33],{"v-slot:legal":26},[28,34,35,36,41,42,46],{},"By submitting this form, you hereby consent to the processing of your personal data and confirm that you have read and agree to the ",[37,38,40],"a",{"href":39},"/legals/privacy","Privacy Policy"," and the ",[37,43,45],{"href":44},"/legals/terms","Terms of Use",".",[48,49,50,55],"essential-content-section",{},[24,51,52],{"v-slot:title":26},[28,53,54],{},"What a trailer inspection covers",[24,56,57,60,68,90],{"v-slot:description":26},[28,58,59],{},"For commercial trailers the FMCSA rules set three layers. Before driving, the driver has to be satisfied the vehicle is in safe condition (49 CFR 396.13). Defects found on the road go on a driver vehicle inspection report, and the carrier repairs them before the vehicle runs again (396.11). And every commercial motor vehicle, trailers included, gets an annual periodic inspection (396.17), with the record kept for 14 months (396.21). Your own PM program sits on top of that.",[28,61,62,63,67],{},"The ",[64,65,66],"strong",{},"Pre-Trip Checklist"," prints one sheet per trailer per week, with a column for each day:",[69,70,71,78,84],"ul",{},[72,73,74,77],"li",{},[64,75,76],{},"Lights and visibility:"," brake, turn, tail, marker and clearance lights; reflectors and conspicuity tape; mud flaps.",[72,79,80,83],{},[64,81,82],{},"Brakes, tires and running gear:"," air lines and glad hands without leaks; slack adjusters, drums and linings; tire inflation, tread and sidewalls; lug nuts, rims and hub seals; springs, air bags and U-bolts.",[72,85,86,89],{},[64,87,88],{},"Coupling and body:"," kingpin and upper coupler, or hitch, safety chains and breakaway cable on a bumper-pull; landing gear fully up and the crank handle secured; doors, hinges, seals, floor and walls; cargo securement; registration and the annual inspection decal.",[28,91,92],{},"Dry vans, reefers, flatbeds and utility trailers use the same sheet. The coupling lines that don't apply are skipped.",[48,94,96,101],{"anchorId":95},"trailer-inspection-log",[24,97,98],{"v-slot:title":26},[28,99,100],{},"Keeping a written-up trailer off the road",[24,102,103,106,112,122],{"v-slot:description":26},[28,104,105],{},"A trailer rarely has a regular driver. The defect one driver writes up at the end of the day is easy to miss for the next driver, who hooks up at 5 a.m. The workbook keeps that link.",[28,107,108,111],{},[64,109,110],{},"Inspection Log."," One row per DVIR, PM service, annual inspection or repair, with PASS or FAIL. A FAIL stays an OPEN DEFECT until the repair date is entered.",[28,113,114,117,118,121],{},[64,115,116],{},"Trailer Register."," One row per unit, with type, location, plate and VIN. It reads the log and shows OUT OF SERVICE while a defect is open. It tracks two clocks. One is the PM service interval for each type, set on the ",[64,119,120],{},"Trailer Types"," tab: three months for vans, reefers and flatbeds, six for utility trailers, all editable. The other is the 12-month annual inspection. An annual inspection counts as a PM service too. Status reads OVERDUE when either clock has run out, DUE SOON two weeks before a PM or a month before the annual inspection, and IN SERVICE otherwise.",[28,123,124,125,129,130,134],{},"The annual inspection has to be done by a qualified inspector. The file keeps the date and the result. For the tractors and other vehicles, the ",[37,126,128],{"href":127},"/resources/maintenance-log-template","maintenance log template"," tracks service history. The ",[37,131,133],{"href":132},"/resources/forklift-inspection-checklist","forklift inspection checklist"," covers the trucks at the dock.",[136,137],"essential-use-cases-section",{":useCases":138,"subtitle":139,"title":140},"[{\"title\":\"Trucking & freight carriers\",\"description\":\"Trailer pools where no unit has one regular driver.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-networking\",\"color\":\"#FF5702\"},{\"title\":\"Private fleets\",\"description\":\"Distribution and manufacturing fleets running their own vans and reefers.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-data-flow\",\"color\":\"#0ea5e9\"},{\"title\":\"Construction & equipment haulers\",\"description\":\"Lowboys and equipment trailers moving machines between sites.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-data-copy\",\"color\":\"#f59e0b\"},{\"title\":\"Landscaping & field service\",\"description\":\"Utility trailers hitched to pickups, with chains and breakaway to check.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-mobile-search\",\"color\":\"#8b5cf6\"},{\"title\":\"Trailer rental & leasing\",\"description\":\"Units inspected before they go out and when they come back.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-exam\",\"color\":\"#10b981\"},{\"title\":\"Fleet maintenance shops\",\"description\":\"PM schedules and annual inspections across a mixed trailer fleet.\",\"icon\":\"flaticon-shield\",\"color\":\"#ec4899\"}]","Drivers do the pre-trip. The shop and the safety manager need the rest.","Who uses a trailer inspection checklist",[142,143],"essential-call-to-action-text-section",{":link":144,"text":145,"title":146},"{\"text\":\"Try UNIO24 Free\",\"url\":\"https://my.unio24.com/signup?utm_source=unio24-site&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=resources&utm_content=resources-trailer-inspection-checklist-whouses-cta\"}","In UNIO24 each trailer gets a QR tag. The driver scans it for the pre-trip, a defect becomes a repair ticket, and PM and annual inspections are scheduled as work orders.","DVIRs piling up on the dispatcher's desk?",[148,149],"essential-comparison-table-section",{":columns":150,":rows":151,"featureLabel":152,"subtitle":153,"title":154},"[{\"name\":\"Free Template\"},{\"name\":\"UNIO24 Free\",\"highlight\":true,\"badge\":\"Recommended for growing fleets\"}]","[{\"category\":\"Inspections\"},{\"feature\":\"Pre-trip checklist\",\"description\":\"The template prints a weekly sheet per trailer. UNIO24 runs the checklist on the driver's phone.\",\"values\":[\"partial\",true]},{\"feature\":\"Photos of the defect\",\"description\":\"The damaged tire or the leaking glad hand, attached to the report.\",\"values\":[false,true]},{\"category\":\"Defects and due dates\"},{\"feature\":\"Keep a written-up trailer out of service\",\"description\":\"The register shows OUT OF SERVICE from the log. UNIO24 also raises the repair and notifies the shop.\",\"values\":[\"partial\",true]},{\"feature\":\"PM and annual inspection dates\",\"description\":\"Both track them. UNIO24 schedules them as work orders before they are due.\",\"values\":[\"partial\",true]},{\"category\":\"Data & reliability\"},{\"feature\":\"Several terminals and drivers at once\",\"description\":\"A shared file gets overwritten. UNIO24 handles simultaneous users.\",\"values\":[\"partial\",true]},{\"feature\":\"Full history per unit\",\"description\":\"Every DVIR, repair, PM, and annual inspection kept together\",\"values\":[\"partial\",true]}]","Capability","The workbook is enough for a small fleet and one shop. With drivers across terminals, the log is only as current as whoever types it in.","Spreadsheet or UNIO24 — what fits your fleet?",[156,157],"essential-answer-question-section",{":questions":158,"subtitle":159,"title":160},"[{\"id\":1,\"question\":\"Is the trailer inspection checklist free?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. No cost, no subscription, no card. Enter your name and email and the Excel file downloads straight away.\"},{\"id\":2,\"question\":\"Do trailers need an annual DOT inspection?\",\"answer\":\"Yes, commercial trailers are commercial motor vehicles under 49 CFR 396.17 and need an annual periodic inspection. The record of it is kept for 14 months under 396.21, and many carriers also keep a decal on the trailer.\"},{\"id\":3,\"question\":\"What is a DVIR and does it cover the trailer?\",\"answer\":\"A driver vehicle inspection report under 49 CFR 396.11 lists defects found on the vehicle, including the trailer being pulled. The carrier repairs reported defects before the vehicle is operated again. In this file, a DVIR with defects is logged as a FAIL and keeps the trailer OUT OF SERVICE until the repair date is entered.\"},{\"id\":4,\"question\":\"How often should trailers get PM service?\",\"answer\":\"It depends on the trailer, the miles and your fleet program; there is no single federal interval. The template defaults to three months for vans, reefers and flatbeds and six for utility trailers. Change it on the Trailer Types tab.\"},{\"id\":5,\"question\":\"Does it work for utility and bumper-pull trailers?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. The checklist includes safety chains and the breakaway cable, and Utility / equipment trailer is one of the types. Whether federal inspection rules apply depends on weight and use, so check what applies to your operation.\"},{\"id\":6,\"question\":\"Who can do the annual trailer inspection?\",\"answer\":\"An inspector who meets the FMCSA qualification requirements, usually a qualified mechanic in your shop or an outside inspection facility. The file records the date and result; it does not replace the inspection report.\"}]","About trailer inspections and the template","Frequently Asked Questions",[162,163],"essential-article-list-section",{":articles":164,"sectionId":165,"subtitle":166,"title":167},"[{\"image\":\"/assets/images/resources/forklift-inspection-checklist.webp\",\"title\":\"Forklift Inspection Checklist\",\"description\":\"Daily pre-shift checks, a log that parks failed trucks, PM by date and hour meter.\",\"link\":\"/resources/forklift-inspection-checklist\"},{\"image\":\"/assets/images/resources/maintenance-log-template.webp\",\"title\":\"Maintenance Log Template\",\"description\":\"Service history and a preventive-maintenance schedule for vehicles and equipment.\",\"link\":\"/resources/maintenance-log-template\"},{\"image\":\"/assets/images/resources/incident-report-template.webp\",\"title\":\"Incident Report Template\",\"description\":\"A printable incident report form and a log that tracks each corrective action to closure.\",\"link\":\"/resources/incident-report-template\"}]","related-resources","The same register idea, applied to the rest of the fleet and the yard.","More templates for fleet and field equipment",[169,170],"essential-call-to-action-section",{":advantages":171,":primaryButton":172,"advantagesTone":173,"eyebrow":174,"subtitle":175,"title":176},"[\"✓ Free forever for 50 assets\",\"✓ Unlimited users\",\"✓ No credit card, no hardware\"]","{\"text\":\"Start Free with UNIO24\",\"url\":\"https://my.unio24.com/signup?utm_source=unio24-site&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=resources&utm_content=resources-trailer-inspection-checklist\"}","dark","When the register outgrows the file","UNIO24 is free for your first 50 assets: QR-tag each trailer, run the pre-trip from a phone, and schedule PM and annual inspections as work orders.","Got the checklist? Here's your next step.",{"title":26,"searchDepth":178,"depth":178,"links":179},2,[],"Free trailer inspection checklist for Excel: a pre-trip checklist per trailer, a log that keeps a trailer with a reported defect out of service, and a register of PM services and annual DOT inspections due.","md",false,"trailer inspection checklist, trailer inspection form, annual trailer inspection checklist, dot trailer inspection checklist, semi trailer inspection checklist, trailer pre trip inspection checklist, trailer maintenance checklist, fleet trailer inspection log","en",{"og":186,"author":188},{"image":187},"https://unio24.com/assets/images/ogimg.webp","UNIO24 Team",true,"/resources/trailer-inspection-checklist",{"title":192,"description":193,"ogImage":187},"Trailer Inspection Checklist (Free Excel, DOT)","Free trailer inspection checklist for Excel: pre-trip checks, a DVIR defect log, and PM and annual DOT inspection due dates per trailer.",{"loc":190,"lastmod":195},"2026-10-06T22:28:55+03:00","resources/trailer-inspection-checklist","BhHrEFOGbl9YY7a2KWzOTHd8iOTTF3Dr-zPoZcM3UDw",[199,202,205],{"locale":200,"path":201},"de","/de/resources/anhaenger-pruefung-checkliste",{"locale":203,"path":204},"fr","/fr/resources/check-list-remorque",{"locale":184,"path":190},1791597904388]