Trailer inspection checklist
Updated · Reviewed by Israel Margulies, founder and CEO of High Point GPS
A checklist for inspecting a semi-trailer or utility trailer before it goes out: brakes and air or electrical connections, lights and reflectors, tires and wheels, the coupling and kingpin, landing gear, doors, floor and mud flaps, and the registration.
A trailer gets less attention than the truck pulling it, yet the federal DVIR rule (49 CFR 396.11) names trailer brake connections, lights and reflectors, tires, wheels and rims, and coupling devices among the items drivers report on. A checklist makes sure those get looked at every time a trailer is hooked up.
Use it as the trailer part of a pre-trip, when a trailer comes back from a customer, or as a yard check for trailers that sit. It doesn't replace the annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17.
Trailer inspection
Fields: Trailer no. · Type (dry van, reefer, flatbed, lowboy) · Plate and registration expiry · Inspected by · Date · Odometer / hub meter
Coupling
- Kingpin and upper coupler plate: no cracks or wear
- Glad hands and seals: no leaks
- Air lines and electrical cord: no chafing or damage
- Safety chains (utility trailers)
Brakes
- Brake chambers and slack adjusters
- Brake hoses and lines
- Brakes apply and release
- ABS warning light (where fitted)
Lights and reflectors
- Brake and tail lights
- Turn signals and clearance lights
- Reflectors and conspicuity tape
- License plate light
Tires and wheels
- Tread, inflation, cuts and bulges
- Lug nuts tight; no rust streaks
- Rims: cracks and damage
- Hub oil seals: no leaks
Body and frame
- Landing gear works; crank handle stowed
- Doors, hinges and seals; latches lock
- Floor: holes or broken boards
- Frame and crossmembers: cracks or bends
- Mud flaps
- Registration and annual inspection sticker current
Fill it in the right way
- Write the trailer number, type and plate at the top.
- Check the coupling first: kingpin, glad hands, lines and cord.
- Walk around and check brakes, lights, tires, wheels and body.
- Have someone apply the brakes and work the lights while you watch.
- Write down every defect and report it.
- Don't use the trailer if a defect affects brakes, tires, lights or coupling.
Tips
- Trailers that sit in the yard lose tire pressure and seize brakes: inspect before they go out, not just when they come back.
- Check hub oil levels on oil-bath hubs; a dry hub can lose a wheel.
- Write which axle and side a defect is on.
- Keep the annual inspection report and date with the trailer's record.
Do it in FleetZap
- Put a QR label on each trailer; the driver scans it to do the check on a phone without an account.
- Failing an item opens a repair work order for the shop and notifies the right people.
- Registration and annual inspection due dates can be tracked as compliance items with reminders.
- Checklists can include pass/fail, reading, photo and signature steps, with required steps that block closing.
- FleetZap records checks and repairs; it doesn't certify compliance.
FleetZap Maintenance
Work orders, PM, parts, compliance, assets and KPIs. Explore FleetZap Maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
What should a trailer inspection include?
Coupling and kingpin, air and electrical connections, brakes, lights and reflectors, tires, wheels and rims, landing gear, doors, floor, frame and mud flaps.
Is a trailer part of the DVIR?
Yes. 49 CFR 396.11 lists trailer brake connections, lights, reflectors, tires, wheels and coupling devices among the items the driver's report covers.
Do trailers need an annual inspection?
Commercial trailers are covered by the periodic inspection rule in 49 CFR 396.17, which requires an inspection at least once every 12 months.
How often should drivers inspect a trailer?
Every time they hook up and as part of the daily pre-trip, plus whatever your company policy adds.