Daily walk-around before the round
DVSA says you are responsible for making sure the van is safe to drive. Do a walk-around before you use it, and at least once in every 24 hours it is in service — hired van or your own. On multi-drop that check is also your van damage check before the shift: a scrape you did not photograph in the yard is a scrape they can try to hang on you later.
Start at the same corner every time. Look high (roof, cameras) and low (sills, tyres, puddles). If you find something dangerous, do not start the round.
Outside
- Bodywork: dents, scrapes, cracks, sharp edges, loose panels
- Doors, sliding door and tailgate shut and lock
- Mirrors in place, glass not cracked; cameras working
- Windscreen clear in the wiper sweep; no damage blocking the view
- Number plates fitted, readable and the right plates
- No puddles of oil, fuel, coolant or brake fluid under the van
- Fuel cap secure; AdBlue topped up if it is a diesel
- Exhaust: no leak, no excessive smoke or noise
- Tow bar or trailer, if fitted: secure, electrics work
Tyres and lights
- All tyres: legal tread, right pressure, no sidewall cuts, no cord showing
- Wheels and trims secure; no cracks
- Spare, if you have one, in the same condition
- Headlights, sidelights, fogs, indicators and reverse lights work
- Lenses clean and the right colour; marker lights if fitted
- Brake lights come on with the pedal and go out when you release it
- Washers and wipers work; washer bottle filled
- Horn works
You can get three penalty points for each tyre that is not safe and legal.
Inside and load area
- Warning lights on the dash behave as they should after start-up
- Steering: no excessive play; power steering works
- Footwell clear; foot brake and parking brake work, no excessive travel
- Seat secure; seat belt not cut or frayed, latches and retracts
- Load area: floor, bulkhead and body in good condition
- Parcels and cages will not shift; van doors lock
- Tail lift, if fitted: secure, undamaged, works
- Nothing loose in the cab that could fly forward
Documents
- Driving licence
- Insurance, plus any hired-van paperwork
- MOT if the van needs one
- Defect book or depot sheet, if they use one
- Record the check: date, van reg, your name, defects or “nil defects”
DVSA can ask for a walk-around record at a roadside check if you drive for a business with an operator licence. Photos against the shift are what you reach for when someone says the scrape is new.
Photos to take
- Full van: front, rear, left side, right side
- Close-up of every existing dent, scrape, cracked light, torn bumper or scuffed wheel
- Load area and bulkhead if already marked
- Number plate in at least one shot
- Time and date on every photo (phone clock set correctly)
Nil defects / defects found
Reported to
Signature
Based on DVSA van walk-around checks, gov.uk. Last checked 2026-09. rydealog.com/van-check-checklist
Photo every existing damage with time and date
The walk-around keeps you legal. The photos keep you paid. Depots treat “it was already like that” as a story unless you can show the mark with a time before the first drop. Do it in the yard, before you pull out.
For each mark: one wide shot of the panel, one close-up. Keep the original so the timestamp stays. If you find fresh damage, photograph it, tell whoever issued the van, and do not start until they have it on record. Bald tyre, smashed light, brake warning or unsecured load: the van stays put.
How Rydealog files van-check photos by shift
Camera roll hides yesterday’s van check under two hundred doorstep photos. Rydealog keeps the four sides of the van against the shift they belong to: front, rear, left and right. Pull the check back when a deduction lands, or export a van-check PDF for the period.
Do this in Rydealog. Photos filed by shift. Free to start; van checks are on Pro.
FAQs
Do I have to do a van check on every multi-drop shift?
Yes. DVSA guidance is a meaningful walk-around check before you use the van, and at least once in every 24 hours the van is in service. On a long or rough round, another look at tyres and bodywork later in the day is worth it.
What photos should I take for a van damage check before the shift?
Photograph the front, rear, left side and right side, plus a close-up of every existing dent, scrape, cracked light, torn bumper or scuffed wheel. Keep the time and date on the photos. Include the number plate in at least one shot so the van is identified.
I hire the van from the depot. Do I still need a daily walk-around?
Yes. You are the driver, so you are responsible for making sure the van is safe to drive. If it is dangerous, DVSA can stop you using it. Existing damage you did not photograph is also the damage a hire desk can try to charge you for when you hand the keys back.
What if I find a defect during the round?
Find a safe place to stop, assess it, and report it. Dangerous defects — bald tyre, smashed light, brake warning, unsecured load — mean you do not continue. Photograph what you found. Using a van in a dangerous condition can bring an unlimited fine and a prison sentence.
How does Rydealog file van-check photos?
Rydealog files front, rear, left and right photos against the shift, instead of leaving them in camera roll. Pull the check back if a deduction lands, or export a PDF. Records help you find what you captured; they do not guarantee a depot, insurer or court will accept them.
Sources
Follows DVSA’s Carry out van daily walkaround checks and GOV.UK’s Guide to maintaining roadworthiness. See also Making sure your vehicle is roadworthy. Last checked 2026-09. Guidance can change.
More from Rydealog
Questions about the app, billing or your account: see support. Work out what a shift paid after van rent and fuel with the round pay calculator. Yellow lines and loading bays: delivery driver parking rules. Charged for a missing parcel: what to do. What you can claim: self-employed courier expenses. For stop tips, mileage and PODs as well as van checks, go to the Rydealog homepage. An honest roundup of mileage, routing and proof apps sits on best apps for UK delivery drivers. First peak: peak season survival guide.
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