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Trailer inspection checklist for equipment and utility trailers (free, printable)
Before towing, check the trailer and the hookup: coupler latched and pinned on the right ball or pintle, safety chains crossed and attached, breakaway cable on the truck and its battery charged, lights and brakes working, tires and lug nuts sound, ramps up and latched, and the load tied down. For semi-trailers, add the kingpin, fifth wheel lock, glad hands and landing gear.
- How often
- Before each trip
- The rule
- FMCSA 49 CFR 392.7
- Items
- 25 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Trailer inspection checklist for equipment and utility trailers
Before each trip
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitch and coupler | |||
| Ball or pintle size and ratingMatches the coupler; ball, mount and pin rated for the trailer | |||
| Coupler latched and pinnedFully down on the ball; latch closed with a pin or lock | |||
| Safety chainsCrossed under the tongue, hooked to the truck, not dragging | |||
| Breakaway cableClipped to the truck on its own point, not to the chains | |||
| Breakaway batteryCharged; pin in the switch | |||
| Electrical plug and cordFully seated; cord not chafed or dragging | |||
| Brake controllerGain set for the load; trailer brakes respond to the manual lever | |||
| Tongue jackFully raised; foot or wheel stowed | |||
| Lights | |||
| Tail, brake and turn lightsAll work on both sides with the truck connected | |||
| Clearance lights and reflectorsPresent, clean and working | |||
| Running gear | |||
| TiresNo cuts, bulges or sidewall cracks; tread OK; pressure per the label | |||
| Lug nuts and wheelsAll present and tight; no cracked wheels or rust streaks at nuts | |||
| Hubs and bearingsNo grease or oil thrown on the wheel; caps in place | |||
| Brakes and brake wiringWiring or lines intact; brakes not dragging | |||
| Springs, hangers and axlesNo broken leaves or hangers; U-bolts tight; axle square | |||
| Frame, tongue and fendersNo cracked welds; fenders secure and clear of the tires | |||
| Deck, ramps and load | |||
| DeckNo broken boards or holes; not slick with mud or oil | |||
| RampsRaised and latched or pinned for travel; no cracks | |||
| Tie-down pointsD-rings, stake pockets and rails not cracked or bent | |||
| Chains, binders and strapsRated for the load; no cut straps, stretched links or bent hooks | |||
| Load securedTied down at enough points; machine attachments lowered | |||
| Semi-trailer coupling | |||
| Kingpin and apronKingpin not bent or worn; apron not cracked | |||
| Fifth wheel lockedJaws closed on the kingpin shank; no gap at the apron | |||
| Glad hands and air linesSealed, no leaks; lines supported, not chafing | |||
| Landing gearFully raised; crank handle stowed | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on a trailer, item by item
Hitch and coupler
- Ball or pintle size and rating — Matches the coupler; ball, mount and pin rated for the trailer
- Coupler latched and pinned — Fully down on the ball; latch closed with a pin or lock
- Safety chains — Crossed under the tongue, hooked to the truck, not dragging
- Breakaway cable — Clipped to the truck on its own point, not to the chains
- Breakaway battery — Charged; pin in the switch
- Electrical plug and cord — Fully seated; cord not chafed or dragging
- Brake controller — Gain set for the load; trailer brakes respond to the manual lever
- Tongue jack — Fully raised; foot or wheel stowed
Lights
- Tail, brake and turn lights — All work on both sides with the truck connected
- Clearance lights and reflectors — Present, clean and working
Running gear
- Tires — No cuts, bulges or sidewall cracks; tread OK; pressure per the label
- Lug nuts and wheels — All present and tight; no cracked wheels or rust streaks at nuts
- Hubs and bearings — No grease or oil thrown on the wheel; caps in place
- Brakes and brake wiring — Wiring or lines intact; brakes not dragging
- Springs, hangers and axles — No broken leaves or hangers; U-bolts tight; axle square
- Frame, tongue and fenders — No cracked welds; fenders secure and clear of the tires
Deck, ramps and load
- Deck — No broken boards or holes; not slick with mud or oil
- Ramps — Raised and latched or pinned for travel; no cracks
- Tie-down points — D-rings, stake pockets and rails not cracked or bent
- Chains, binders and straps — Rated for the load; no cut straps, stretched links or bent hooks
- Load secured — Tied down at enough points; machine attachments lowered
Semi-trailer coupling
- Kingpin and apron — Kingpin not bent or worn; apron not cracked
- Fifth wheel locked — Jaws closed on the kingpin shank; no gap at the apron
- Glad hands and air lines — Sealed, no leaks; lines supported, not chafing
- Landing gear — Fully raised; crank handle stowed
How often a trailer has to be inspected
Check a trailer every time it's hooked up and before each trip, then recheck the hitch, straps and hubs at the first stop. The rules depend on what's doing the towing:
- Commercial motor vehicles. When the truck and trailer together are a CMV (for example, a combined weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce), 49 CFR 392.7 bars driving until the driver is satisfied that the service brakes "including trailer brake connections", lights, tires, wheels and rims, and "coupling devices" are in good working order. Each trailer in the combination also needs its own annual inspection (49 CFR 396.17).
- Breakaway brakes. Under 49 CFR 393.43, a trailer required to have brakes must have brakes that "apply automatically and immediately upon breakaway from the towing vehicle" and stay applied for at least 15 minutes.
- Construction jobsites. OSHA's start-of-shift vehicle check, 1926.601(b)(14), includes "trailer brake connections" and "coupling devices".
- Lighter trailers behind pickups and cars fall under state law, which sets when brakes, breakaway systems and safety chains are required. Check your state's rules.
If you haul machines as a motor carrier, the cargo securement rules for heavy vehicles, equipment and machinery are in 49 CFR 393.130.
How to hook up and check a trailer
Most trailer problems start at the hitch, so start there:
- Match the ball to the coupler. Both are stamped with their size, and the ball, mount and pin must be rated for the loaded trailer.
- Lower the coupler fully onto the ball, close the latch and fit the pin or lock. Crank the jack up a little: the back of the truck should rise with the trailer, proving the coupler is held.
- Cross the safety chains under the tongue and hook them to the truck's frame-mounted loops, with hooks closed and no more slack than you need to turn.
- Clip the breakaway cable to the truck on its own point, not to a safety chain.
- Plug in and test the lights with a helper: tail, brake and turn signals on both sides, and the clearance lights.
- Test the brakes: set the controller for the load, then squeeze the manual lever at walking pace and feel the trailer pull back.
- Walk round the trailer: tires, lug nuts, hubs, springs, fenders and the frame.
- Check the deck and load: ramps up and latched, tie-down points sound, chains and straps rated and tight, and any machine's bucket or blade lowered to the deck.
- Raise the jack fully, stow the chocks, and stop after the first few miles to check the straps, the hitch and how hot the hubs are.
The defects that take a trailer out of service
These keep a trailer off the road until they're fixed:
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Coupler won't latch, or the ball is the wrong size | The trailer can jump off the ball over the first bump |
| Safety chains missing, damaged or with open hooks | Nothing holds the trailer if the coupler fails |
| Breakaway battery dead or cable missing | A runaway trailer won't brake itself |
| Brake lights or turn signals out | Drivers behind can't see you stop or turn |
| Tire bulge, exposed cords or loose lug nuts | Blowouts and wheels coming off, often at highway speed |
| Cracked tongue or frame, or a broken spring | The trailer can fold or drop under load |
| Ramps that won't latch, or cracked tie-down points | Ramps swing out in traffic; loads shift or come off |
What to do when something fails
Unhook it or don't tow it, tag it, and report it. Hang an out-of-service tag on the coupler so nobody hooks up to it, and take a photo of the problem for the person repairing it. If the trailer is part of a commercial motor vehicle, a defect that affects safe operation goes on the driver vehicle inspection report and must be repaired and certified before it's used again. What to do when equipment fails inspection covers the rest.
Keeping the record
For commercial motor vehicles, defects found on the trailer go on the DVIR, which is kept for three months; see DVIR requirements. For other trailers, no rule requires a written check, but a dated record of who hooked up and checked each trailer is how you show it happened, and it tracks tire and bearing problems over time.
On a phone, a QR sticker on the trailer tongue opens this checklist for that trailer. Whoever hooks up scans it, answers the items, and a problem reaches you by email with photos straight away and warns the next person who scans it until it's fixed.
Skip the clipboard
Put this trailer inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Trailer 1
Trailer inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
Should trailer safety chains be crossed?
Yes, crossing them under the tongue is standard practice: if the coupler comes off the ball, the crossed chains form a cradle that catches the tongue instead of letting it hit the road. Hook them to the truck's frame-mounted loops with no more slack than you need to turn, and check your state's towing rules.
How do you test a trailer breakaway system?
With the trailer hooked up and plugged in, pull the breakaway pin out of its switch and try to pull forward slowly: the trailer brakes should hold. Put the pin back straight away, because the system drains the battery while it's applied. Check the battery's charge indicator if it has one.
Where should the trailer breakaway cable be attached?
To the tow vehicle, on its own attachment point rather than the safety chains or the hitch ball, with enough slack to turn but short enough to pull the pin if the trailer separates.
How do you secure a machine on an equipment trailer?
Lower the bucket, blade or forks to the deck, set the parking brake, and chain the machine at the tie-down points its manufacturer specifies, using chains and binders rated for the weight. Motor carriers hauling machinery must follow the cargo securement rules for heavy vehicles, equipment and machinery in 49 CFR 393.130.
Do trailers need to be inspected before every trip?
If the trailer is part of a commercial motor vehicle, effectively yes: the driver must be satisfied its brakes, lights, tires, wheels and coupling are in good working order before driving (49 CFR 392.7). For lighter trailers, check it every time you hook up; that's when most problems are caught.
Keep reading
- Pre-trip inspection checklistFree truck pre-trip inspection checklist in CDL order: engine compartment, cab and air brake checks, lights, tires, brakes, coupling and emergency equipment.
- Vehicle inspection checklistFree daily vehicle inspection checklist for company cars, pickups, vans and work trucks: tires, lights, brakes, fluids, mirrors, load and body damage.
- Vehicle inspection appA vehicle inspection app for pre-trip checks: drivers scan a QR sticker in the cab and check on their own phone, with no app or login. Defects email you.
- Equipment rentalRental equipment inspections on a QR sticker: a dated, photographed condition check each time a machine goes out and comes back. No app or login needed.
- LandscapingLandscaping equipment checklists on a QR sticker per mower, trailer and truck. Crews scan with their phone before leaving the yard; no app. Free for 3 machines.
- DVIR requirementsA DVIR is required at the end of each day's work only when a defect is found. Repairs must be certified and reports kept 3 months. The FMCSA rules for 2026.
Do your trailer checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.