Vehicle inspection app
Pre-trip vehicle checks from the driver's own phone, with nothing to install.
A vehicle inspection app records drivers' pre-trip checks and gets defects to the fleet manager. With CheckBadges, each vehicle gets a QR sticker: drivers scan it with their phone's camera and complete the check in the browser, with no app or login. Defects email you with photos. It's built for daily checks on small fleets, not as a full DVIR compliance system.
- Your operators need
- Their phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- On each machine
- A printed QR sticker that opens its checklist.
- Checklists
- Ready-made for forklifts, lifts, loaders and vehicles, or your own.
- When something's wrong
- You get an email with what's wrong and photos.
- Price
- Free for 3 machines. Then $9/mo + $1.50 per machine.
- Records
- Every check, by machine. Print it or export a CSV.
What a vehicle inspection app does
A vehicle inspection app replaces the clipboard in the cab. The driver walks round the vehicle, records what they checked, and reports anything wrong to whoever arranges repairs. A good one also keeps a record for each vehicle and makes sure the next driver knows about a defect that hasn't been fixed.
CheckBadges does that for pickups, vans, service trucks, box trucks, utility vehicles and yard trucks, using a QR sticker in each vehicle and the driver's own phone. It suits fleets where drivers change, share vehicles or only work for you part of the year: the people least likely to install and sign in to another app.
How pre-trip checks work
- Add your vehicles by unit number or plate.
- Start from the vehicle pre-trip template: odometer, lights and turn signals, tires, brakes, mirrors and windshield, wipers and washer fluid, oil and coolant, load secured, fuel level, and new damage. Or start from the fuller pre-trip inspection checklist and edit it.
- Stick the QR sticker where the driver sees it: inside the driver's door or on the dash.
- Drivers scan, check and submit in about a minute. The odometer reading on each check builds a mileage log as a side effect.
What happens when a driver finds a defect
The fleet manager hears about it before the vehicle leaves the yard. The driver marks the item Problem, writes what's wrong and can attach up to three photos: a cracked windshield, a worn tire, a warning light on the dash. CheckBadges emails your alert list right away and flags the vehicle on your dashboard. It also shows the open defect to the next driver who scans that vehicle, until you mark it fixed with a note saying what was done.
DVIRs: what the rules require and what CheckBadges covers
CheckBadges isn't a full DVIR system, so if you run commercial motor vehicles under FMCSA rules, know where the gaps are. Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers prepare a report at the end of each day's work on each vehicle, identifying the vehicle and listing any defect or deficiency. No report is needed when no defect is found or reported (for property carriers since 2014, and passenger carriers since September 17, 2020). The motor carrier must certify that listed defects were repaired, or that repair was unnecessary, before the vehicle is operated again, and keep the report, the certification of repairs and the driver's review certification for three months. Under 49 CFR 396.13, the next driver must be satisfied the vehicle is safe, review the last report, and sign to acknowledge it where defects were listed. FMCSA's February 2026 rule confirmed that DVIRs may be electronic.
| DVIR step | What the rule asks | What CheckBadges records |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's report | Identify the vehicle and list defects | The sticker identifies the vehicle; Problem items carry notes and photos, signed with a name or PIN |
| Repair certification | Carrier certifies repair, or that none was needed, before the vehicle runs again | Marked fixed with a note; no separate certification signature |
| Next driver's review | Review the last report and sign where defects were listed | The next driver sees the open defect when they scan; no acknowledgement signature |
| Keeping records | Three months | Every check kept by vehicle; print it or export a CSV |
So: use CheckBadges for daily walkarounds and defect reporting on vehicles that don't need DVIRs, or alongside your own repair-certification process if they do. Fleets that want the whole DVIR workflow in one system should use a dedicated DVIR tool. The DVIR requirements guide covers the rule in detail; this section is a summary, not legal advice.
Vehicle inspection options compared
| CheckBadges | Paper inspection books | Online forms | Fleet inspection apps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver needs | Their phone's camera | A pen and the book | A link or QR code | The app and a login |
| Photos of damage | Up to 3 per problem | No | Google Forms needs a Google sign-in to upload | Yes |
| Defect reaches you | Email at once | When the book comes back | Only with alerts set up | Yes |
| Next driver warned | On scan, until fixed | If they read the last page | No | Varies |
| DVIR repair certification | A note when marked fixed | Signature line | Build it yourself | Usually built in |
| ELD, GPS, telematics | No | No | No | Often available |
The best vehicle inspection apps roundup compares named fleet tools.
What it costs
Up to 3 vehicles are free, with every feature. Pro is $9 a month for the first 3 vehicles, plus $1.50 a month for each vehicle after that: $19.50 a month for 10 vehicles and $42 for 25. You pay per vehicle, not per driver, so a pool van driven by six people costs the same as one with a single driver. See pricing.
When CheckBadges isn't the right fit
- Regulated fleets that want full DVIR workflows. Repair certification and driver-review signatures built in, or DVIRs inside your ELD, need a dedicated DVIR or telematics product.
- Telematics. No GPS, engine data, ELD or driver scoring.
- Fleet maintenance. No work orders, service schedules, fuel tracking or parts.
- No signal. Drivers need a data connection to submit, which matters for vehicles parked where there's no coverage.
- Enterprise IT. No single sign-on, API or integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Is CheckBadges a DVIR app?
Not a complete one. It records a driver's check of a specific vehicle with their name or PIN, the time, defects with notes and photos, and a fixed-with-a-note step. It has no separate repair certification or driver-review signature, so regulated carriers need their own process for those or a dedicated DVIR tool.
Can a DVIR be done on a phone?
Yes. FMCSA allows driver vehicle inspection reports to be created and kept electronically (49 CFR 390.32), and its February 2026 rule confirmed electronic DVIRs. The report still needs everything the rule asks for, including the carrier's certification of repairs and the next driver's review.
Do drivers need a DVIR if nothing is wrong?
Generally not. Under 49 CFR 396.11, drivers aren't required to prepare a report if no defect or deficiency is discovered by or reported to them; that has applied to property carriers since 2014 and passenger carriers since 2020. Many fleets still record a daily check as good practice.
Where should the QR sticker go in a vehicle?
Where the driver sees it before setting off: inside the driver's door, on the door jamb or on the dash. Inside the cab keeps it out of the weather. Each sticker also prints a short web address for phones that can't scan.
Can drivers use their own phones for vehicle inspections?
Yes. They point the phone's camera at the vehicle's sticker and the check opens in the browser, so there's no app to install and no account. Fleets that issue phones or tablets can use those instead.
Keep reading
- 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.
- 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.
- The best vehicle inspection apps in 2026The best vehicle inspection apps of 2026 for pre-trip checks and DVIRs: how drivers do them, app and login needs, and what 10, 25 or 50 vehicles cost a month.
- Vehicle fleetsFleet vehicle inspections with no app to install: drivers scan a QR sticker in each van or truck with their phone and do the pre-trip check. Defects alert you.
- Trailer inspection checklistFree trailer inspection checklist for equipment, utility and semi-trailers: hitch, safety chains, breakaway, lights, brakes, tires, ramps and tie-downs.
Every machine checked, with one scan.
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.