How long to keep fleet inspection and defect records (15 months)

Keeping vehicles safe is only half of compliance. The other half is being able to prove what you did — sometimes months later. DVSA’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness expects defect reports and related repair records to remain available for at least 15 months. That window is longer than many small fleets assume.

What the 15-month expectation covers

In practice, operators should be able to produce:

• Daily walkaround / pre-use check records (including nil-defect results)
• Defect reports raised by drivers or responsible persons
• Evidence of assessment and repair (or decision to keep a vehicle off the road)
• Return-to-service sign-off where a defect was serious enough to stop use

Electronic records are acceptable. What matters is that they are secure enough to rely on, available when asked for, and clear enough for someone outside your business to understand.

Why 15 months is the practical target

Fifteen months gives a full year of operation plus a buffer. Roadside findings, insurance claims, client audits and internal investigations often look backwards. If your retention policy is “until the folder is full”, you will lose the exact records you need most.

Paper vs digital retention

Paper can meet the rule if it is complete and stored safely — but wet cabs, lost pads and incomplete close-out notes are common failure points. Digital systems help by centralising records, avoiding missing pages and making search by vehicle or date realistic for a busy manager.

Whatever system you use, test it: pick a vehicle and a date from 10 months ago. Can you find the check, any defect and the repair trail in a few minutes? If not, retention exists only on paper policy, not in practice.

How Fleet Track PRO helps

Fleet Track PRO keeps inspection and defect history in one place so managers can review and export evidence without hunting through folders. Retention still depends on your account and operational process — the platform is a tool to make the 15-month trail easier to maintain.

This article summarises general principles and is not legal advice. Confirm retention expectations in the current Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness for your vehicle types and operations.