Car Maintenance Checklist

Keep your car road-legal and reliable. Track MOT, insurance, tax and service dates up top, then work through recurring checks — fluids, tyres, lights, wipers and seasonal jobs — with automatic next-due reminders.

Key Renewals

MOT test
Not set
Add the renewal date
Insurance renewal
Not set
Add the renewal date
Road tax (VED)
Not set
Add the renewal date
Next full service
Not set
Add the renewal date
Breakdown cover
Not set
Add the renewal date
0
Overdue
0
Due soon
0
Up to date
42
Not logged
  • Check engine oil level
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Change engine oil & filter
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check coolant / antifreeze level
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check brake fluid level
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Top up screen wash
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check power steering fluid
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check tyre pressures (incl. spare)
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check tread depth (min 1.6mm)
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Inspect tyres for cuts, bulges & wear
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Rotate tyres
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check wheel alignment / tracking
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Confirm spare, repair kit & locking nut
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check headlights (dipped & full beam)
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check brake lights & indicators
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check reversing & fog lights
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check number plate light
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Test hazard lights & horn
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check battery health & terminals
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Note any dashboard warning lights
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Replace or check front wiper blades
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check rear wiper blade
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Top up windscreen washer fluid
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Inspect windscreen for chips & cracks
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Clean & adjust all mirrors
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Test demister & heated screen
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check brakes for noise or vibration
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Inspect brake pads & discs
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Test handbrake holds on a slope
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check suspension & shock absorbers
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check steering for play or pulling
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Book or complete a full service
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Interim service / oil & filter
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Book the MOT test
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Replace air filter
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Replace pollen / cabin filter
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check cambelt / timing belt interval
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Check antifreeze concentration
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Battery health check before winter
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Fit winter / all-season tyres
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Stock ice scraper & de-icer
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Keep an emergency kit in the boot
    Not logged Log when you last did this
  • Air-con service / re-gas
    Not logged Log when you last did this

About Car Maintenance Checklist

The Car Maintenance Checklist is a free, browser-based tool that keeps your vehicle safe, legal and reliable without you having to hold it all in your head. It combines two things every driver needs: a Key Renewals tracker for the fixed dates that carry real consequences — MOT, insurance, road tax, servicing and breakdown cover — and a recurring maintenance planner for the regular checks that keep a car healthy between garage visits.

Add each renewal date and the tool shows at a glance what's valid, due soon or expired — driving without a valid MOT, tax or insurance can mean fines, points or worse, so those get pride of place at the top. Below, seven practical areas — fluids, tyres, lights, wipers, brakes, service & MOT, and seasonal jobs — come pre-filled with the checks most cars need. Set how often each should happen and log when you last did it, and the tool works out the next-due date and flags anything overdue. Everything saves automatically to your browser's local storage: no account, no sign-up, nothing sent to a server. Prefer paper? Hit "Download PDF" for a printable copy to keep in the glovebox, and pair this with the Emergency Kit Checklist for your boot.

How to Use Car Maintenance Checklist

  1. Enter your car and registration so exports and printouts are easy to identify, especially if you look after more than one vehicle.
  2. Fill in the Key Renewals dates — MOT, insurance, road tax, next service and breakdown cover. Each card turns amber within 30 days and red once expired.
  3. Work through the maintenance areas and remove any check that doesn't apply to your car, then add your own with the "Add a check" field.
  4. Rename a category by clicking its title, delete one with the trash icon in its header, or tap "Add category" for something extra like a caravan, motorbike or roof box.
  5. Set how often each check should happen with the frequency dropdown, from monthly to every four years.
  6. Set the last-done date for checks you've already made, or press "Done" to stamp today's date — the next-due date rolls forward automatically.
  7. Glance at the dashboard and overdue panel whenever you visit; clear anything red first, then "due soon". Export a backup or Download a PDF for the glovebox.

Tip: do a quick "POWER" check before a long trip — Petrol (fuel), Oil, Water (coolant & screen wash), Electrics (lights) and Rubber (tyres & wipers). It takes five minutes and heads off the most common roadside problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my data private?

Yes. Your car details, renewal dates, service dates and custom checks are stored only in your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is uploaded to any server and there's no account. Clearing your browser data removes it, so keep a JSON export or PDF if it matters.

How does the "next due" date work?

Each maintenance check has a frequency and a last-done date. The next due date is the last-done date plus the interval — so a monthly tyre-pressure check done on 1 March is next due on 1 April. Pressing "Done" sets the last-done date to today and the cycle restarts.

What's the difference between renewals and the checks below?

Renewals are fixed calendar dates you're given — your MOT certificate, insurance policy and tax all expire on a specific day, so you enter that date directly. The maintenance checks below repeat on an interval you choose and are driven by when you last did them, not a fixed expiry.

Does it send reminders or notifications?

No — it doesn't push notifications or emails. It's a visual tracker: open the page and the renewals panel, dashboard and overdue list show what needs attention. Many people bookmark it and check it on a set day each month. For MOT and tax, you can also sign up for free official reminders from the DVSA and DVLA.

Are the default intervals official requirements?

No, they're sensible general guidelines. Always follow your car's handbook and manufacturer service schedule, which vary by make, model, engine and mileage. Some items — like the MOT (annually once a car is three years old in the UK) — are legal requirements; adjust every frequency to suit your vehicle.

What tyre tread depth is legal?

In the UK and much of Europe the legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way around. Many experts recommend replacing tyres at around 3mm for better wet grip. Check regularly with a tread gauge or the 20p test, and don't forget the spare.

Does it work offline, and for more than one car?

Once the page has loaded it works offline from local storage. For a second vehicle, set one up, Export it as a JSON file named after the car, then Reset and build the next — use Import to reload whichever you need.