Registration and inspection reminders for small fleets
15 items free. 150 on Starter.
A business with a few vans or trucks has a surprising number of dates per vehicle: registration, safety or emissions inspection, insurance, permits, and sometimes leases and warranties. Multiply by the fleet, and the dates are spread across the whole year. Drivers get pulled over, vehicles get parked, and fines arrive.
Dates to track per vehicle
- Registration expiry
- State inspection (safety or emissions), where required
- Commercial vehicle permits, where they apply
- Insurance expiry and the date new insurance cards are needed in the vehicle
- Lease end date and mileage limits
- Warranty expiry, by date and by mileage
- Toll transponder or fuel card renewals, if they expire
- Driver documents, such as commercial licenses and medical cards for the drivers who use the vehicle
How far ahead to remind
Registration renewals can often be done online in minutes, but some need an inspection first. A schedule of 60, 30, 14 and 7 days covers most cases. Inspections that require booking a slot may need earlier warning.
Organizing by vehicle
Give each vehicle a clear name that drivers recognize: "Van 3, white Transit, plate ABC 1234". Use the same name for every item that belongs to it, so you can see all of a vehicle's dates together.
Who to remind
- The fleet manager or office manager, who handles the renewal
- The regular driver, who may need to take the vehicle for inspection
- A backup, if the first person doesn't act
Keep the documents
Store the current registration and insurance card for each vehicle. If a driver loses the card from the glovebox, you can send them a copy straight away.
Multiple locations
If vehicles are based at different depots or branches, track them by location so each site manager sees their own vehicles.
Using Renew Clock for a fleet
Add each vehicle's dates as separate items, or import them from a fleet spreadsheet using the CSV template. Upload registration documents on Starter and above and the dates are read for you. Assign each item to the person who handles it, with escalation to a second person on Pro. When a registration is renewed, upload the new document and mark it done; it rolls forward to next year. Business plans group items by location. Subscribe to the calendar feed to see every due date for the fleet in one calendar.
Spreadsheet first?
If you're starting with a handful of vehicles, our free expiration date tracker template has columns that work for fleets. You can import it into Renew Clock later.
When a vehicle leaves the fleet
Sold, scrapped or returned at lease end? Archive its items rather than deleting them, so you have a record of what was valid while you owned it. Cancel or transfer the insurance and toll transponder, and return or destroy the plates if your state requires it. Then remove the vehicle from the driver's list so reminders stop.
Questions
Do you connect to the DMV?
No. You enter or upload the dates. Renewal itself happens with your state's motor vehicle office.
How many items does a vehicle use?
Usually two to four: registration, inspection, insurance, and sometimes a lease or permit.