What this checklist is for
That’s a household prep list (above). Not a shop inspection to fill out. Fill on screen. Download a CSV or a PDF. First, fill in the what, when, who, and where. Then, mark each item as N/A, Missing, or Packed for house-left, documents, route & lodging, a light-vehicle once-over, money & electronics, packing, and a driver sign-off.
The house rows follow Ready.gov evacuation advice: Doors locked? Windows locked? Small appliances unplugged? Check that the refrigerator and freezer is plugged in. Pets taken along? Make arrangements if you have not. Did you tell your contact where you are going?
NHTSA TireWise, AAA summer travel car care, and the mechanic-before-an-emergency list on Ready.gov car safety advise vehicle rows.
The American Red Cross highway safety program advises planning a route, taking rests, and setting an ETA.
The Red Cross vacation emergency plan advises lodging and phone alerts., P = packed (item in the vehicle or task is done), M = missing (still requires attention), N/A = doesn’t apply to this trip (no pets, no child seat, an EV with no engine oil, an inflator kit instead of a spare)
In the trip, vehicle, and occupants section you enter leave and return dates, drivers, occupants, year/make/model, plate, starting miles, destination, and who holds the itinerary.
What it is not
- It is not a car emergency kit contents list. That kit stays in the car. This form has one row to confirm the kit is packed. Use the car emergency kit list (named here in plain text) when you need jumper cables, triangles, a flashlight, and the rest item by item.
- It is not a commercial-vehicle pre-trip. Air brakes, gladhands, fifth wheels, and 49 CFR 392.7 stations belong on the published CMV pre-trip inspection checklist.
- It is not a pre-purchase inspection, a state inspection sticker, or a shop brake job. AAA's listen-and-feel brake row is a driveway check. Grinding or vibration means see a shop before you go. This sheet does not measure pad thickness.
- It is not a legal instrument. License, insurance card, and registration are a packing look. This page does not replace your state's proof-of-insurance or registration rules, and it is not a bill of sale or title form.
How to fill each block
The Red Cross instructs you to tell someone where you're going, what time you'll be there, and what route you'll take. If you get stuck they will know the route to follow so they can help you. That is basicly how Ready.gov defines a family plan. It details how you'd get in touch with each other if separated.
In documents: This is where you put a license for every driver, the insurance card, and the registration. It’s treated like a wallet, not a DMV folder. The Ready.gov kit list includes copies of insurance and ID in a waterproof pouch, or on your phone. If you have a roadside-assistance card, you adds that. Add lodging confirmations (and an offline version) so it opens up. Your emergency contact list goes here. What to carry depends on the state. Only mark N.A. Only mark N.A. when it is realy true, such as when there are no tolls along a route.
You are the last one in the house, then you walk out.
EVACUATION: On Ready.gov, it says to lock windows and doors. Then:
Unplug TVs, radios, and small appliances. Keep the fridge and freezer plugged in, unless there is a flood risk.
Bring pets or use pet plan. Plan includes a buddy, sitter, or pet-friendly place to stay.
LIGHTS: Set lights off or on timers if you use them.
Set the thermostat to the empty-house setting. This form doesn't make up a temperature for summer or winter. Follow heat-pump or furnace-manual instructions. Don't leave pipes and equipment in a damaging range.
Arrange for mail and packages to be picked up so they do not pile up.
Tell the out-of-area contact where you are going.
NOTE: Leave one if trusted someone might come while you're gone.
Next, you check your weather, routes, and lodging. Ready.gov says to plan long trips carefully for car safety. Listen to road conditions and weather. Avoid driving through flooded roads. According to the Red Cross, watch the weather along the driving route and at the destination. Turn on emergency alerts. Know how officials will contact you wherever you're headed.
Check that your lodging works, and save it offline. If pets are riding along, check that the rental or hotel accept them. Many hotels and public shelters don't accept pets.
Plan rest stops. Rotate drivers on a long day. Stop if you're too tired to drive. That's also what the Red Cross recommends for staying safe on highways.
A trip-prep once-over is called Vehicle Prep. A pre-trip walk around isn't what this is. Neither is a CMV walk nor a tire inspection form.
The tires, including the spare, should be checked at least monthly and prior to any long trip, says NHTSA. When? When they're cold. That means you haven't driven the vehicle within the last three hours. Where: Use your owner's manual or the Tire and Loading Information Label located on the driver's side door jamb or edge. What: You don't use the maximum amount printed on the tire's sidewall. TPMS is no replacement for a gauge. NHTSA says that tread must be replaced at 2/32 inch. When? When Lincoln's head in a penny dropped into the tread groove reaches the top of his head. Look for bulges, cracks and cuts.
AAA: check headlights, brake lamps, turns, hazards, oil, coolant. Coolant? What about the oil? Let the engine cool. You NEVER open a hot radiator cap!
What varies
Check the brake and washer reservoirs that the vehicle actualy has, and check the other components too. Electric power steering AND sealed transmissions are N/A.
Wiper? Check the battery connections. Unexplained dashboard lamps: You check 'em.
You have enough fuel for the first leg. The government says do not let it get so low that you are stranded if you are delayed at a stop.
Do you have an emergency kit? Do you have a spare tire and a jack?, or the OEM inflator kit. Confirm it's in the vehicle. Confirm it's in the vehicle.
Occupants & Packing: Buckle up! In the occupants and packing section, the Red Cross says, “If you have children, bring the child seat or booster you already use. Install it before you roll.” Pack enough prescription medicine for an extra few days. Medications is on both the Red Cross and Ready.gov kits’ lists.
Bring sturdy shoes and climate-right clothes. Pack water and snacks for everybody. Infant supplies? Or is it not applicable? Pets travel? Bring their carrier, along with food, water, meds, and ID. Here’s where overnight bags and weather layers goes. No need to duplicate what’s in your car kit at this station.
You grab the ready.gov kit. The electronics and money section says: "Cell Phone, With Backup Battery And Chargers." The packing list says: "Cash, Maps." The car kit says: "Map, " The Red Cross vacation plan asks: "Did you enable emergency alerts before you went away?"
The sign-off section has space for things that were still Missing. The ready-to-leave option says: ready to leave. Delayed says: delayed, and Not Leaving Until Says: not leaving until Missing items is packed.
After you finish
Check that the itinerary was shared. Yes or No. Sign here and include the time. Electronic insurance cards are counted by some states but not others; child-restraint age varies too. Those rules come from your state's DMV or highway-patrol page. This isn't federal law and so it doesn't pick one state's wording on its card.
Under-hood row changes includes the powertrain. The engine might be gone, but you still need to check the 12-volt battery, lights, wiper fluid, and tires, even on an EV or hybrid. A traditional coolant dip may not be available. Follow the owner's manual. Some late-model automatics has no dipstick, says AAA. Some steering systems are electric.
Season and destination change the lodging and weather rows, not the document list. The Ready.gov car safety has good tread for winter travel. Any chains or studs that your local area may require are also included. The AAA article adds a working air conditioner to summer travel.
Researching flood, fire, or storm risk at the destination is a Red Cross task. This is not a second packing list. Those same rows for documents, tires, and lights applies to a rental car. If you aren't leaving a home, you mark it N/A in your house rows. When there are children or pets who aren't taking this trip, you mark them N/A in their rows.
If you'd like a copy of what's on this tab, just download the full PDF or CSV. Answers stays in this browser only. Once someone else visits, they'll see a blank form. If you'd like to fill it out by hand, download a blank version.
Nothing on this page is filed anywhere: no hotel, no insurer, no DMV. It does not text your itinerary to anyone.
Not a substitute for the OEM or a licensed inspection
No one stays home unless they've marked Vehicle Items as Missing. That could be an unusual warning lamp, grinding brakes, a soft tire, whatever. Or it could be House Items that need completion before rolling, an unlocked door, for instance, or a pet. See examples above. Fill out the form above this article. Below the form, see the preview image and printable PDF.
A household preps template. Not legal advice. Not a replacement for following the owners-manual procedure for the vehicle, a licensed inspection, or your state’s child-restraint/insurance rules. Don’t make up a Pass/Fail limit on this form unless it is already listed as a temperature or tire-pressure/tread-number on the door-jamb placard, in the owner’s manual, or the Ready.gov/NHTSA/AAA/Red Cross pages linked here.