A guide to pre-delivery inspection (PDI) checks

Automotive Content Editor

6 minute read|25th Feb 2026

If you are looking to buy or lease a new vehicle, then it is important to ensure a pre-delivery inspection (PDI) check has been completed.

But what is a PDI check? How long does it take, and how will it impact your car's delivery date?

Car maintenance is a key responsibility for both owners and dealerships, and a PDI check makes sure you don't have to deal with frustrating issues with a new car.

What does a PDI stand for?

A pre-delivery inspection – otherwise known as a PDI – is what a dealer or leasing company will carry out before delivering your new vehicle.

This PDI check is a key process before you can get behind the wheel.

Essentially, it is a final check carried out by a garage or dealership to ensure that the vehicle is safe to drive.

The checks will include an examination of the exterior, interior, electrics, and the engine – along with all the key components.

What is a PDI check?

The aim of a PDI assessment is to find any issues with the vehicle that may have been missed at the factory, during its time sitting on the forecourt, or any damage sustained when transporting the car.

Although PDI procedures differ between manufacturers, a PDI check should generally include the following:

Checking the wheels: Ensuring tyres are inflated to the specified level, wheel nuts are correctly tightened and any damage is noted.
Inspecting lights: Much like an MOT, all exterior lights will be tested to ensure they are working and the headlights are correctly aligned
Checking the key and ignition: Ensuring that any keys supplied with the car can lock, unlock and start the car as expected
Checking fluid levels: Engine oil, coolant, washer fluid and any other serviceable fluids are generally checked or topped up to the correct levels
Safety tests: Do the seatbelts function properly? Do the dashboard warning lights turn on and off as they should? Is equipment correctly fitted? All of these should be checked.

Following this, the sixth check is usually a road test, where all the key components are checked to see if they are working – with a big focus on the brakes.

If a more serious issue is found, then the vehicle will be returned to the dealer's service team (or a trusted local garage) for repairs.

However, if it passes, you will be presented a certificate that guarantees all checks have been carried out and it is in perfect working order.

Always insist on having a copy of this document.

Within the six categories, there can be a lot of variety on what is carried out. This will depend on the make, model, age, and many other factors. When booking in your PDI, find out what is – and isn’t – being checked.

Benefits of a PDI

There are several advantages to having a signed PDI before you start driving your new vehicle.

Most importantly, it ensures that your vehicle is in the safest condition possible, with all major parts of the engine is perfect working order.

For the company providing the car or the lease, it also means they are providing the vehicle advertised.

Drivers will also know that any smaller imperfections will have either been dealt with or highlighted before they proceed with the agreement.

How long does a PDI take?

A pre-delivery inspection will normally only take a few hours to carry out all the checks.

However, if there are any issues, they will need to be fixed. This will add hours – or even days to when the vehicle will be available to take home.

Most dealers or lease companies will up to five days to officially sign off the vehicle. Again, this can vary depending on a variety of factors.

Will a PDI check impact the delivery date for your new car?

In most cases, a Pre-Delivery Inspection will not impact the delivery date of your car – as the lease company will take this into account before issuing you your new vehicle.

Most smaller issues will be dealt with rather quickly – however, where more is needed to be done, then it could delay the start of your lease or car delivery.

The company will keep you informed of any changes to the start date.

What to do after you receive your PDI report?

Once you know your vehicle is safe to drive, you will receive a pre-delivery inspection report.

After you make your own car maintenance checks to ensure that you are happy with the vehicle, then you should make sure all the details match the car's documents, V5, insurance, road tax, and warranty details.

As a legal requirement, it is important that all this information matches what you have on your own records.

It is advisable to carry out your own test drive in a safe area – and at lower speeds – to make sure that nothing isn’t working and that you have no concerns.

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Pre-delivery inspection (PDI) checks

Can I do a PDI check myself?

There's nothing stopping you from performing your own pre-delivery inspection in basic form, but it is recommended that this is completed by a trained technician and is signed off by the relevant dealer or leasing company. If the inspection isn't official, you have little comeback if there is an issue.

Hoe long does a PDI check take?

Generally speaking, it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to complete a pre-delivery inspection. However PDI timings will vary if any work is needed to rectify an issue, or if the manufacturer checks are more extensive than usual.

What should I check before accepting a new car?

It's well worth doing your own checks on the car before signing a lease or agreement, including a visual inspection and check that all fitted equipment is functioning. However, if there is a more serious mechanical issue, this should be covered by your warranty or by speaking to the dealer to confirm if a PDI check was properly completed.