# Bridge inspection checklist > Free bridge inspection checklist for routine NBIS inspections: deck, joints, superstructure, bearings, substructure and scour, with SNBI 0–9 ratings. Page: https://inspectial.com/resources/bridge-inspection-checklist · Updated 2026-10-12 A routine inspection checklist for bridge inspection team leaders and inspectors on highway bridges, organized by the components rated under the FHWA Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI). It follows a typical site walk from the approaches to the channel, and leaves element condition state quantities to your agency's element manual. ## What is a bridge inspection checklist? A bridge inspection checklist is a field form for a routine bridge inspection. It walks the approaches, deck, joints, railings, superstructure, bearings, substructure and channel, and records each defect's location, extent and severity. The findings support the 0–9 component condition ratings reported under the NBIS and SNBI, and the element condition states in the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Element Inspection. ## When to inspect The NBIS (23 CFR 650.311) requires a routine inspection of every public highway bridge over 20 ft at least every 24 months, every 12 months when the deck, superstructure, substructure, culvert or scour item is rated 3 or lower, and allows up to 48 months for bridges in good condition that meet FHWA criteria. Underwater inspections are due every 60 months and NSTM (fracture critical) inspections every 24 months. Also inspect after floods, impacts and other damage events. ## Header fields - Structure number: ____ - Facility carried / feature crossed: ____ - Location and GPS: ____ - Owner: ____ - Structure type and material: ____ - Number of spans: ____ - Inspection type (routine, damage, in-depth, special): ____ - Team leader: ____ - Inspectors: ____ - Date: ____ - Weather and temperature: ____ - Water level / flow: ____ - Access equipment used: ____ - Previous ratings (deck / super / sub / channel): ____ ## Approaches, railings and signs Start on the approach slabs and roadway at both ends. Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Approach pavement smooth, no settlement or bump at the bridge end - [ ] Approach slab free of cracking, voids or undermining - [ ] Embankment at the abutments free of erosion or slumping - [ ] Bridge railing free of impact damage, missing or loose parts - [ ] Railing transitions and approach guardrail connected and undamaged - [ ] Load posting, clearance and delineator signs present and legible - [ ] Deck drainage outlets clear and discharging away from members ## Deck and wearing surface Check the top, underside and edges. Record defect location, extent and severity. Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Wearing surface free of potholes, rutting or debonding - [ ] No spalls or patched areas on the deck top (record area) - [ ] Delaminated areas found by sounding (record area) - [ ] No exposed or corroded reinforcing steel - [ ] Cracking on the deck top recorded by width and spacing - [ ] Deck underside free of efflorescence, rust staining or leaching - [ ] Deck underside free of spalls or exposed steel - [ ] Curbs, sidewalks and fascias intact - [ ] Stay-in-place forms free of rust, distortion or leakage (if present) ## Deck joints Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Joint seals intact, adhered and not torn - [ ] Joints free of debris impaction and free to move - [ ] No leakage through the joint onto bearings or beam ends - [ ] Joint headers and armoring sound, not loose or spalled - [ ] Joint gap within expected range for the temperature (record width) ## Superstructure Girders, beams, stringers, floorbeams, trusses, diaphragms and connections. Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Steel members free of corrosion with section loss (record location and loss) - [ ] Protective coating intact, no peeling, blistering or pack rust - [ ] No fatigue cracks at welds, copes or cover plate ends - [ ] Bolts, rivets, pins and hangers tight and complete - [ ] Concrete beams free of cracks, spalls or exposed strand - [ ] Prestressed beam ends free of cracking or staining at bearings - [ ] Timber members free of decay, crushing, checks or splits - [ ] No impact damage from vehicles or vessels - [ ] No distortion, sagging or misalignment of members - [ ] Diaphragms and cross frames connected and undamaged ## Bearings Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Bearings seated with full contact, no loss of bearing area - [ ] Elastomeric pads free of bulging, splitting or tearing - [ ] Movement and rotation consistent with temperature (no binding) - [ ] Bearings aligned, not walked or tipped - [ ] Anchor bolts and keeper plates present and intact - [ ] Bearing seats clean, free of debris and corrosion ## Substructure Abutments, wingwalls, piers, pier caps, columns, piles and footings. Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Abutments and wingwalls free of cracks, spalls or exposed steel - [ ] No tilting, rotation or settlement of abutments or piers - [ ] Pier caps free of cracking under bearings and at beam seats - [ ] Columns and pier walls free of spalls, cracks or section loss - [ ] Steel or timber piles free of corrosion, decay or section loss - [ ] Footings not exposed or undermined - [ ] Backwall free of cracks or movement ## Channel, channel protection and scour Probe or sound around foundations. Underwater work beyond wading and probing is a separate inspection. Answer: OK / Issue / N/A - [ ] Channel alignment unchanged since last inspection - [ ] No drift or debris lodged against piers or abutments - [ ] Banks stable upstream and downstream, no active erosion - [ ] Riprap and channel protection in place, not displaced - [ ] No scour holes at piers or abutments (record probe depths) - [ ] Streambed elevations at foundations recorded and compared - [ ] Waterway opening clear, no sediment or vegetation constricting flow ## Findings and follow-up Answer: Yes / No / N/A - [ ] Critical finding identified and reported to the owner immediately - [ ] Load rating review recommended due to change in condition - [ ] Scour plan of action review needed - [ ] Rating of 4 or lower given, with location, extent and severity noted - [ ] Maintenance recommendations recorded (cleaning, sealing, painting) - [ ] Special or in-depth inspection recommended - [ ] Photos linked to each defect and to the upstream and downstream channel ## Component condition rating (SNBI 0–9) - **9 Excellent:** Isolated inherent defects. - **8 Very good:** Some inherent defects. - **7 Good:** Some minor defects. - **6 Satisfactory:** Widespread minor or isolated moderate defects. - **5 Fair:** Some moderate defects; strength and performance not affected. - **4 Poor:** Widespread moderate or isolated major defects; strength or performance affected. - **3 Serious:** Major defects; strength or performance seriously affected. Usually more frequent monitoring, load restrictions or corrective action. - **2 Critical:** Major defects; component severely compromised. Significant load restrictions or corrective action needed to keep the bridge open. - **1 Imminent failure:** Bridge closed to traffic because of component condition. Repair may return it to service. - **0 Failed:** Bridge closed and beyond corrective action. Replacement required. ## Photos to take 1. Elevation view of the full bridge 2. Roadway over the bridge from each approach 3. Deck underside, span by span 4. Each deck joint 5. Each bearing line 6. Each abutment and pier 7. Channel looking upstream and downstream 8. Close-up of every defect that drives a rating of 6 or lower, with a scale reference ## Field tips - Bring the last report and compare defect by defect; a rating change without a matching comment is the most common QA finding. - Write every comment with location, extent and severity, especially for ratings below 6. - Sound the deck and substructure with a hammer or chain drag; delamination can't be seen in photos. - Measure and record crack widths, section loss and scour depths so the next inspector can tell whether they are growing. - Report critical findings to the owner from the site, not when the report is written. - Under SNBI, railings, transitions, bearings and joints are rated separately, so don't fold them into the deck or superstructure rating. - Record element condition state quantities in the units your element manual uses (ft², LF or each) and make them add up to the element total. ## Standards and sources - [National Bridge Inspection Standards, 23 CFR 650 Subpart C (FHWA)](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbis.cfm) - [23 CFR 650.311, inspection intervals](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/23/650.311) - [23 CFR 650.313, inspection procedures and critical findings](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/23/650.313) - [FHWA Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), FHWA-HIF-22-017, 2022](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/snbi/snbi_march_2022_publication.pdf) - [AASHTO Manual for Bridge Element Inspection, 2nd ed. 2019 (via FHWA National Bridge Elements)](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/element.cfm) - [FHWA Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM)](https://www.dot.state.mn.us/bridge/reference-manual.html) ## Questions ### How often are bridges inspected? Under the NBIS, routine inspections are due at least every 24 months. Bridges with a deck, superstructure, substructure, culvert or scour rating of 3 or lower go to 12 months, and bridges in good condition that meet FHWA criteria can be extended to 48 months. Underwater inspections are due every 60 months, and some states, such as Ohio, inspect annually. ### What is the SNBI? The Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (FHWA-HIF-22-017) replaced the 1995 Recording and Coding Guide as the format for reporting bridge data to FHWA. States had to start collecting SNBI data by January 1, 2026, with the first SNBI-based submittal due March 15, 2026. It adds separate 0–9 ratings for railings, transitions, bearings and joints. ### What is the difference between NBI condition ratings and element condition states? NBI ratings give each major component one number from 0 to 9. Element-level inspection under the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Element Inspection breaks the bridge into elements, such as a reinforced concrete deck or a steel girder, and records how much of each is in condition state 1 Good, 2 Fair, 3 Poor or 4 Severe. Element data is required for bridges on the National Highway System. ### Who can be a bridge inspection team leader? Under 23 CFR 650.309, a team leader needs FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training plus one of several experience paths: for example, a PE license and 6 months of bridge inspection experience, or 5 years of experience. Refresher training is required every 60 months, and a team leader must be on site for each routine inspection. ### What is a critical finding in a bridge inspection? A critical finding is a structural or safety-related deficiency that needs immediate follow-up action, such as closing a lane, posting a lower load limit or emergency repair. The NBIS requires owners to have procedures for addressing critical findings, and for bridges on the National Highway System, FHWA must be notified within 24 hours. ### What is a poor bridge? FHWA classifies a bridge as poor when the lowest of its deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert ratings is 4 or lower. Good means the lowest is 7 or higher, and fair is 5 or 6. Poor does not mean unsafe; unsafe bridges are posted or closed.