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Equipment handover form: printable template and filling instructions
In short
An equipment handover form records that one person passed a specific item to another, with its identification, condition, accessories, date and both signatures. Use it when equipment changes hands between employees, crews or shifts, and the item stays with the company. The template below can be printed as is. When handovers are frequent, the same record can be kept in an app with a signature on the phone screen.
When to use a handover form
A handover form covers the moment equipment passes from one holder to the next. It is not the first issue from the company (that is a checkout form) and not the final return (that is a return form). Typical cases:
- a technician moves to another crew and passes the diagnostic tablet to a colleague,
- a shift ends and the next shift takes over a set of measuring instruments,
- a manager hands over a company laptop and phone to the person who takes over the role,
- a site closes and equipment moves to another site.
Without a form, the register keeps showing the first holder. The device is somewhere else, and anyone searching for it will call the wrong person.
Printable template
EQUIPMENT HANDOVER FORM no. ……… / ………
Date and place: ……………………………………………
| Handing over (name, position) | …………………………………………… |
|---|---|
| Receiving (name, position) | …………………………………………… |
| Reason for handover | …………………………………………… |
| No. | Item and model | Asset / tag number | Serial number | Condition | Accessories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 |
Location of the item after handover: ……………………………………………
Notes on condition, damage or missing parts: ……………………………………………………………
The receiving person confirms that the items listed above were received in the stated condition and will be used for company purposes only.
| Signature, handing over | Signature, receiving | Register updated by / date |
|---|---|---|
How to fill it in
- Handing over and receiving. Full names and positions. A team name alone does not identify a person.
- Reason. Role change, shift change, project transfer, site closure. It helps later when you look at the history.
- Item and numbers. Write the asset or tag number exactly as it appears on the label, plus the serial number. Both people should read the numbers off the item, not off an old list.
- Condition. Put the item in use for a minute. Turn on the device, check the battery, test the tool. Write what you see: "working, scratch on the left side of the case."
- Accessories. Charger, case, keys, bits, calibration certificate. Missing accessories are the most common source of disputes.
- Location after handover. Where the item will physically be: a van, a cabinet, a site.
- Signatures and register update. Both people sign. The last box records who updated the equipment register and when. The form without a register update only solves half of the problem.
Common mistakes
- handover between colleagues "on trust", with the register left unchanged,
- one form for ten items with the description "tools as per the list",
- missing serial numbers, so the company cannot tell which of five identical devices was passed on,
- forms that stay in a desk drawer and cannot be matched to the item six months later,
- no date, so the sequence of holders cannot be reconstructed.
Handover scenarios and who does what
The form looks the same in every case, but the checks differ. At a shift change, the outgoing team leader and the incoming one walk through the set together and tick items against the list. At a role change, the manager of the receiving person should be informed, since the item now sits in a different cost center or team. At a site move, add the transport method and the person who accepts the delivery, because the item is out of sight for a day or two. In every case the rule is the same: the previous holder stays responsible until the receiving person has signed.
Keep the signed form with the item record, not with the person. People leave, items stay.
No single official form
For internal equipment there is usually no single official form. Companies design their own, as long as it clearly identifies the parties, the item, its condition and the date. If the equipment is subject to liability rules, deductions from pay or insurance, ask your legal counsel or accountant how the form should be worded and stored. Keep the content simple: facts, not legal arguments.
From paper to a register
Paper works for a handful of handovers a month. When there are dozens, searching for the right form becomes the real problem. Remanently Tools identifies equipment with a QR code, barcode or RFID, fills the document at the point of handover, collects a handwritten signature on a smartphone screen and keeps the document with the item. The history shows who received the item, when and on what basis. A new holder replaces the old one in the same action.
For the broader topic, read equipment tracking software. If the equipment is also a fixed asset, handovers feed the same record in Remanently Assets, and the asset count checklist asks whether transfers between users are recorded as they happen. To try the flow with your own devices, book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a handover form, a checkout form and a return form?
A checkout form records the first issue from the company to a person. A handover form records a transfer from one holder to another. A return form records the item coming back to the company, including its condition.
Is there an official equipment handover form?
For internal equipment there is usually no single official form. Use one that identifies both parties, the item, its condition and the date, and carries both signatures. For liability or payroll questions, ask legal counsel.
Do both people have to sign?
Yes. The handing-over person confirms the item left their custody, and the receiving person confirms they took it in the stated condition. One signature leaves a gap in the record.
Can the handover form be signed on a phone?
In Remanently Tools a handwritten signature can be given on the screen of a smartphone, and the document stays linked to the item and the handover.
What should we do if the item has no label or serial number?
Add a label before the handover, or record the item's identifying details precisely and assign a number. A handover of an unidentified item cannot be traced later.
Who updates the register after a handover?
Name one person on the form. In an app, the handover itself updates the holder, so there is no separate step.
See a handover recorded with a signature on a phone
We will show the handover of a few of your devices, from scan to signature to updated holder, in a short demo.
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