What does this asphalt paving final checklist cover?

13 items across 4 sections, covering mat and joints, ride and drainage, striping readiness, protection and records. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The GC's superintendent with the paving foreman and the testing agency where cores or density are specified.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

After paving and rolling are complete and the mat has cooled, before striping and before the lot or drive is opened to traffic.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

11 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 14 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails an asphalt paving final inspection?

Longitudinal joint between passes left high and unsealed, so it ravels open and lets water into the base along the seam. Mat that looks finished but holds birdbaths, only revealed when it rains and the low spots don't drain. Thickness assumed from the tonnage delivered rather than checked, coming up short in the stretches that got paved last.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Asphalt paving

Asphalt paving final inspection checklist

Asphalt paving final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against the project geotechnical report and specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Mat and joints

Mat thickness verified against the specification
Thickness confirmed by cores or depth checks where specified, consistent across the area rather than thin at the far end of the pour.
Joint construction tight and sealed
Longitudinal and transverse joints tight with no open seam or height difference, sealed where specified so water can't enter the joint.
Compaction or density observed
Rolling pattern followed while the mat was in temperature, density results reviewed against the specification where required, no roller marks or shoving.
Load tickets match the approved mix
Delivered tickets show the plant, mix type and delivery temperature matching the approved mix design for each course placed.
Mat texture uniform with no segregation or tearing
No coarse streaks, pulled or torn areas behind the screed, or rock pockets at truck exchanges and hand-worked corners.
Mat edges rolled straight with no crumbling
Edge of pavement compacted and straight to the line, not slumped or breaking off, with the edge backed where the drawings show.
Longitudinal joints kept out of the wheel paths
Where the area took more than one pass, joints fall on lane or stall lines per the paving plan rather than where tires track.
No photo

Ride and drainage

Surface smoothness checked
Surface run with a straightedge on the specified spacing, no bumps, dips or roller ridges beyond tolerance, transitions smooth at structures and curbs.
Drainage checked for ponding
Surface flooded or observed after a rain, water running to the inlets with no birdbaths standing on the mat.

Striping readiness

Surface ready to accept striping
Mat cooled and cured per the striping requirements, surface clean and dry, layout confirmed against the site plan before paint goes down.
Curbs, walks and structures cleaned of mix and tack
No asphalt splatter, tack tracking or spilled mix left on adjacent curbs, walks, gutters or building faces.

Protection and records

Fresh mat protected from traffic and equipment
Barricades held until the mat is released, no scuffs from turning tires and no dents from parked equipment, outriggers or container pads.
As-paved limits and lifts marked on the record set
Paved areas, courses placed and any change from the plan drawn onto the record drawings for the turnover package.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Longitudinal joint between passes left high and unsealed, so it ravels open and lets water into the base along the seam.
Mat that looks finished but holds birdbaths, only revealed when it rains and the low spots don't drain.
Thickness assumed from the tonnage delivered rather than checked, coming up short in the stretches that got paved last.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this asphalt paving final checklist cover?: 13 items across 4 sections, covering mat and joints, ride and drainage, striping readiness, protection and records. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The GC's superintendent with the paving foreman and the testing agency where cores or density are specified.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: After paving and rolling are complete and the mat has cooled, before striping and before the lot or drive is opened to traffic.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 11 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 14 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails an asphalt paving final inspection?: Longitudinal joint between passes left high and unsealed, so it ravels open and lets water into the base along the seam. Mat that looks finished but holds birdbaths, only revealed when it rains and the low spots don't drain. Thickness assumed from the tonnage delivered rather than checked, coming up short in the stretches that got paved last.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

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Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 14 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.