I own a goods vehicle and my vehicle weight is 3.8 tonnes and I drive within European Union. Not sure which rules to follow Will my vehicle falls under EU rules or GB domestic rules ?

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

Drivers' hours

Overview

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

National or international non-regular service for example commercial excursions, tours or private hire | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If your vehicle has 9 or more passenger seats, you usually need to follow the EU rules. You need to follow GB rules instead if your vehicle has between 10 and 17 passenger seats and is only used for non-commercial journeys.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

If you work as a driver for a company, duty time is any working time. If you’re self-employed, duty time is only time you spend driving the vehicle or doing other work related to the vehicle or its load.

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Or, within any period of 8 hours 30 minutes, you must take at least 45 minutes in breaks. You must also have a break of at least 30 minutes at the end of this period, unless it’s the end of the working day.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

If you work overnight and the rules applied on the day your shift began, you must follow the rules for your entire shift - even if your shift finishes during a week in which you’re exempt from the rules.

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

EU rules

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

GB domestic rules

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

The rules that apply depend on:

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

the type of vehicle you’re driving

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

which country you’re driving in

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

the EU (including the UK)

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

Drivers' hours

Overview

If you drive a goods vehicle or a passenger-carrying vehicle you must follow the rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take.

There are 3 sets of rules that could apply to your journey:

EU rules

AETR rules

GB domestic rules

The rules that apply depend on:

the type of vehicle you’re driving

which country you’re driving in

If you drive under the EU or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, you also need to follow the working time rules.

If you’re an employer of drivers or mobile workers there are more rules you must follow.

There are different drivers’ hours rules in Northern Ireland.

If you do not follow the rules

If you break the drivers’ hours rules, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can give you:

a verbal warning, for minor offences made by accident or because of inexperience

an offence rectification notice, for offences which are not a risk to road safety - you’ll have 21 days to fix the issue

a prohibition notice, for serious or dangerous offences - you must stop a dangerous activity or start following the regulations

a fine or points on your licence (a ‘fixed penalty’) – the amount depends on how serious the offence is

You can be prosecuted for very serious or multiple offences.

DVSA can give you further penalties (such as an improvement or prohibition notice) if you also break the working time rules.

You can ask for an emergency exemption from the rules. Read the guidance on emergency exemption and temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours and working time rules.

Drivers’ hours checklists

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ checklists, which cover the basic rules:

Staying legal - the basics (HGV drivers)

Staying legal - the basics (PSV drivers)

Rules for employers

If you employ drivers or other mobile workers, you must:

keep drivers’ hours records for at least one year

make sure they are properly trained and understand the rules

organise their time so that they can follow the rules

check your drivers’ hours records and data

monitor your workers’ working time

Mobile workers are:

drivers - including employed drivers, own-account drivers and agency drivers

members of the vehicle crew, for example a second driver on a coach

anyone else who is part of the travelling staff, for example a bus conductor, a drayman or a security guard aboard a vehicle carrying high-value goods

Goods vehicles

The rules that apply to goods vehicles depend on the weight of your vehicle, the country you’re driving in and what you’re using the vehicle for.

EU rules

EU rules apply if the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is more than 3.5 tonnes and you’re driving in any of the following:

the EU (including the UK)

an European Economic Area (EEA) country

Switzerland

Some vehicles are exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK.

AETR rules

AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews Engaged in International Road Transport) rules apply if your vehicle will pass through an AETR country.

GB domestic rules

GB domestic rules apply if both the following are true:

the maximum permissible weight of your vehicle or vehicle combination is under 3.5 tonnes

your vehicle is exempt from EU rules when driven in the UK

If you’ll be driving through a country outside of the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland, you should contact the UK embassy of the country to check on local rules.

More information

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

There are specific rules for tachographs and horse boxes or trailers.

Passenger-carrying vehicles

If you’re driving a vehicle that carries passengers the rules that apply to you depend on:

the number of passenger seats

how far you’re driving (the distance of your route)

if you’re driving to or from another country

if you’re driving on a regular or a non-regular service

A regular service follows a specified route, with stopping points for passengers to get on or off.

Public service vehicles (PSV)

A public service vehicle is a vehicle that’s used to carry passengers for hire or payment.

Type of operation | 8 or fewer passenger seats | 9 to 12 passenger seats | 13 to 16 passenger seats | 17 or more passenger seats

Regular service on route not exceeding 50km | GB domestic rules | GB domestic rules | GB Domestic rules | GB Domestic rules

National or international regular service on route exceeding 50km | The local rules of the countries you drive in (GB domestic rules in the UK) | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules | EU/AETR rules

Other passenger-carrying vehicles

You do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules if you drive a police, fire service or armed forces vehicle.

If you drive for a different public authority or for a business, and your vehicle is a non-PSV with:

up to 8 passenger seats - you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU rules (unless your vehicle is exempt from EU law)

If you drive a ‘non-commercial’ vehicle

You drive a non-commercial vehicle if:

passengers are not charged to use the vehicle

you and any other workers are not paid to operate or work in the vehicle

the vehicle is not used professionally or commercially

If your vehicle has up to 8 passenger seats, you do not need to follow any drivers’ hours rules.

If you use your vehicle outside the UK

If you drive between the UK and another country and your vehicle has:

up to 8 passenger seats - you must follow the local rules for the country you’re driving in

9 or more passenger seats - you must follow the EU or the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules

More information

Read Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

You can also print out the ‘Staying legal’ leaflet, which includes checklists covering the basic rules.

Exemptions from EU law

Some types of vehicle are exempt from EU rules.  This means they come under GB domestic rules in the UK.

The main types of exempt vehicle are:

vehicles that cannot go faster than 40 kilometres per hour, including vehicles that are restricted by a set speed limiter

emergency aid vehicles - vehicles used in the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid for use in emergencies or rescue operations

breakdown vehicles - specialised breakdown vehicles working within a 100km of their base

vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance purposes, and new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service

vehicles manufactured more than 25 years ago

vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery businesses for carrying goods within 100km of where the business is based

vehicles that are used to carry live animals between a farm and a market, or from a market to a slaughterhouse where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles that are used to carry animal waste or carcasses that are not intended for human consumption

educational vehicles, for example play buses and mobile libraries

vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 7.5 tonnes or less that are used for carrying work equipment for the driver where the distance is less than 100km

vehicles driven only on islands whose area does not exceed 2,300 square kilometres

vehicles with a maximum weight of 7.5 tonnes which use natural or liquefied gas or electricity as fuel and carry goods within 50km from their base

driving instruction or exams - vehicles used for driving instruction and examination. Includes instruction for renewal of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

circus vehicles - specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment

milk collection - vehicles used for collecting milk from farms or returning milk containers or milk products for animal feed to farms

any vehicle that is propelled by steam

Read the full list of exempt vehicles.

EU rules

Driving hours

The main EU rules on driving hours are that you must not drive more than:

9 hours in a day - this can be extended to 10 hours twice a week

56 hours in a week

90 hours in any 2 consecutive weeks

All driving you do under EU rules must be recorded on a tachograph.

Breaks and rest

The main points of EU rules on breaks and rest are that you must take:

at least 11 hours rest every day - you can reduce this to 9 hours rest 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods

an unbroken rest period of 45 hours every week - you can reduce this to 24 hours every other week

a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes driving

your weekly rest after 6 consecutive 24-hour periods of working, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken

Coach drivers on an international trip can take their weekly rest after 12 consecutive 24-hour periods, starting from the end of the last weekly rest period taken.

For more details on rests and breaks read:

Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

Passenger vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs

AETR rules

The European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) rules are now the same as the EU rules on drivers’ hours.

The AETR rules cover all EU countries and:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Montenegro

Moldova

North Macedonia

Norway

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Uzbekistan

GB domestic rules

The GB domestic drivers’ hours rules apply to most passenger-carrying vehicles and goods vehicles that do not have to follow the EU rules.

GB domestic rules apply in Great Britain - there are separate rules in Northern Ireland.

Goods vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in a day:

on a public road

off-road if not during duty time

Off-road driving counts as duty time if it’s for:

agriculture

quarrying

forestry

building work

civil engineering

Daily duty limit

You must not be on duty for more than 11 hours in any working day. This limit does not apply on any working day when you do not drive.

You must record your hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph.

Exemptions

You do not need to follow the GB domestic rules if you:

are dealing with an emergency - for example, a major disruption to public services or danger to life

are using the vehicle for private driving and not for work

drive off-road or on private roads during duty time

drive a vehicle used by the armed forces, police or fire brigade

Passenger-carrying vehicles

Duty time

Daily driving limit

You must not drive for more than 10 hours in any working day.

Breaks and continuous driving

After 5 hours 30 minutes of driving you must take a break of at least 30 minutes for rest and refreshment.

Length of working day (‘spreadover’)

You must not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work - including non-driving work and any times when you’re off.

Daily rest periods

You must take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty in a working week.

You must take a rest of at least 10 hours between 2 working days (or spreadovers) - this can be reduced to 8.5 hours up to 3 times a week.

Fortnightly rest periods

Every 2 weeks you must take at least one period of 24 hours off duty.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Exemptions

drive for less than 4 hours a day in a week

If you drive for more than 4 hours for up to 2 days a week, you do not need to follow all of the rules. You need to:

follow the rules for daily driving limits and length of working day

start and finish all of your duties within a 24-hour period

take a rest of 10 hours before the first duty and immediately after the last duty

If you work overnight and the rules applied on the day your shift began, you must follow the rules for your entire shift - even if your shift finishes during a week in which you’re exempt from the rules.

Driving under both EU and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU/AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you need to know the following:

driving under EU rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

on any days you drive under EU rules you must take EU daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period

you cannot count the time you spend driving under EU rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules

driving and other duty under GB domestic rules count as ‘attendance at work’, not as a break or rest period under EU rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. But at any time when you’re actually driving under the EU rules you must follow all the rules on EU driving limits.

Other duty limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of:

11 hours on duty if you drive a goods vehicle

16 hours on duty if you drive a passenger-carrying vehicle

Rest periods and breaks

You must follow the EU rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive under EU rules.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 24:00 hours the next Sunday.

Read Goods vehicles: rules on drivers’ hours and tachographs for the main rules.

Read the rules for drivers’ hours in the recovery vehicle industry.