 The Department for Transport will be making legislative changes, at the earliest opportunity, to ensure the drivers’ hours rules meet international obligations. Ahead of these changes, the Department and DVSA are clarifying the rules around international journeys for HGVs and PSVs.
When the legislation has been amended, we’ll update our drivers’ hours guidance on GOV.UK.
There are no changes affecting any vehicles used solely within the UK.
What you need to know
Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
From 31 December 2024, if you are a driver of an HGV that is over 3.5 tonnes and being used for international journeys between the UK and EU, you will need to produce records for 56 days (including digital data, analogue charts and any other manual records) – instead of the current 28 days.
Public service vehicles (PSVs)
To meet international obligations, PSVs (with more than 10 seats) should be operating under the AETR drivers’ hours and tachograph rules when making international journeys between the UK and EU.
For UK registered PSVs being used on domestic (ie. within the UK) journeys, there is no change – these should continue operating under the current UK drivers’ hours rules (often referred to as EC Drivers’ Hours rules).
AETR rules are largely the same as current UK/E rules. However, the following UK/EU rules do not apply to AETR journeys:
- returning to base or driver’s country of residence
- interrupting weekly rest periods
- reaching the employer’s operational centre or driver’s home (unforeseen events)
- accommodation for weekly rest
- 56-day production
More details of the differences are published in the drivers’ hours guidance on GOV.UK.
Tachograph deadline (HGVs and PSVs)
The above rules do not change the requirements for fitment of tachographs under the assimilated tachograph rules (Regulation (EU) 165/2014, as it has effect in the UK).
By 31 December 2024, you still need to ensure that any PSV or HGV installed with a digital tachograph and used on international transport journeys between the UK and EU is fitted with a smart tachograph 2.
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