Drivers' hours

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Driving under both EU or AETR rules and GB domestic rules

If you work partly under EU or AETR rules and partly under GB domestic rules during a day or a week you must:

  • take EU or AETR daily rest periods, as well as a weekly rest period
  • not count the time you spend driving under EU or AETR rules as an off-duty period under GB domestic rules
  • understand that driving under GB domestic rules counts as ‘other work’, not as a break or rest period
  • understand that driving or being on duty under EU or AETR rules counts towards the driving and duty limits under GB domestic rules

Driving limits

You must follow the GB domestic limit of a maximum of 10 hours driving a day. At any time when you’re actually driving under EU or AETR rules you must follow all the rules on EU or AETR 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 EU or AETR rules on rest periods and breaks on days and weeks when you drive in EU or AETR countries.

A fixed week is from 00:00 hours on Monday to 23:59 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.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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