HGV Drivers' Hours Rules Explained (UK)
Drivers' hours rules exist to keep tired drivers off the road, and DVSA enforces them with roadside checks, tachograph analysis and substantial fines. This guide covers the EU/GB assimilated rules that apply to most HGV operations in the UK.
Daily driving limits
The standard daily driving limit is 9 hours between daily rest periods. This can be extended to 10 hours, but no more than twice in any fixed week (Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00). Driving time means time at the wheel — queuing at an RDC or waiting to tip doesn't count as driving, but it isn't rest either.
Weekly limits sit on top of the daily ones: a maximum of 56 hours driving in a single fixed week, and no more than 90 hours across any two consecutive weeks. Fleet planners should watch the two-week total closely — a 56-hour week only leaves 34 hours the following week.
Breaks: the 4.5-hour rule
After 4 hours 30 minutes of accumulated driving you must take a break of at least 45 minutes, during which you cannot drive or do other work. The break can be split into two parts — a first part of at least 15 minutes followed by a second of at least 30 minutes — taken within the 4.5-hour driving period.
A common tachograph infringement is taking the split in the wrong order (30 then 15 doesn't reset the clock). Get the order right: 15 first, then 30.
Daily and weekly rest
A regular daily rest is 11 continuous hours within each 24-hour period from the end of the previous rest. It can be reduced to 9 hours (a 'reduced daily rest') no more than three times between any two weekly rest periods. Alternatively, rest can be split 3 + 9 hours ('split daily rest'), in that order.
A regular weekly rest is 45 continuous hours. It can be reduced to as little as 24 hours, but the reduction must be compensated by an equivalent block of rest attached to another rest period before the end of the third week following. A new weekly rest must start no later than the end of six consecutive 24-hour periods since the last one finished.
POA and the Working Time Directive
Period of availability (POA) is time when a driver is available for work but not actually working, where the duration is known in advance — the classic example is waiting while someone else loads the vehicle. POA doesn't count towards the 48-hour average working week under the Road Transport Working Time rules, which is why recording it correctly matters.
Under the Working Time rules, mobile workers must average no more than 48 working hours per week (usually over a 17-week reference period, extendable to 26 by agreement), must not exceed 60 hours in any single week, and cannot work more than 6 hours without a break of at least 15 minutes (30 minutes if working 6–9 hours).
Tachographs and enforcement
Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes on in-scope work must use a tachograph, and drivers need a driver card. You must make a manual entry for duties done away from the vehicle, carry your card at all times when driving in scope, and produce records for the current day and previous 28 days at the roadside.
DVSA can issue fixed penalties for infringements committed in the previous 28 days, immobilise vehicles, and refer serious cases to the Traffic Commissioner — putting the operator's licence at risk. Consistent, honest recording is cheaper than any shortcut.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive 10 hours every day?
No. The 10-hour extended limit is available at most twice per fixed week; other days are capped at 9 hours of driving.
Does loading count as a break?
No. Loading is 'other work', and supervising loading is usually other work too. Waiting while others load, with the time known in advance, can be POA — but neither counts as a break from driving.
What happens if I break drivers' hours rules?
DVSA can issue fixed penalties per offence (covering the last 28 days), prohibit the journey, and report drivers and operators to the Traffic Commissioner, which can lead to licence action.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change — always verify current requirements on gov.uk or with a transport lawyer/consultant.