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Drivers' hours: rules and guidance

Rules for lorry, bus and coach drivers on how many hours you can drive, exemptions from the rules, and when the rules can be relaxed temporarily.

Updates to this page

From:
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and Department for Transport
Published:
14 May 2014
Last updated:
23 April 2022
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  1. The temporary relaxation of the rules that applied until 8 May 2022, subject to review, terminated early at 11.59pm on 22 April 2022. If you made use of the relaxation, you must submit a completed follow-up notification form by 29 April 2022.

  2. The relaxation of the rules that applied until 8 May 2022, subject to review, will terminate early at 11.59pm on 22 April 2022. If you made use of the relaxation, you must submit a completed follow-up notification form by 29 April 2022.

  3. A temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the retained EU drivers’ hours rules is in operation until 11:59pm on 8 May 2022, subject to review.

  4. The temporary relaxation to drivers’ hours rules has ended. If you made use of the relaxation that applied until 11:59pm on 10 February 2022, you must submit a completed follow-up notification form by 17 February 2022.

  5. New temporary relaxations of drivers' hours take effect from 12:01am on 12 January 2022 until 11:59pm on 10 February 2022, subject to review.

  6. Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the retained EU drivers’ hours rules: all road haulage sectors in Great Britain has been updated.

  7. Added guidance on temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the retained EU drivers’ hours rules

  8. Guidance on temporary relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules added to the collection.

  9. Guidance for severe weather driving.

  10. Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of drivers’ hours and working time rules: delivery of LPG.

  11. Added 'Drivers’ hours: changes to fines for commercial drivers' to the collection.

  12. Added 'Temporary relaxation of the EU drivers’ hours rules: transport of pigs from Scotland to abattoirs in England'.

  13. Updated with links to the manuals for rules on drivers' hours and tachograph for goods and passenger carrying vehicles in Great Britain and Europe.

  14. Published 'Temporary relaxation of the EU drivers' hours rules: closure of Forth Road Bridge, 18 to 20 February 2016'.

  15. Published 'Temporary relaxation of the EU drivers’ hours rules: closure of Forth Road Bridge, 18 February to 24 March 2016'.

  16. Published 'Temporary relaxation of the EU drivers’ hours rules: closure of Forth Road Bridge, 12 January to 15 February 2016'

  17. Notification of temporary relaxation of the EU drivers’ hours rules due to the closure of the Forth road bridge.

  18. Added 'Temporary relaxation of the EU drivers’ hours rules: Port of Calais industrial action' to the collection.

  19. First published.

EU drivers’ hours and tachograph rules still apply to journeys between the EU and UK, or wholly within the EU or UK.

AETR rules apply to journeys outside of the EU, including journeys involving Norway and Switzerland.

Drivers' hours quick guides

Tachograph quick guides

Drivers’ hours and tachograph rules manuals

Working time and drivers' hours

Exemption guidance

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