UK Driver Hours & Tachograph Rules: What Hauliers Must Know in 2025

If you're running HGVs in 2025, the compliance landscape has shifted enough that it's worth sitting down and making sure you've got the full picture. Between new international rules, tachograph upgrade deadlines, and tighter DVSA enforcement, there's a lot to keep on top of — and the consequences of getting it wrong are more serious than ever. Here's a straightforward breakdown of what's changed, what's stayed the same, and what you need to do about it.

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UK Domestic Driving Hours: Still the Same, Still Strictly Enforced

Let's start with the good news for those running UK-only operations: domestic driving hours rules haven't changed. But "unchanged" doesn't mean "relaxed" — DVSA enforcement is tighter in 2025, so it's worth making sure your drivers know these limits cold.

For journeys solely within Great Britain, the rules are:

• Daily driving: 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours a maximum of twice per week
• Weekly driving: No more than 56 hours
• Fortnightly driving: No more than 90 hours across any two consecutive weeks
• Breaks: A 45-minute break (or two breaks of 15 and 30 minutes, in that order) after no more than 4.5 hours of driving

These limits exist for one reason: tired drivers cause crashes. Enforcement isn't just about ticking boxes — it reflects genuine road safety risk. DVSA's Earned Recognition audit standards make clear that operators are expected to have robust systems in place for monitoring driver hours, and that self-auditing against those standards is the baseline expectation for any responsible fleet operator.

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International Operations: The AETR Rules Take Over

This is where things get more significant, particularly for hauliers running cross-border routes.

From 21 April 2025, the AETR (European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport) formally governs all UK international HGV journeys — including routes to non-EU countries like Turkey and Morocco, or journeys transiting through the EU to those destinations.

This replaces the previously retained EU regulations that had been carried over after Brexit. In practical terms, the driving hours limits themselves are broadly similar to what most international drivers will be familiar with — but the legal framework has changed, and compliance records and documentation requirements have shifted with it.

The biggest practical change here is the 56-day record retention rule.

56 Days of Records — Not 28

During roadside inspections, drivers on international routes must now be able to produce 56 days of tachograph records — that's double the previous 28-day requirement. This includes:

• Digital tachograph data
• Analogue charts (where applicable)
• Manual entries (for periods where no vehicle was driven)

This is a meaningful operational change. Drivers need to carry or have access to the right volume of records, and operators need to ensure their systems — whether that's tachograph analysis software or something like TruckCheck — are set up to retain and retrieve the right data on demand.

If your driver gets stopped at the roadside and can't produce 56 days of records, expect a formal infringement. Make sure this is briefed clearly to your drivers before any international run.

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Smart Tachograph 2: The Clock Is Ticking

If you haven't already looked at your tachograph upgrade schedule, now's the time.

Smart Tachograph 2 (also referred to as "Gen 2" units) is the new standard required for international HGV operations, and there are two key deadlines you need to have in your diary:

• 18 August 2025: Any HGV currently fitted with a Smart Tachograph 1 (Gen 1) that operates on international routes must be retrofitted with Smart Tachograph 2 by this date.
• 1 July 2026: Vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes GVW used for international transport must also be fitted with Smart Tachograph 2.

Smart Tachograph 2 units include improved remote enforcement capabilities — they broadcast data to roadside units, making it easier for enforcement authorities across Europe (and in the UK) to flag potential infringements without even stopping a vehicle. That's not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to make sure your compliance is genuinely solid, not just close enough.

If you're unsure which vehicles in your fleet need upgrading, your tachograph calibration centre can advise — and don't leave it until July or August, because fitting capacity will tighten as deadlines approach.

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London HGV Safety Permits: Already Live

For anyone running vehicles into Greater London, Direct Vision Standard (DVS) Safety Permits are now mandatory as of 4 May 2025 for all HGVs over 12 tonnes.

This isn't a new concept — the DVS scheme has been running since 2021 — but the requirements have tightened. Vehicles with a zero-to-two-star DVS rating must now be fitted with a Progressive Safe System (PSS), which includes equipment such as:

• Camera monitoring systems
• Acoustic vehicle alerting systems
• Left-turn warnings

If your vehicle doesn't have a valid Safety Permit and is caught operating in Greater London, you're looking at significant fines. TfL enforcement is active, and this applies to any HGV over 12 tonnes — so if you're doing any London deliveries or collections, check your permit status now.

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Enforcement Is Up — Here's What to Expect

DVSA has been clear that 2025 brings tighter enforcement, not just new rules. That means more roadside spot checks, more use of remote tachograph monitoring technology, and stricter penalties for fatigue-related offences and record-keeping errors.

If you're operating under DVSA's Earned Recognition scheme, you'll already have audit standards to meet around driver hours monitoring and tachograph compliance. But even if you're not part of that scheme, the expectation is the same: operators need to be actively checking records, not just storing them.

Tools like TruckCheck are designed to help transport managers stay on top of this without it becoming a full-time job — flagging exceptions, keeping records organised, and making sure nothing slips through the gaps.

A couple of other updates to keep on your radar:

• Scotland HGV speed limits: The Scottish Government is working towards aligning single carriageway HGV speed limits with England and Wales — increasing from 40mph to 50mph — by the end of 2025.
• HGV medical self-declarations: A digital-first system for drivers over 45 is expected in late 2025, which should make licence renewals less of a paper chase.

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A Quick Reference: 2025 Deadlines

| Date | What's happening | |---|---| | 21 April 2025 | AETR rules govern all international UK HGV journeys | | 4 May 2025 | London DVS Safety Permits mandatory (HGVs over 12t) | | 18 August 2025 | Smart Tachograph 2 retrofit deadline (Smart Tacho 1 vehicles, international) | | 1 July 2026 | Smart Tachograph 2 required on 2.5–3.5t GVW international vehicles | | Late 2025 | Expected Scotland HGV speed limit change and digital medical declarations |

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Staying compliant in 2025 isn't about jumping through hoops — it's about protecting your drivers, your licence, and your business. If you want to see how fleet compliance software can take some of the pressure off, try TruckCheck free or get in touch to see how it works.