Tachograph Rules Update

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is altering the accepted methods for recording drivers’ activities for the previous 28 days, this adds to the sterner approach that was implemented in August 2020.

Every day that a driver operates a vehicle within scope of EU drivers’ hours, the driver must follow the 3 accepted methods for record keeping, a tachograph chart, on the back of a tachograph printout, or the manual input facility of a digital tachograph.

A driver must keep a full set of their activities for the current day and the previous 28 days, the records must cover:

· Other work
· Periods of availability
· Breaks
· Rest
· Annual leave
· Sick leave

Manually recording other activities

A driver must have a full accurate record for the current day and the previous 28 days. Under EU rules, drivers must record all non-EU/AETR work, such as secondary employment, as 'other work' using either:

· A tachograph chart
· A printout
· The manual input facility of a digital tachograph

When using a printout, drivers must ensure that there is enough detail to identify the individual driver. On an analogue record sheet, it must be the driver’s name. On digital printout paper, it must be the driver’s name, driver's card, or driving licence number.

Change to recording other work or duties

The DVSA is accepting, until further notice, the recording of activities in blocks to cover any fixed week during which no in-scope driving takes place.

If no in-scope driving takes place in a fixed week (00:00 hrs Monday to 24:00 hrs Sunday) the DVSA will accept one or more records for the whole week, as opposed to requiring 7 daily records. The records must identify the weekly rest periods within that fixed week.

When in-scope driving is undertaken, a full record must be kept for the whole week with separate records for each 24 hours.


DVSA has provided an example of how the rules work (see on the right)

International journeys and attestation forms

It is recommended that any drivers undertaking international journeys to, from, and through the EU keep full daily records for the previous 28 days. This reflects the potential for different interpretations of the rules and the inability of enforcement authorities to check the home premises of UK-based operators.

As an alternative, European Commission officials have confirmed that attestation forms for drivers’ hours’ records continue to be available and should be accepted in the context of journeys involving EU member states.

The attestation forms must use the template at Form of attestation of activities (europa.eu). One attestation form should cover each activity. For example, in a period where there was no in-scope driving, a driver would need one attestation to cover other work and another for weekly rest. For example, in a period where there was no in-scope driving a driver would need one attestation to cover other work and another for weekly rest. The attestation must be completed prior to the journey and signed by the operator and signed by the driver.

Final comment

It appears that EU Drivers’ Hours rules are cracking down on record keeping and recording of ‘other work’ or ‘other duties’. In that case, record-keeping remains a crucial part of a driver’s responsibilities. Where a driver fails to record other work and duties or attempts to hide insufficient rest periods DVSA will take enforcement action.

We discuss in more detail record keeping for drivers following EU Drivers’ Hours and examples of how to record ‘other duties’ in our Driver CPC courses.

Vincent Winfield
Executive Director of NationalCPC

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