Drivers' hours for vans and lorries
Which drivers' hours rules your vans and lorries follow in Great Britain, and the limits under each.
A 3.5 tonne Luton and a 7.5 tonne lorry can be out on the same job and still work to different rules. Most removal and delivery vans follow the GB domestic rules; lorries over 3.5 tonnes follow the assimilated rules. Northern Ireland has its own rules. GOV.UK's drivers' hours guide (opens in a new tab) is the full reference.
Which rules apply
- Up to 3.5 tonnes, driving in England, Wales and Scotland: the GB domestic rules (opens in a new tab). This covers most vans, including a 3.5 tonne Luton.
- Over 3.5 tonnes, such as a 7.5 tonne box lorry, in the UK or to, from or through an EU country: the assimilated rules (opens in a new tab), formerly the EU rules.
GOV.UK's goods vehicles page (opens in a new tab) sets out which applies, and the exemptions.
GB domestic rules
- Drive no more than 10 hours a day.
- Be on duty no more than 11 hours in a working day. This doesn't apply on days you don't drive.
- Record your hours on a weekly record sheet or a tachograph.
Assimilated rules
| Limit | Rule |
|---|---|
| Daily driving | 9 hours, which can be extended to 10 hours twice a week |
| Weekly driving | 56 hours, and no more than 90 hours in any 2 weeks in a row |
| Breaks | At least 45 minutes, in one go or in parts, after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes of driving |
| Daily rest | At least 11 hours, which can be reduced to 9 hours 3 times between weekly rests |
| Weekly rest | 45 hours in one go, which can be reduced to 24 hours every other week |
All driving is recorded on a tachograph.
Driving under both
A driver who drives a lorry under the assimilated rules and a van under the GB domestic rules in the same day or week follows both. The lorry driving counts towards the GB limits of 10 hours driving and 11 hours on duty, and the assimilated rest rules still apply. See driving under both sets of rules (opens in a new tab).
Working time
Drivers' hours aren't the only limit. Drivers on the assimilated rules fall under the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005: an average of 48 hours' work a week, no more than 60 in any one week, and a break after 6 hours' work. Drivers on the GB domestic rules fall under the Working Time Regulations 1998, with the same 48-hour average, which a driver can choose to opt out of. GOV.UK's working time rules (opens in a new tab) give the detail.
What employers must do
Employers (opens in a new tab) must organise drivers' work so they can follow the rules, check their hours records, and keep those records for at least a year.
Planning breaks in DoRoutes
DoRoutes plans each van's day with the breaks its rules need: GB domestic rules for vans and assimilated rules for larger vehicles. Drivers clock in and out on their phones, and Hours keeps the record.