Assimilated EU drivers' hours rules
How much longer can you drive today?
The limits are 9 hours' driving a day (10 twice a week), 56 a week, 90 a fortnight, with a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours at the wheel. Put in what you've driven: 6 hours today and 32 this week after a 40-hour week leaves you 3 hours of driving today, and 2.5 hours until your break is due if you've done 2 since the last one.
The basis
- Limits are the assimilated EU drivers' hours rules that apply to most goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in the UK: 9 hours daily driving (10 twice a week), 56 hours in a fixed week, 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks, and a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving (gov.uk/drivers-hours).
- The fixed week is Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00; enter this week's hours including today's driving.
- This works out driving time only. Other work, tacho modes and the separate working time (WTD) limits are covered in the working time guide.
- Rest requirements are not calculated here: daily rest is 11 hours (reducible to 9 up to 3 times between weekly rests) and weekly rest is 45 hours (reducible to 24 with compensation). See the rules guide.
- Your tachograph record is the legal record. This tool is a planning aid, it cannot see split breaks, multi-manning or ferry rules, so always check your card data before deciding you can keep driving.
HGV Hours Calculator is an independent information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not affiliated with DVSA, DVLA, the Traffic Commissioners or any government body, and nothing here is legal advice. Your tachograph record is the legal record of your hours: confirm the current rules at gov.uk/drivers-hours before relying on any figure.
HGV driving time remaining under the EU/GB limits
Last updated
Worked scenarios on a standard 9-hour driving day: what the daily 9, weekly 56 and fortnightly 90-hour caps leave a driver, using the same arithmetic as the calculator.
Computed from the assimilated EU drivers' hours limits published at gov.uk/drivers-hours: driving left today = the lowest of (9 - today), (56 - this week) and (90 - this week - last week), floored at zero. Standard day assumed (no 10-hour extension).
| Driven today | This week | Last week | Driving left today | Left this week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4h | 20h | 40h | 5h | 30h |
| 6h | 32h | 40h | 3h | 18h |
| 8h | 45h | 40h | 1h | 5h |
| 9h | 50h | 38h | 0h | 2h |
| 6h | 40h | 48h | 2h | 2h |
- An HGV driver in the UK can drive at most 9 hours a day, extendable to 10 hours no more than twice in a fixed week, under the assimilated EU rules.
- Driving is capped at 56 hours in a single fixed week and 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks, so a 56-hour week leaves at most 34 hours the next week.
- A break of at least 45 minutes is required after 4.5 hours of driving; it can be split into 15 minutes then 30 minutes, in that order.
Cite this page
“HGV driving time remaining under the EU/GB limits”, HGV Hours Calculator, https://hgvhourscalculator.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Computed from the assimilated EU drivers' hours limits published at gov.uk/drivers-hours: driving left today = the lowest of (9 - today), (56 - this week) and (90 - this week - last week), floored at zero. Standard day assumed (no 10-hour extension).
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Guides
The longer answers, with sources.
HGV drivers' hours rules explained simply (UK)
The EU/GB drivers' hours rules in plain English: 9-hour driving days, 45-minute breaks, 11-hour daily rest, 45-hour weekly rest, and how the reductions work.
Tachograph basics: cards, modes, manual entries and downloads
How the tachograph records your drivers' hours: driver card duties, the four modes, manual entries, 28-day card and 90-day unit downloads, and losing a card.
Drivers' hours and the working time directive: both sets of limits
HGV drivers face two rulebooks: the EU drivers' hours limits and the mobile workers' working time rules, 48-hour average weeks, 60-hour maximum, night caps.
Frequently asked
How many hours can an HGV driver drive in a day?
9 hours of driving a day under the assimilated EU rules, extendable to 10 hours no more than twice in a fixed week. Duty time can be longer: an 11-hour daily rest leaves a 13-hour window, or 15 hours on up to 3 days with reduced rest.
How many hours can an HGV driver work in a week?
Driving is capped at 56 hours in a fixed week and 90 hours over any two consecutive weeks. Total working time is separately capped at an average of 48 hours a week and a hard maximum of 60 in any single week.
When is my 45-minute break due?
After 4.5 hours of accumulated driving. You can take it as one 45-minute break or split it as at least 15 minutes followed by at least 30 minutes; the split only counts in that order.
What is a reduced daily rest?
A daily rest of at least 9 hours but less than 11. You can take up to 3 reduced daily rests between any two weekly rest periods, and unlike reduced weekly rest there is nothing to pay back.
How much weekly rest do I need?
A regular weekly rest is 45 hours. It can be reduced to as little as 24 hours, but the reduction must be compensated in one block, attached to another rest of at least 9 hours, by the end of the third week following. In any two consecutive fixed weeks you need at least two regular weekly rests, or one regular and one reduced; extra weekly rests can be taken on top of that minimum.
Do these rules apply to 7.5-tonne lorries?
Yes. The EU/GB drivers' hours rules apply to most goods vehicles (or vehicle and trailer combinations) over 3.5 tonnes, which includes 7.5-tonners. Some operations are exempt and fall under GB domestic rules instead; check the exemptions list on gov.uk.
Know your hours before the run
Daily, weekly and fortnightly allowances from what's already on your card.
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