Guide
Drivers' hours and the working time directive: both sets of limits
Updated
The tacho rules cap your driving. The working time rules cap everything you do at work. You have to pass both.
What the working time rules add
| Limit | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average working week | 48 hours, averaged over the reference period |
| Maximum in any single week | 60 hours |
| Night work | 10 hours in any 24-hour period when working at night, unless a workforce agreement extends it |
| Break during work | 30 minutes if working 6 to 9 hours, 45 minutes if over 9 (in periods of at least 15 minutes) |
Working time means driving plus other work: loading, checks, cleaning, paperwork. It does not include breaks, rest, or periods of availability (waiting time you know about in advance, recorded as POA). That is why your POA button matters: badly recorded waiting time inflates your working-time average (gov.uk/drivers-hours).
The 6-hour rule
You cannot work more than 6 hours without a break under the working time rules. This is separate from the tacho's 4.5-hours-driving rule, and on a day heavy with other work it can bite first: 3 hours of loading plus 3 hours of driving means a break is due even though the tacho clock shows only 3 hours of driving.
Who this applies to
These limits apply to mobile workers on vehicles in scope of the EU/GB drivers' hours rules, which covers most HGV drivers. Self-employed drivers have been in scope of the rules since 2012. Opt-outs that exist in the general 48-hour rules for other workers do not apply to mobile workers; the average is a hard cap.
This page states the position at the updated date shown above; the drivers' hours and working time figures are statutory and change rarely, but always confirm current rules at gov.uk/drivers-hours before relying on them.