From 1 July 2026, some vans used in international operations will have to run with tachographs. Below you’ll find the key answers on who is covered, what exceptions apply and what operators need to prepare for.
Key dates and what the rules cover
When do tachographs become mandatory in vans?
The new requirement applies from 1 July 2026. From that date, light commercial vehicles that fall under the regulation must have a recording device installed and in use.
Which vehicles are affected?
The obligation applies to vehicles and vehicle combinations (van plus trailer) with a permissible gross vehicle weight between over 2.5 tonnes and up to 3.5 tonnes when they are used for paid international carriage of goods or for cabotage.
Does it also apply to cabotage?
Yes. Tachographs will be required not only for international paid transport of goods, but also for cabotage operations carried out with vehicles (or combinations) in the over 2.5 to 3.5 tonne permissible gross weight bracket.
Is it based on actual weight or the vehicle’s rated weight?
What matters is the permissible gross vehicle weight shown in the vehicle documents—not what the van happens to weigh during a roadside check. If you tow a trailer, the combined permissible gross weight of the set is what counts. That means the rules can also catch a passenger car towing a heavy trailer, as long as the operation is commercial.
Which tachograph model is required?
Vans covered by the rules must be equipped with second-generation smart tachographs, version 2 (Smart Tacho G2V2). Installation, calibration and applying the company lock must be done by a certified workshop.
Exemptions and when you can operate without a tachograph
Does every van over 2.5 tonnes on international work need a tachograph?
No. Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 includes two key exclusions (Article 3(a)(a) and Article 3(h)(a)) that allow legal transport without a recording device.
What is the “crafts” exemption (Article 3(a)(a))?
This exemption removes the tachograph requirement for drivers carrying materials, equipment or machinery needed for their work, as well as goods produced as part of a craft activity. To rely on it, all conditions must be met at the same time:
- The permissible gross vehicle weight of the vehicle or combination does not exceed 7.5 tonnes.
- The transport is carried out within 100 km of the company base.
- Driving the vehicle is not the driver’s main job.
- The transport is strictly ancillary to the main business activity.
How does the “own-account” exemption work (Article 3(h)(a))?
This exclusion applies to vans in the 2.5 to 3.5 tonne bracket used to move goods as part of the company’s own activity. There is no 100 km limit here (so it can cover long international routes)—as long as the following criteria are fulfilled:
- The transport is not carried out for hire or reward for third parties.
- The goods belong to the company or are linked to its business transactions (sold, purchased, rented, etc.).
- Driving is not the main occupation of the employee.
Important warning: if the van driver is employed specifically as a professional driver, enforcement services will likely challenge the use of this exemption.
Driving and rest time rules for van drivers
What driving-time limits apply from 1 July 2026?
Drivers operating vans brought under the new rules will follow the same working-time regime as heavy goods vehicle drivers:
| Activity | Limit and guidance |
| Daily driving time | Up to 9 hours (can be extended to 10 hours no more than twice per week). |
| Weekly driving time | Up to 56 hours. |
| Two-week driving time | Up to 90 hours across two consecutive weeks. |
| Breaks while driving | At least 45 minutes after each 4.5 hours of driving (may be split into 15 minutes plus 30 minutes). |
| Daily rest | Normally at least 11 hours within each 24-hour period. |
Drivers covered by the Mobility Package rules will also be subject to driver fatigue posting requirements, the need to hold a personalised driver card, and the obligation to return regularly to base or to their place of residence.
What penalties apply in Europe for not having the required tachograph?
Once the rules take effect, operating without the required second-generation smart tachograph (G2V2) is treated as a serious infringement. Below is a country-by-country overview of penalties and enforcement measures referenced in official reports:
Austria: Fines range from 400 to five thousand euro. The vehicle is immobilised until the correct device is installed.
Belgium: A fixed fine of two thousand six hundred and forty euro for not having the proper tachograph.
Bulgaria: Using a non-compliant tachograph can lead to one thousand five hundred levs; having no smart tachograph 2.0 can mean three thousand levs.
Croatia: Tiered penalties: 390 to 920 euro for the driver, 1,980 to 3,310 euro for the company, and 920 to 1,980 euro for the responsible person in the business.
Cyprus: Lack of a smart tachograph 2.0 is punishable by a fine of up to three thousand four hundred and seventeen euro.
Montenegro: Penalties for missing the required equipment range from two thousand five hundred to six thousand euro.
Czechia: Fine of up to three hundred and fifty thousand Czech koruna, plus towing the vehicle to a workshop for tachograph installation at the operator’s expense.
Denmark: The driver may be fined up to six thousand Danish kroner, and the transport company up to twelve thousand Danish kroner.
Estonia: Fine of up to eight hundred euro for the driver and up to three thousand two hundred euro for the business owner.
Finland: Income-based penalties. The minimum fine equals ten days’ pay for the driver, with a maximum of twenty-five days.
France: Very strict sanctions—fine of up to thirty thousand euro, up to one year in prison, and immediate seizure of the vehicle.
Greece: A three thousand euro fine, with immediate immobilisation of the vehicle until payment is made.
Spain: Administrative fine of two thousand and one euro.
Lithuania: Driver fine from 350 to 600 euro; responsible entity fine from 900 to one thousand seven hundred euro. Further driving is prohibited until the tachograph is replaced and the technical check is completed.
Luxembourg: The case may go to court. A judge may impose a fine from 251 euro up to twenty-five thousand euro and/or imprisonment from eight days to five years.
Latvia: Fine for lacking the proper tachograph ranges from 430 to 700 euro.
Malta: A symbolic fine of 58.23 euro.
Netherlands: No approved smart tachograph is punishable by a fine of four thousand four hundred euro.
Germany: Not having a tachograph installed that meets the requirements can result in a fine of one thousand five hundred euro.
Poland: Administrative penalty totals twelve thousand złotych (ten thousand złotych for the company and two thousand złotych for the transport manager). Authorities retain the registration certificate (with the possibility to continue driving for up to seven days). GITD also notes that failing to replace the tachograph on time may trigger a procedure assessing the operator’s good repute.
Portugal: Failure to install a second-generation device can lead to fines from one thousand two hundred to six thousand euro.
Romania: Fine from one thousand eight hundred to two thousand four hundred euro, plus seizure of the vehicle until the technical issue is resolved.
Slovakia: Missing an approved tachograph, skipping periodic inspection or driving with a damaged device can bring penalties from one thousand six hundred and fifty-nine to sixteen thousand five hundred and ninety-six euro. Authorities may retain documents and number plates.
Slovenia: Fine of up to one thousand five hundred euro for not having the correct device.
Switzerland: Fine of at least five hundred and forty Swiss francs and immobilisation of the vehicle until the amount due is paid.
Sweden: Missing the required recording device is punishable by a fine of twenty thousand Swedish kronor.
Hungary: Failure to install a G2V2 tachograph can result in a penalty of eight hundred thousand forints.
United Kingdom: Driving without the correct tachograph can lead to a three hundred pound fine.
Italy: Fine from 866 to three thousand four hundred and sixty-four euro, an obligation to install the device within ten days, and suspension of the driver’s licence from fifteen days up to three months.
Getting your business ready
What extra responsibilities will operators have?
Buying the device (around one thousand euro net, plus installation) and fitting it to the van is only part of the job. Operators will also need to:
- Obtain a company card and driver cards for all drivers.
- Download data on time: from driver cards at least once every 28 days, and from the tachograph memory at least once every 90 days.
- Store downloaded files for a period of one to two years.
- Train drivers and dispatchers on device use and on planning routes around the new time limits.
How will the new rules change day-to-day transport planning?
For businesses running vans, the “quick call” approach to planning—or relying on spreadsheets—will be much harder to sustain. With tighter checks and loads needing to fit around mandatory breaks, digital processes become essential. Companies that want to protect margins should consider telematics with remote DDD file downloads and tools that automatically flag working-time infringements in real time, as well as monitoring costs such as diesel.
