HGV Drivers’ Hours & the Working Time Directive – The Facts
How many hours can an HGV driver drive? How long can a lorry driver work in a week? When does a driver need a break? And what is the difference between drivers’ hours and the Working Time Directive?
These are questions we are constantly asked about HGV drivers’ hours and the Working Time Directive.
And it’s hardly surprising.
Drivers’ hours, working time, breaks, rest periods and tachograph rules all overlap — but they are not the same thing. Get them mixed up and it is very easy to get yourself in a muddle.
So, we sat down with our expert tutor team at NTP Online Learning and put together straightforward answers to some of the most common HGV drivers’ hours and working time questions.
This guide reflects current DVSA guidance for goods vehicle drivers operating under the assimilated drivers’ hours rules — the rules many drivers and operators still refer to as the EU drivers’ hours rules.
For further official guidance, you can also read the GOV.UK guidance on drivers’ hours and tachographs.
Here we go: HGV Drivers’ Hours & the Working Time Directive – The Facts.
HGV Drivers’ Hours – Quick Answer
For most HGV drivers operating under the assimilated drivers’ hours rules, the main driving limits are:
- 9 hours’ driving per day
- Daily driving can be extended to 10 hours twice in a fixed week
- 56 hours’ maximum driving in one fixed week
- 90 hours’ maximum driving across any two consecutive weeks
- A 45-minute break after no more than 4 hours 30 minutes of driving
- Normally 11 hours’ daily rest, although this can be reduced to 9 hours subject to the rules
- 45 hours’ regular weekly rest, subject to the rules on reduced weekly rest
A fixed week runs from 00:00 Monday to 24:00 Sunday.
But remember: driving time and working time are not the same thing. The Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 also have to be considered.
1. How Many Hours Can an HGV Driver Drive Per Year?
Quick answer: There is no specific legal annual driving limit of 2,340 hours for an HGV driver.
This is where we need to correct a common misconception.
There is no specific legal annual driving limit of 2,340 hours for an HGV driver.
You may have seen the figure 2,340 hours quoted. This comes from multiplying the maximum 90 hours of driving permitted over two consecutive weeks by 26.
But that does not create a legal annual allowance.
The rules actually work by setting daily, weekly and two-weekly limits.
An HGV driver operating under the assimilated rules must not normally exceed:
- 9 hours’ driving per day
- 10 hours’ driving twice in a fixed week
- 56 hours’ driving in a fixed week
- 90 hours’ driving in any two consecutive weeks
So rather than asking, “Have I stayed below an annual total?”, drivers and operators need to continually check that the relevant daily, weekly and two-weekly limits have been met.
Can an HGV driver drive 56 hours every week?
No.
Although 56 hours is the maximum driving time in a single fixed week, the two-weekly limit is 90 hours.
For example:
| Period | Driving time |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | 56 hours |
| Week 2 | Maximum 34 hours |
| Total | 90 hours |
The two-weekly limit applies to any two consecutive fixed weeks — you cannot simply look at one week in isolation.
2. How Many Hours Can an HGV Driver Drive Per Week?
Quick answer: An HGV driver can drive for a maximum of 56 hours in one fixed week, but must also stay within the 90-hour two-weekly limit.
An HGV driver operating under assimilated drivers’ hours rules can drive for a maximum of 56 hours in one fixed week, which runs from 00:00 Monday to 24:00 Sunday.
However, the driver must also remain within the 90-hour two-weekly driving limit.
Examples of compliant patterns include:
| Period | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 45 hours | 56 hours |
| Week 2 | 45 hours | 34 hours |
| Total | 90 hours | 90 hours |
A driver might therefore be below the 56-hour weekly limit and still commit an infringement because their combined driving over two consecutive weeks exceeds 90 hours.
3. How Many Hours Can an HGV Driver Work Per Week?
Quick answer: A mobile worker can work up to 60 hours in a single week, but working time must normally average no more than 48 hours per week over the applicable reference period.
This is where drivers’ hours and working time most often get confused.
Under the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005, a mobile worker can work up to 60 hours in a single week.
However, their working time must normally average no more than 48 hours per week over the applicable reference period.
⚠️ Important: There is no individual opt-out allowing a driver covered by these regulations to simply agree to work more than the 48-hour average.
Is the 60-hour working week the same as 60 hours of driving?
No. Definitely not.
Driving time counts as working time, but working time also includes:
- Loading and unloading
- Cleaning and maintaining the vehicle
- Daily walkaround checks
- Completing paperwork
- Certain administrative duties
- Other work for the employer
A driver could therefore reach the Working Time limit without reaching the maximum drivers’ hours driving limit.
Likewise, Periods of Availability (POA), breaks and rest do not normally count as working time.
Is the HGV Working Time Reference Period 17 Weeks?
Normally, yes.
The reference period used to calculate the 48-hour average is normally 17 weeks.
However, it can be extended to 26 weeks where permitted under a collective or workforce agreement.
Remember:
- Maximum 60 hours can be worked in an individual week
- Average must not exceed 48 hours per week over the reference period
- Fixed vs rolling periods apply — check your operator’s agreement
4. How Long Can an HGV Driver Drive Before Taking a Break?
There are two sets of rules to consider here: Drivers’ Hours Rules and Working Time Rules.
Under Drivers’ Hours Rules
After no more than 4 hours 30 minutes of driving, a driver must take an uninterrupted break of at least 45 minutes, unless they begin a rest period.
The 45-minute break can be split, but only in this order:
First: 15 minutes
Then: 30 minutes
You cannot reverse this order.
Under Working Time Rules
Mobile workers must not work for more than 6 consecutive hours without a break.
The minimum break requirements are:
- 6–9 hours total work: minimum 30 minutes’ breaks
- Over 9 hours total work: minimum 45 minutes’ breaks
- Individual break segments must be at least 15 minutes
Can a break count towards both Drivers’ Hours and Working Time?
Yes.
A qualifying break can count towards both sets of rules — but the critical thing is understanding which limit is reached first.
💡 Important: If you’ve been doing other work before driving starts, the Working Time clock may expire before the 4.5-hour driving clock.
Always track total working time, not just driving time.
5. What Are the HGV Double-Manning / Multi-Manning Rules?
Double manning does not increase an individual driver’s daily driving limit.
Each driver is still limited to:
- 9 hours standard daily driving, or
- 10 hours maximum, with this extension permitted only twice per fixed week
Under multi-manning rules:
- Within any 30-hour period, each driver must take a minimum of 9 hours’ daily rest
- This leaves approximately 21 hours of duty time per driver — shared between driving and being a passenger
- Time spent sitting alongside the driver can generally be recorded as Period of Availability (POA), provided no other work is being performed
- The 90-hour fortnightly driving limit and 45-minute break rule remain unchanged
📋 Double manning spreads the work across more hours on the clock — it does not extend total permitted driving time.
What Is the Difference Between Drivers’ Hours and the Working Time Directive?
This is one of the most important distinctions for drivers, transport managers and operators to understand.
| Drivers’ Hours Rules | Working Time Regulations | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Driving time, driving breaks, driving rest | All work — driving + other duties |
| Daily limit | 9 hrs driving (10 hrs × 2/week) | 10 hrs max if night work applies |
| Weekly limit | 56 hrs driving max | 60 hrs total work max; 48 hr avg |
| Fortnightly limit | 90 hrs driving max | — |
| Breaks | 45 mins after 4.5 hrs driving | 30–45 mins after 6–9 hrs total work |
| Rest | Daily rest, weekly rest | Night work limits, reference period average |
The two sets of rules operate alongside each other.
You therefore need systems that account for both rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Additional Key HGV Drivers’ Hours Guidance
Night Work Limits
If night work is performed — defined as between 00:00 and 04:00 — working time must not normally exceed 10 hours in any 24-hour period.
This limit can be extended only where permitted under a collective or workforce agreement.
Periods of Availability (POA)
Periods of Availability generally do not count towards working time, provided the waiting duration is known in advance.
This includes waiting while loading/unloading and passenger time during multi-manning — but the circumstances must meet the definition.
HGV Drivers’ Hours Record-Keeping Requirements
Per Traffic Commissioner and DVSA guidance:
- Drivers’ hours records: retain for at least 12 months
- Working time records: retain for at least 24 months
- Vehicle unit data: download every 90 days
- Driver card data: download every 28 days
Collecting the data is not enough.
You must analyse it, identify infringements and take corrective action.
Why HGV Drivers’ Hours Compliance Matters – A Traffic Commissioner Perspective
In 2026, Traffic Commissioners have emphasised that transport managers are personally responsible for:
- Written procedures
- Proper scheduling of breaks and rest
- Correct tachograph use and manual record-keeping
- Regular data downloads and monitoring
- Driver training and refresher training
- Addressing repeated breaches
Non-compliance can lead to formal warnings, undertakings, public inquiries, licence revocation and action against vocational entitlements.
For further information, read the official Traffic Commissioner guidance on drivers’ hours, safety, compliance and responsibility.
Important 2026 Change – Light Goods Vehicles
From 1 July 2026, assimilated drivers’ hours rules now apply to certain light goods vehicles weighing more than 2.5 tonnes (including trailers) when used for international carriage or cabotage.
Van operators — check your compliance status now.
Master HGV Drivers’ Hours & Working Time Rules with Confidence
Drivers’ hours and working time can look straightforward when written as a list of numbers.
The challenge is understanding how those rules interact in a real transport operation.
Our Drivers’ Hours & Working Time Directive Online Course is designed for drivers, transport managers, operators and transport office staff.
It goes beyond the numbers to help you apply the rules correctly in practice.
What You Get
- 12 months’ access — learn at your own pace and revisit anytime
- Free expert tutor support 7 days a week, 9am–8pm
- Accepted by the Traffic Commissioner
- Fully updated for 2026 DVSA guidance
- Just £10 + VAT
Enrol on the Drivers’ Hours & Working Time Directive Course →
NTP Online Learning is also listed as a CILT(UK) Training Provider.
If you are studying towards your Transport Manager CPC and have already attempted your exams, you can also find out about NTP’s Transport Manager CPC Exam Resit Package.
And for a slightly different way to help remember drivers’ hours, take a look at our Drivers’ Hours Song.
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