EU extends tachograph rules to vans from July 2026

From 1 July 2026, EU tachograph and driving-time rules apply to vans over 2.5 tonnes and up to 3.5 tonnes used for paid international carriage of goods or for cabotage (domestic transport performed by an operator from another member state). This is the final piece of Mobility Package I, the EU's 2020 reform of road transport, and it changes the cost base and the planning rhythm for thousands of operators who until now worked outside the tachograph regime.

Who is affected and what changes

The new obligation applies to vehicles and vehicle combinations, including a van plus trailer, with a permissible gross vehicle weight above 2.5 tonnes and up to 3.5 tonnes, when used for paid international carriage of goods or for cabotage. What counts is the rated weight shown in the vehicle papers, not the load on the day, so a van towing a heavy trailer on commercial work can also be caught. The European Labour Authority confirms the rules cover both EU and non-EU drivers employed by EU transport companies.

Three things take effect together. Affected vans must carry a second-generation smart tachograph, version 2, known as the G2V2. Drivers move onto the same working-time regime as truck drivers under Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 : daily driving of up to 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice a week, a maximum of 56 hours in a week and 90 hours across two weeks, a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving, and at least 11 hours of daily rest. Posting of drivers rules also apply, which can raise pay and conditions when a driver works temporarily in another member state. The European Commission frames these measures as a single package designed to level competition and improve driver conditions.

The exemptions that still exist

Not every van over 2.5 tonnes on international work needs a device. Two exclusions in Regulation 561/2006 still allow legal operation without a tachograph. The crafts exemption, Article 3(aa), covers drivers carrying materials, equipment or goods produced as part of a craft activity, but only when the combination stays under 7.5 tonnes, the work stays within 100 km of base, driving is not the main job, and the transport is not for hire or reward. The own-account exemption, Article 3(ha), applies to vans moving the company's own goods with no distance limit, provided the transport is not for hire or reward and driving is not the employee's main occupation. As the IRU and national enforcement bodies have stressed, an operator that employs someone specifically as a professional driver should expect the own-account claim to be challenged at the roadside.

What to do before the tachograph deadline

Enforcement starts on day one, and penalties in 2026 are steep and uneven across borders. According to a country-by-country breakdown published by trans.info , France can impose fines up to EUR 30,000 with vehicle seizure, the Netherlands EUR 4,400, Belgium EUR 2,640, and Germany EUR 1,500, while several states immobilise the vehicle until a compliant device is fitted. Have a certified workshop install and calibrate the G2V2, obtain a company card and driver cards, and download card data at least every 28 days and tachograph memory at least every 90 days under Regulation (EU) No 165/2014, Article 33, keeping the files on record. Dispatchers also need to rebuild route plans around mandatory breaks and rest, because ad-hoc scheduling will no longer survive a roadside check. Operators who already track diesel spend can see live country prices on the Logifie EU fuel price map , and planners can confirm loading and toll-ban dates through the public holiday calendar .

If your fleet is moving vans into the tachograph regime this month, Logifie's TMS platform helps dispatchers plan compliant routes, monitor driving and rest time, and keep cost and document records in one place. Speak to our team through get a quote to see how the platform fits your operation.