What it is
Regulation 561/2006 sets the driving times, breaks and rest periods for drivers of goods vehicles over 3.5 t and of passenger vehicles with more than nine seats, and it is identical in every EU member state, the EEA and Switzerland.
Compliance is recorded by the tachograph (Regulation 165/2014). Outside the EU the AETR agreement applies with the same core limits.
Where it applies
Every EU member state, the EEA and Switzerland, for vehicles over 3.5 t. National exemptions exist under article 13 (e.g. some local or agricultural traffic) and are not covered here.
What to know
- 01Break: 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving, splittable into 15 + 30 minutes in that order (art. 7).
- 02Daily driving: 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice a week (art. 6.1).
- 03Weekly driving: 56 hours (art. 6.2); 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks (art. 6.3).
- 04Daily rest: 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours at most three times between two weekly rests (art. 8).
- 05Weekly rest: 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours with compensation before the end of the third following week (art. 8.6).
- 06The regular weekly rest may not be taken in the cab (art. 8.8).
Who needs to know it
- Professional drivers, who plan the day around these limits.
- Transport managers and traffic planners, who are liable for the schedules they set.
- Trainers preparing the driver CPC and the transport-manager exam.
An informative summary, not legal advice. Always check the current text of the rule before deciding.