Legal Framework: the AETR Agreement and Regulation (EC) No 561/2006

The rules for driving times and rest periods for drivers of freight vehicles are governed by two key regulations. Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, commonly referred to as "Regulation EU 561/2006", applies to transport within the European Union. The AETR (Accord Européen sur les Transports Routiers) agreement covers international transport to and from countries outside the European Union that are signatories to the agreement. In practice, the rules of both regulations are almost identical.

These regulations apply to drivers of vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes, which includes practically all vehicles used for FTL transport and LTL transport.

The values in this article are based on the text of the regulation in its consolidated version on EUR-Lex (as of 31 December 2024).

Limits at a Glance

What is limited	Limit	Article of the regulation
Daily driving time	9 hours, extended to 10 hours twice a week	Art. 6 para. 1
Weekly driving time	56 hours	Art. 6 para. 2
Two consecutive weeks	90 hours of driving	Art. 6 para. 3
Break	45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving, may be split into 15 and 30 minutes	Art. 7
Daily rest	11 hours, reduced to 9 hours at most three times between weekly rests	Art. 4 point g), Art. 8 paras. 2 and 4
Weekly rest	45 hours, reduced to at least 24 hours with compensation	Art. 4 point h), Art. 8 para. 6

Maximum Driving Time

Daily Driving Time

A driver may drive a maximum of 9 hours per day. Daily driving time means the total driving time between the end of one daily rest and the beginning of the next rest. An extension to 10 hours is permitted twice a week.

Weekly Driving Time

The total driving time must not exceed 56 hours in one week (from Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00). At the same time, the total driving time over two consecutive weeks must not exceed 90 hours.

Driving Breaks

After 4.5 hours of driving, the driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes, unless a rest period begins. Driving time is cumulative and may be interrupted. The break may be taken in two parts: first a break of at least 15 minutes, then a break of at least 30 minutes. The two parts must be spread so that the driver does not drive for more than 4.5 hours without the required break.

Rest Period Rules

Daily Rest

Within 24 hours after the end of the previous daily or weekly rest, the driver must take a new daily rest. A regular daily rest lasts at least 11 hours. Between two weekly rests, the driver may reduce this rest to 9 hours at most three times (reduced daily rest); it must not be shorter.

A regular daily rest may be split into two parts: the first part lasting at least 3 hours and the second part at least 9 hours (total 12 hours).

Weekly Rest

The weekly rest must begin no later than after six 24-hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest.

Regular weekly rest: at least 45 hours
Reduced weekly rest: less than 45 hours, but at least 24 hours. The reduction must be compensated by an equivalent rest taken in one block, no later than the end of the third week following the week in which the reduction occurred. The compensation must be added to another rest period of at least 9 hours.

Within two consecutive weeks, the driver must have at least two regular weekly rests, or one regular and one reduced weekly rest. An exception applies to drivers in international goods transport: outside the Member State where the employer is established, they may have two consecutive reduced weekly rests, provided that within four consecutive weeks they take at least four weekly rests, of which at least two are regular (detailed conditions are set out in Art. 8 para. 6).

The 15-Hour Driver Day: Where the Number Comes From

People often ask about a "15-hour driver day", meaning the length of a driver's working day. The number 15 is not a standalone limit in the regulation. It derives from Art. 8 para. 2: within 24 hours after the end of the previous rest, the driver must take a new daily rest of at least 9 hours (reduced) or 11 hours (regular). If you subtract the reduced rest of 9 hours from 24 hours, a maximum of 15 hours remains between the end of one rest and the beginning of the next.

Daily rest	Maximum time between two rests
Regular, 11 hours	13 hours
Reduced, 9 hours	15 hours

This implies:

15 hours is the upper limit of time between two rests, not driving time. Driving time is limited separately: 9 hours per day, 10 hours twice a week.
This time includes driving, breaks, loading, unloading and waiting.
A reduced daily rest may be taken by the driver at most three times between two weekly rests. Therefore, a 15-hour day is an exception, not standard practice.

What the Limits Mean for Transport Planning

The limits are ceilings, not targets. A plan that assumes the longest possible driver day every day has no buffer and will fail at the first complication.

Waiting time consumes available time. Delays at loading, unloading or at borders consume time that the driver would otherwise have available for driving, unless it can be used as a break or rest.
Longer routes are split. A journey may be divided over several days or the vehicle may be driven by two drivers. Even with two drivers, rest rules apply: each must have a new daily rest of at least 9 hours within 30 hours of the end of their previous rest (Art. 8 para. 5).
Preparation saves time. Precisely scheduled loading and unloading time windows and ready documentation reduce waiting times. We cover cargo securing in Proper Loading and Cargo Securing and carrier selection in How to Choose a Reliable Carrier for Freight Transport.

Digital Tachographs

Since 2006, new vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must be equipped with a digital tachograph that automatically records driving time, breaks, and rest periods. Since 2023, second-generation smart tachographs with enhanced features are being introduced; vehicles used in international transport must also be retrofitted in stages (check the current deadlines in the applicable rules).

Driver Obligations

Use the tachograph correctly and select the appropriate activity mode (driving, work, availability, rest)
Carry the driver card and records for the previous 28 days
Make manual entries in the event of a tachograph malfunction
Print records upon request by enforcement authorities

The Mobility Package

The Mobility Package (among others Regulation (EU) 2020/1054) added further obligations to the basic rules. They include a ban on spending the regular weekly rest in the vehicle cab, organising work so that drivers can return home at regular intervals, and special rules on the posting of drivers. The exact conditions and deadlines keep developing and some provisions were the subject of court proceedings, so they are not described here; check them in the current rules before planning a transport.

Penalties for Violations

Violations of driving and rest period rules are subject to strict penalties. At a roadside inspection the authorities of the country concerned may impose a fine; its amount differs from country to country and with the seriousness of the violation. In serious cases, the vehicle may be detained until the driver has completed the required rest period.

Conclusion

Compliance with driving and rest period rules is not only a legal obligation but, above all, a matter of road safety. We provide road freight across Europe.

Driving and Rest Periods for Drivers (AETR Regulations)