If you’ve been following updates to drivers’ hours legislation recently, you may have noticed a change in terminology. What were previously known as “EU driving hours rules” or “retained EU law” are now officially referred to as assimilated drivers’ hours rules in the UK.
This isn’t just a cosmetic name change. The Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 21 April 2025, formalised several important updates that every professional HGV and PSV driver should understand.
What Does “Assimilated” Actually Mean?
When the UK left the European Union, we retained a vast body of EU legislation that was already in force. This retained EU law has since been renamed “assimilated law” to reflect that while these regulations originated from the EU, they now exist independently within UK law.
For drivers’ hours purposes, this means the core rules you’ve been following haven’t fundamentally changed. The familiar limits on daily driving (9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice weekly), break requirements (45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving), and weekly driving limits (56 hours maximum) remain the same under the assimilated rules.
What’s Changed for UK-Only Operations?
Here’s the reassuring news: if you operate exclusively within the UK, very little has changed in practical terms. The same drivers’ hours rules apply, and you’re still required to keep 28 days of historical tachograph records. The DVSA guidance has simply been updated to replace references to “EU rules” with “assimilated rules” throughout.
Your existing compliance procedures, tachograph analysis systems, and driver training remain valid. This is essentially business as usual with updated terminology.
The Significant Changes: International Operations
The more substantial changes affect operators and drivers who undertake international journeys between the UK and EU member states.
For HGV Drivers
If you drive an HGV over 3.5 tonnes on international journeys between the UK and EU, you now need to be able to produce 56 days of tachograph records rather than the previous 28 days. This requirement applies to all records including digital tachograph data, analogue charts, and any manual entries.
This extended record-keeping requirement applies not just when you’re in the EU, but also on the UK leg of international journeys. The 56-day rule applies regardless of whether the vehicle or operator is UK or EU-registered.
For PSV Operators
Coach and bus operators face a slightly different situation. Under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, PSVs were not required to stay within the EU tachograph framework for international operations. Instead, UK PSV operators undertaking international journeys must comply with AETR rules (the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport).
The AETR rules are broadly similar to the assimilated rules but have some important differences:
- Weekly rest interruptions: Under the assimilated rules, you can interrupt a regular weekly rest period once for a ferry or train crossing. Under AETR, this is not permitted.
- Reduced weekly rest: Under AETR, you can only take one reduced weekly rest period (less than 45 hours) at a time, which must be followed by a full weekly rest period.
- Return home provisions: Some of the relaxations that help drivers return home or to their operational base are not yet implemented in AETR.
For PSV drivers, the good news is that you don’t need to carry 56 days of records when operating in the EU. The standard 28 days (plus the current day) that apply in the UK will suffice.
Smart Tachograph 2 Requirements
Alongside these rule changes, there are ongoing requirements for smart tachograph upgrades that operators must be aware of:
- From 31 December 2024, any HGV or PSV used for international transport between the UK and EU should be fitted with a Smart Tachograph 2 (SMT2).
- By 18 August 2025, vehicles currently fitted with Smart Tachograph 1 and used internationally must upgrade to SMT2.
- By 1 July 2026, all new vehicles over 2.5 tonnes in international transport must be equipped with SMT2.
If you haven’t yet addressed your tachograph requirements for international operations, this should be a priority.
Practical Steps for Operators
To ensure compliance with the updated regulations:
Update your documentation: Review your driver handbooks, compliance policies, and training materials to reflect the terminology change to “assimilated rules.”
Review record-keeping procedures: If you undertake any international HGV work, ensure your systems can accommodate the 56-day record retention requirement for drivers.
Train your drivers: Make sure drivers understand the changes, particularly those who may undertake international journeys. They need to know what records to carry and the specific rules that apply.
Check your tachograph equipment: Verify that vehicles used for international transport meet the SMT2 requirements.
Understand which rules apply: For PSV operators, ensure you’re clear on when AETR rules apply versus assimilated rules, and the practical differences between them.
The Bottom Line
For most UK operators working domestically, the change from “EU rules” to “assimilated rules” is primarily a terminology update with minimal practical impact. The fundamental drivers’ hours requirements remain the same.
However, if you’re involved in international transport between the UK and EU, the changes are more significant. HGV operators need to manage extended record-keeping requirements, while PSV operators must understand the distinctions between assimilated rules and AETR.
As with all regulatory changes, staying informed and ensuring your drivers receive appropriate training is essential. The DVSA’s updated guidance documents for both goods vehicles and buses/coaches provide the definitive reference for these requirements.
At National Compliance Training, we deliver comprehensive Driver CPC courses that keep professional drivers up to date with the latest regulatory requirements. Our Transport Manager CPC training also covers these compliance obligations in detail. Contact us to discuss your training needs.