New Tachograph Requirements for Vans from July 2026

From 1 July 2026, the rules that have long applied to trucks are extending to vans. If your business uses vans weighing over 2.5 tonnes for international transport, this affects you directly. Here’s everything you need to understand — including the answer to the question we’re getting asked the most: “Do my van drivers now need Driver CPC?”

What’s Changing?

From 1 July 2026, vans and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) with a Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes that are used for international commercial freight transport or cabotage must be fitted with a second-generation smart tachograph (known as Smart Tachograph 2 or G2V2).

This is part of the EU Mobility Package I, which was adopted in 2020 and has been gradually phased in over recent years. Until now, tachograph requirements only applied to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. From this summer, the threshold drops to 2.5 tonnes for cross-border commercial operations.

The drivers of these vehicles will also become subject to the same driving time and rest period rules that currently apply to HGV drivers under EU Regulation 561/2006.

This is a major change. Many popular commercial vans — including the VW Crafter, Renault Master, Peugeot Boxer, Mercedes Sprinter, and Ford Transit — have a MAM at or above 2.5 tonnes, especially when a trailer is factored in. If you’re sending these vehicles across the Channel or into the Republic of Ireland for commercial purposes, you need to be ready.

Who Does This Apply To?

The new rules apply to vehicles that meet all three of the following criteria:

1. Vehicle weight: The van (or van-and-trailer combination) has a gross vehicle weight / MAM exceeding 2.5 tonnes.
2. International transport: The vehicle is being used for cross-border freight transport between countries, or for cabotage (domestic transport within another country by a non-resident operator).
3. Commercial carriage: The goods are being carried for hire or reward — meaning someone is paying for the transport service.

It is not the vehicle class itself that triggers the requirement, but the commercial purpose and type of transport operation.

Who Is NOT Affected?

There are several important situations where the new tachograph rules do not apply:

Domestic-only operations within the UK: If your vans only operate within the United Kingdom and never cross an international border, there is currently no requirement to fit a tachograph. UK domestic drivers’ hours rules continue to apply instead. This has been confirmed by the UK Government and DVSA.

Own-account transport (with conditions): If you are transporting your own goods (not for hire or reward) and driving is not the main activity of the driver, you may be exempt. However, it is worth checking your specific circumstances carefully.

Vehicles under 2.5 tonnes MAM: Smaller vans that fall below the 2.5-tonne threshold are not affected, regardless of whether they operate internationally.

Certain specialist exemptions: Limited exemptions exist for vehicles carrying materials to and from construction sites within a 100km radius, vehicles transporting handcrafted goods, and some other specialist use cases.

What Are the Driving Time and Rest Period Rules?

Van drivers caught by the new regulations will need to follow the same rules as HGV drivers. The key limits are:

Daily driving: Maximum of 9 hours per day, which can be extended to 10 hours no more than twice in any given week.

Weekly driving: Maximum of 56 hours in any single week, and no more than 90 hours across any two consecutive weeks.

Breaks: A minimum break of 45 minutes must be taken after 4.5 hours of driving. This break can be split into two parts — a minimum of 15 minutes followed by a minimum of 30 minutes.

Daily rest: A regular daily rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours must be taken within each 24-hour period. This can be split into blocks of at least 3 hours plus at least 9 hours. A reduced daily rest of 9 hours is permitted under specific conditions.

Weekly rest: A regular weekly rest of at least 45 continuous hours. A reduced weekly rest of at least 24 hours is permitted, but must be compensated later.

Weekly rest in the vehicle: Drivers must not take their regular weekly rest of 45 hours or more inside the vehicle.

For operators accustomed to sending van drivers on long European runs with minimal regulation, this represents a significant shift. Journey planning, delivery schedules, and driver rotas may all need to be reconsidered.

What Do Operators Need to Do?

If your business operates vans over 2.5 tonnes internationally, you should be taking the following steps as a matter of urgency:

Audit your fleet. Identify every vehicle that could be affected. Check the MAM of each van — remember that the MAM includes the weight of any trailer or semi-trailer. Many vans that sit just below 3.5 tonnes as a standalone vehicle will exceed 2.5 tonnes.

Arrange tachograph installation. The required device is a Smart Tachograph Version 2 (G2V2) — the latest generation unit. Installation must be carried out by an approved tachograph centre. Workshops are likely to get extremely busy as the deadline approaches, so booking early is strongly advised.

Obtain driver cards. Every driver who will operate a tachograph-equipped vehicle needs a valid digital tachograph driver card. These are issued by DVSA and can take several weeks to arrive. Applications should be submitted well in advance.

Set up data download and storage processes. You will be legally required to download data from driver cards at least every 28 days and from the tachograph vehicle unit at least every 90 days. This data must be stored securely for a minimum of 12 months and be available for inspection.

Train your drivers. Drivers who have never used a tachograph before will need proper training on how to operate the device, how to make manual entries, and how to manage their driving time and rest periods. This is not optional — getting it wrong can result in significant penalties for both the driver and the operator.

Review your journey planning. With driving time limits now applying, you may need to adjust schedules, plan for overnight stops, or consider additional drivers for longer European runs.

The UK Position: Post-Brexit Considerations

Since the UK is no longer an EU member state, there are some nuances to be aware of.

The UK has adopted the tachograph requirements for vehicles used in international transport as part of its commitments under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The DVSA has confirmed that from 1 July 2026, a Smart Tachograph 2 must be fitted into goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes that are undertaking international journeys for hire and reward.

However, the UK Government has confirmed that for vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes operating only within the UK, there is no requirement to fit a tachograph. These vehicles continue to fall under GB domestic drivers’ hours rules.

It is worth noting that the UK Government has been considering whether to extend tachograph-style regulation to domestic van operations in the future. The DVSA has been increasingly targeting vans and pick-ups towing heavy loads that breach the 3.5-tonne combined weight limit. While no domestic tachograph mandate for vans currently exists, operators should be aware that the regulatory direction of travel is towards greater oversight.

Northern Ireland: Operators based in Northern Ireland who transport goods into the Republic of Ireland should pay particular attention. This counts as an international journey and would bring the vehicle within scope of the new rules.

Electric Vans: A Special Case

The UK Government is currently progressing separate legislation relating to zero-emission vans weighing between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes. Draft regulations published in early 2026 propose that zero-emission goods vehicles in this weight range would be fully exempt from EU and UK drivers’ hours rules, and that tachograph requirements would not apply, with no restriction on operating distance.

This is part of a broader effort to encourage electric van uptake by ensuring that the additional weight of batteries does not drag electric vans into a heavier regulatory category. The EU is considering similar exemptions at European level.

These proposals are still working their way through Parliament and are not yet law, but they signal a clear intent to treat electric vans more favourably.

The Big Question: Do Van Drivers Now Need Driver CPC?

This is by far the most common question we have been receiving from customers, and the answer — for the vast majority of van drivers — is no.

Here’s why:

Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) is a mandatory qualification for professional drivers of vehicles that require a Category C (LGV/HGV) or Category D (PCV) driving licence. It requires 35 hours of periodic training every five years, delivered through approved training centres.

The crucial point is that Driver CPC is linked to the driving licence category, not to whether the vehicle has a tachograph fitted.

Most vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes can be driven on a standard Category B (car) licence. The new tachograph requirements do not change the driving licence category needed for these vehicles. A van that could be driven on a Category B licence before 1 July 2026 will still be driven on a Category B licence after that date.

Therefore, if your drivers are operating vans at or below 3.5 tonnes on a standard Category B licence, they do not need Driver CPC — regardless of whether the vehicle now requires a tachograph.

Driver CPC only becomes relevant for van drivers in the following circumstances:

• The van exceeds 3.5 tonnes MAM (requiring a Category C1 or C licence), AND the driver is using it professionally for hire or reward.
• The van-and-trailer combination exceeds 3.5 tonnes and requires a higher licence category.

In these cases, the driver would need the appropriate vocational licence (C1 or C) and would need to hold a valid Driver Qualification Card (DQC) with up-to-date periodic CPC training.

In summary: The tachograph requirement and the Driver CPC requirement are two separate legal obligations. Having to fit a tachograph to your van does not automatically mean your driver needs CPC. For the typical scenario of a van driver operating a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes on a Category B licence, CPC is not required.

What Training DO Van Drivers Need?

Although Driver CPC is not required for Category B van drivers, the new tachograph and driving time rules create a clear and pressing need for practical training in several areas:

Tachograph operation: Drivers need to know how to insert and remove their driver card, make manual entries for periods of activity away from the vehicle, select the correct activity mode, use the “out of scope” setting for domestic journeys, handle equipment malfunctions, and produce records for roadside inspections.

Driving time and rest period rules: Drivers must understand the limits on daily and weekly driving, break requirements, rest period rules, and how to plan their working day to remain compliant.

Record keeping: Understanding what records need to be kept, for how long, and what to do if a driver card is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Posted worker rules: For drivers performing cabotage or certain cross-border operations, there are additional obligations around posted worker declarations and documentation.

At National Compliance Training, we offer comprehensive Drivers’ Hours and Tachograph training that covers all of these areas. This training is available as a standalone course and can also count towards Driver CPC periodic training hours for drivers who do hold a DQC. If you have a mixed fleet with both van and HGV drivers, this is an efficient way to ensure everyone is properly trained.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The consequences of failing to comply with the new rules can be severe:

For drivers: Fixed Penalty Notices for drivers’ hours offences can range from £100 to £300 per infringement. Driving without a valid driver card, exceeding driving time limits, or failing to take required breaks can all attract penalties. Across Europe, fines can be even higher — some EU member states impose penalties exceeding €2,000 for tachograph offences.

For operators: Repeated or serious offences can lead to a public inquiry before the Traffic Commissioner, which could put your Operator Licence at risk. Even if you don’t hold an O Licence for your van fleet, operating non-compliantly on international journeys can result in vehicle prohibitions, detention of the vehicle, and referral to enforcement authorities in the country where the offence is detected.

Vehicle immobilisation: Enforcement authorities have the power to immobilise vehicles that are found to be non-compliant during roadside checks. The new Smart Tachograph 2 also features DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communications) technology, which allows enforcement officers to remotely screen tachograph data as vehicles pass by — without even pulling the driver over.

Key Dates to Remember

How National Compliance Training Can Help

We understand that these changes can feel overwhelming, particularly if your business has never had to deal with tachographs before. At NCT, we are here to help you navigate this transition with confidence:

• Drivers’ Hours and Tachograph Training — comprehensive classroom-based courses covering everything your drivers need to know about the rules and the equipment.
• Driver CPC Periodic Training — for drivers who do hold a DQC and need to maintain their qualification, our approved courses count towards the 35-hour requirement.
• Bespoke training packages — if you have a fleet of van drivers who need to get up to speed quickly, we can tailor a training programme to your specific needs.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Tachograph workshops and training providers are going to be extremely busy in the run-up to July 2026. Getting ahead now will save you stress, money, and the risk of non-compliance.

Contact us today to discuss your training needs and get your team ready for the changes ahead.

This article was published in February 2026 by National Compliance Training. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, regulations can change. Always check the latest guidance from DVSA and GOV.UK for the most up-to-date information. This article does not constitute legal advice.