HGV Drivers' Hours & Rest Rules 2026: Every Limit Explained

Drivers' hours are the most tested topic in the HGV theory exam and the most enforced rules in professional driving. Getting them wrong costs marks in the test and, once you are working, can cost you your licence and your operator their O-licence. Here is the full picture, with the exact numbers you need to know.

The Daily Driving Limit: How Long Can an HGV Driver Drive?

Under the EU and AETR rules that still govern UK professional driving, the daily driving limit is 9 hours. You can extend this to 10 hours, but no more than twice in any week. Every other day, 9 hours is the ceiling.

Weekly and Fortnightly Driving Limits

Across a week you are capped at 56 hours of driving, and across any two consecutive weeks, 90 hours. That fortnightly cap is the one that catches people out: a heavy 56-hour week must be balanced by a lighter week either side of it, because 56 + 56 breaks the 90-hour rule.

Breaks: The 4.5-Hour Rule

After 4 hours 30 minutes of accumulated driving you must take a 45-minute break.

You can split the break into two parts: 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes — in that order. A 30-then-15 split does not count, and that exact trap appears in the theory test. During a break you must not drive or carry out any other work.

Daily Rest: 11 Hours, and When 9 Is Allowed

A regular daily rest is 11 continuous hours in every 24-hour period. It can be reduced to 9 hours up to three times between weekly rests, and there is a split option of 3 hours plus 9 hours, in that order.

Weekly Rest: The 45-Hour Rule

A regular weekly rest is 45 continuous hours, started no later than the end of six consecutive 24-hour periods since your last weekly rest. It can be reduced to 24 hours, but the reduction must be compensated in one block within three weeks.

How Many 15-Hour Days Can an HGV Driver Do?

A standard working day runs to 13 hours of duty when you take a full 11-hour daily rest. Taking a reduced 9-hour rest stretches the duty window to 15 hours — and because reduced rest is only allowed three times between weekly rests, you can only do three 15-hour days a week. The driving limits above still apply inside those days: a 15-hour day is a long duty day, not 15 hours of driving.

Working Hours on Top: The 48- and 60-Hour Rules

Driving time is not the whole story. Under the road transport working time rules, total work — driving plus loading, checks and paperwork — is capped at an average of 48 hours a week over the reference period, with an absolute maximum of 60 hours in any single week. Night workers are limited to 10 hours in any 24 unless a workforce agreement extends it. So an HGV driver can legally drive up to 56 hours in a week, but only inside the 60-hour total working cap.

Tachograph Rules That Go With Them

Everything above is evidenced by your tachograph. Driver cards must be downloaded at least every 28 days and vehicle units at least every 90 days, with records kept for 12 months. If your card is lost or stolen, report it to the DVLA within 7 days.

Why This Matters for Your Theory Test

Drivers' hours questions appear in almost every DVSA multiple-choice paper, usually testing the exact figures: 9 and 10 hours, 4.5 hours, 45 minutes, 56 and 90 hours, 11 and 9 hours. Learn the numbers as pairs and they stick. Our theory test guide covers the rest of the paper.

The best way to make them permanent is testing yourself under real conditions. You can try five real DVSA-style practice questions free — no signup needed, with coaching on every answer — on our training platform HGV Training Hub, which also includes a full 100-question Real Test simulator that mirrors the official 115-minute exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drive 10 hours every day?

No. The 10-hour extended limit is allowed a maximum of twice per week. Every other day the limit is 9 hours.

How many hours can an HGV driver work in a day?

Up to 13 hours of duty on a standard day, or 15 hours up to three times a week with reduced rest. Driving within that day is still capped at 9 (or twice-weekly 10) hours.

How long can an HGV driver drive without a break?

4 hours 30 minutes of accumulated driving, then a 45-minute break — or 15 + 30 minutes split in that order.

How many hours can be driven in a fortnight?

90 hours across any two consecutive weeks. It is a rolling pair of weeks, not a calendar fortnight.

Do the rules apply to 7.5 tonne vehicles?

Commercial driving of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes is generally in scope of the EU rules, including 7.5 tonners on C1. Some domestic operations fall under GB domestic rules instead — 10 hours driving and 11 hours duty a day — but if you drive professionally, assume the full rules until told otherwise.

Does queueing at a depot count as driving?

Time moving the vehicle counts as driving. Waiting time is usually recorded as other work or availability — but it is not a break unless you are genuinely free to rest.

What happens if I break the rules?

Fixed penalties, potential prosecution for serious or repeated offences, and consequences for your employer's operator licence. DVSA can check up to 28 days of records at the roadside.

Ready to Start Your HGV Career?

Learn2Pass trains Category C and C+E drivers from our Kent base with full-size vehicles and DVSA-approved instructors. See our courses and pricing or get in touch to talk through your route — and if theory is your next hurdle, start with the free practice questions today.