What Is Regulation 561/2006/EC?
European Parliament and Council Regulation 561/2006/EC — in force since 11 April 2007 — sets driving and rest time rules for professional drivers of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes on public roads in the EU and EEA (including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).
It is the most important piece of law in road transport. Every driver and every employer must know it.
Daily Driving Limits
A driver may not drive more than 9 hours in a single day.
Twice per week this may be extended to 10 hours. The extension cannot be used a third time in the same week.
Weekly and Fortnightly Limits
- Maximum per week: 56 hours
- Maximum in any 2 consecutive weeks: 90 hours
Even if daily limits are respected each day, total driving across two consecutive weeks may not exceed 90 hours.
Mandatory Breaks
After 4 hours 30 minutes of driving, a driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes.
This may be split into a 15-minute break followed by a 30-minute break — in that order.
During a break, the driver may not perform any other work. Waiting at a loading dock counts as work.
Daily Rest
After each working day, a driver must take a minimum daily rest of 11 hours.
This may be reduced to 9 hours (a "reduced daily rest") up to 3 times between any two weekly rest periods. No compensation is required for reduced daily rest.
Weekly Rest
After no more than 6 consecutive 24-hour periods since the end of the last weekly rest, a new weekly rest must begin.
- Regular weekly rest: at least 45 consecutive hours
- Reduced weekly rest: at least 24 consecutive hours — must be fully compensated before the end of the third week following that week
Since 20 August 2020 (Mobility Package, Regulation 2020/1054), regular weekly rest may not be spent in the vehicle cab. The employer must arrange accommodation with sleeping facilities at no cost to the driver.
The Tachograph
Compliance is monitored via a digital tachograph — mandatory for vehicles over 3.5 t on international routes (Regulation 165/2014). Since 2019, new vehicles require a smart tachograph; from 2023, older vehicles in international transport must upgrade.
Roadside inspections cover the current day and the previous 28 days of tachograph records.
Penalties
Penalties are set nationally, but are severe:
- Germany: up to €5,000 per violation for the company; on-the-spot vehicle immobilisation
- France: up to €15,000 for serious infringements
- Violations are recorded in the European Register of Road Transport Undertakings (ERRU), visible to enforcement across the EU
What This Article Does Not Cover
- Rules for lighter vehicles (3.5 t and below) — national law applies
- AETR rules for routes outside the EU/EEA
- Sector-specific exemptions (armed forces, agriculture, island transport)
- Full smart tachograph upgrade schedule beyond 2023
Primary source: [Regulation 561/2006/EC on EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006R0561) and amending [Regulation 2020/1054](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32020R1054).