EU driving time and rest rules, explained
By TruckThrust · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 sets the driving-time, break and rest rules for most trucks over 3.5 tonnes in the EU. This guide summarises the core limits in plain English, with a worked day, so drivers and dispatchers can plan shifts that stay inside the rules.
The core limits at a glance
| Rule | Standard | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|
| Daily driving | 9 hours | Up to 10 hours, twice a week |
| Weekly driving | 56 hours | Max 90 hours over any two consecutive weeks |
| Break | 45 minutes after 4.5 hours driving | May split into 15 + 30 minutes |
| Daily rest | 11 hours | Reducible to 9 hours, max 3 times between weekly rests |
| Weekly rest | 45 hours | Reducible to 24 hours, with compensation |
These are the headline figures. Conditions, exceptions and compensation rules apply — always check the official text.
Breaks: the 4.5-hour rule
After no more than 4.5 hours of driving, a driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes, unless a rest period is taken. The break can be split into one period of at least 15 minutes followed by one of at least 30 minutes, taken across the 4.5 hours.
A worked day
- 06:00 — start driving
- 10:30 — 4.5 hours reached → take a 45-minute break
- 11:15 — resume driving
- 15:45 — second 4.5-hour block reached → break or end driving
- Total driving 9 hours; extendable to 10 hours up to twice a week
A tool like TruckThrust tracks these blocks automatically and warns before the 4.5-hour and daily limits, so the break is planned rather than reacted to.