Van tachograph regulation: the changes and impact

As part of the EU’s Mobility Package, which will be introduced in summer 2026, certain types of light commercial vehicles (like vans) will need to meet new tachograph compliance rules. For logistics operators and businesses moving goods across European borders, this will impact shipment times and planning requirements. 

This guide will give you a full understanding of what’s to come, why it has been introduced and how it might impact your transportation services.

What is changing and when?

From 1 July 2026, commercial vehicles (including vans, or vehicles and trailers) that weigh between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes will be subject to EU tachograph rules. Any vehicle of this type carrying goods or being used in transport operations across Europe will now need to be fitted with a smart tachograph card (Smart Tacho 2 / G2V2). 

This is so all the driving and working hours of each vehicle can be monitored and recorded to ensure the following rules are met:

• Drivers can only drive for a maximum of nine hours per day (this is extendable to 10 hours twice a week)
• They must take a 45-minute mandatory break within these driving hours
• There must be a minimum 11-hour rest period between driving shifts
• The total working day is a maximum of 15 hours including loading waits, waiting time and customs stops, as well as driving

These driving hours and mandatory breaks apply from the start of an international movement, not just from the European border crossing. If a breach is suspected by a European police force, a vehicle can be stopped and an 11-hour rest break enforced, with the driver’s passport removed until this period is complete. 

Who do these changes affect? 

Previously, tachograph requirements have only applied to HGV drivers. Now, the above rules will apply to any vehicles involved in European or international transport that have a Maximum Authorised Mass of between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes. 

This means any international van operators or businesses performing EU and cross-Channel movements will be subject to these compliance rules. UK domestic movements are not affected by these rules, just international-only transport. 

Why have these rules changed? 

These rules have been introduced to make sure logistics and transportation businesses in Europe are operating ethical driver work schedules. It mandates driving hour limits and rest periods for light commercial vehicle drivers. These are designed to improve their working conditions, prevent their fatigue and improve road safety across Europe. 

How the new rules will impact logistics

These new rules will completely change the way drivers operate. Now, they and the businesses they work for will need to be conscious of the fact that any loading time, customs stop and border queues will count towards their working hours. 

For example, while loading delays are currently being absorbed by drivers who wait and push on, they’ll now count towards their 15 working hours. So a driver sent at 8am who waits until 12pm for a shipment to be ready has used four hours of their working day without making progress.

Plus, a driver crossing international borders (from the UK into France, for example) starts their tachograph from the moment they begin the journey, not at the point of border crossing. As such, operational plans become more complex as routes and schedules need to be built around these new compliance requirements. 

This means, after July, next-day delivery won’t be commercially viable for longer European routes. Costs will also increase to cover the adjustment in driver wages and the installation and running of tachograph equipment and software. 

It may also have the following impacts: 

• Drivers may drive faster to compensate for delays, increasing fuel use and accident risk
• Operators may shift volume to larger trucks to spread the cost, although tachograph rules also apply to HGVs
• Companies may need to hold more local stock rather than rely on express van movements
• Customers will need to tighten loading operations because driver waiting time is now a commercial issue, not just an inconvenience

The customs complication

One solution to the new restrictions is to tranship, which is moving cargo from one van to another mid-route, allowing the first driver to rest. Although this seems simple on the surface, transshipment requires a lot of coordination work. 

Transit documents reference a specific vehicle registration number from start to finish. So changing vehicles mid-journey means transit documents need to be changed. ELO documents also reference the vehicle registration number, so a vehicle change means someone needs to update the ELO, potentially late at night.

Plus, transshipment facilities are not always readily available. Overnight transshipment requires staff, health and safety compliance, a forklift for loads over 200kg, and a physical location equipped to handle it. This significantly increases the cost and complexity of customs processes. 

To keep the process as smooth as possible, expertise and 24/7 availability is required from the logistics operator. Having a partner with combined transport and customs services can also help make operations more straightforward. 

What this means for time-critical freight 

Sectors that rely on time-critical freight are where the impact will be sharpest. 

For example, the Frankfurt to Birmingham route is run by one of our motorsport clients. Currently, the driving time is between 16 and 17 hours. After July, this will be extended to between 24 and 25 hours, as mandatory stops en route are unavoidable.

Similarly, a leading automotive manufacturer often books vans for 3pm. However, parts are regularly not ready until 7pm. Now, the driver absorbs this wait time in their working hours. After July, those four hours come out of the working day and the job might not be completed in one shift.

Sebastien Barth, Group Managing Director of C4 Logistics, says, “In terms of the impact, this has the potential to be as significant for UK-EU operators as Brexit was. I’m genuinely concerned, as the scale of disruption is similar but with fewer good solutions. 

“With Brexit, well-prepared operators were generally able to adapt through process and planning. These new regulations are different because they introduce practical operational constraints that affect even highly organised transport networks. The industry is still working through what the long-term impact will look like in practice, particularly around costs, driver availability and service planning, with many businesses expecting additional pressure on pricing and delivery schedules.”

How C4 can help

With combined transport and customs services, our team can run impact analyses, route reviews, customs support for transshipments and a team that’s available 24/7. Whatever is required, C4 can manage the customs implications (such as ELO updates and transit amendments) because they control both sides of the process.

Plus, the 24/7 customs team offers a direct operational answer to the most complex scenarios this regulation creates. That means, with our support, you can navigate these legal changes as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible. 

Don’t wait until July to put steps in place. Contact our team now.