GB domestic rules
Moving on - the Future
Introduction
The GB domestic rules, as contained in the Transport Act 1968, apply to most vehicles that are exempt from the EU rules. Separate rules
apply to Northern Ireland.
There are some variations between HGV and PSV GB Domestic Rules, and with this in mind we have seperated them, making them individually available via the internal links within this page. In both cases, they are laid out in their entirety.
HGV Domestic Rules
Exemptions
The following groups are exempt from the domestic drivers' hours rules:
- drivers of vehicles used by the Armed Forces, the police and fire brigade;
- drivers who always drive off the public road system; and
- private driving, i.e. not in connection with a job or in any way to earn a living.
Key Information
Domestic driving limits
Driving is defined as being at the controls of a vehicle for the purposes of controlling its movement, whether it is moving or stationary
with the engine running, even for a short period of time.
Daily driving
In any working day the maximum amount of driving permitted is 10 hours. The daily driving limit applies
to driving on and off the public road. Off-road driving for the purposes of agriculture, quarrying, forestry, building work or civil
engineering counts as duty rather than driving time.
Key Information
For owner drivers, this means driving a vehicle connected with their business, or doing any other work connected with the vehicle and its load.
Daily duty
In any working day the maximum amount of duty permitted is 11 hours. A driver is exempt from the daily duty
limit (11 hours) on any working day when he does not drive. A driver who does not drive for more than 4 hours on each day of the week is
exempt from the daily duty limit.
Drivers of certain vehicles are exempt from the duty but not the driving limit, namely – goods vehicles, including dual purpose vehicles, not exceeding a maximum permitted gross weight of 3.5 tonnes, when used:
- by doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives or vets;
- for any service of inspection, cleaning, maintenance, repair, installation or fitting;
- by commercial travellers;
- the AA, RAC or RSAC; and
- for cinematography or radio and television broadcasting.
Record keeping
You must keep written records of your hours of work on a weekly record sheet. An example of such a sheet is
available for download below. Operators are expected to check and sign each weekly record sheet.
Record books containing weekly record sheets are not available from The Stationery Office. VOSA can provide the names of commercial
printers who produce them.
Alternatively, an EU-approved and sealed tachograph may be used to record a driver's activities while he is subject to domestic
drivers' hours rules. When recording in this manner, and where domestic records are legally required (see Fig 1. below), all rules
on the fitment and use of the tachograph must be complied with
. Where a tachograph is fitted to a vehicle subject to the domestic rules but is not used to produce a legally required record, the operator and driver should nevertheless ensure that the tachograph is properly calibrated and sealed. The tachograph does not have to be recalibrated provided the seals remain intact and the vehicle remains out of scope of the EU rules.
Exemptions from keeping records
Some groups are exempt from requirements to keep records under domestic rules on drivers' hours. Follow the flowchart below to
determine whether you must keep records.
* This exemption does not apply to drivers of Crown vehicles that would have needed an 'O' licence if the vehicle had not been Crown property. If this is the case, answer 'yes' to this question in the flowchart.
** Any off-road driving carried out for the purpose of agriculture, quarrying, forestry, building work, civil engineering or road maintenance does not count towards this total.
Emergencies
The GB domestic rules are relaxed in cases where immediate action is needed to avoid:
- danger to the life or health of people or animals;
- serious interruption of essential public services (gas, water, electricity or drainage), of telecommunication or postal services, or in the use of roads, railways, ports or airports; or
- serious damage to property.
In these cases the driving and duty limits are suspended for the duration of the emergency.
Records for vehicles carrying postal articles
Tachographs must be fitted and used on all vehicles with a permissible maximum weight in excess of 3.5 tonnes that carry parcels and
letters on postal services. Drivers of such vehicles may be exempt from the EU rules on drivers' hours but, if so, must still comply
with the UK domestic rules.
PSV Domestic Rules
Exemptions
The following exemptions apply to drivers who would otherwise be subject to the GB domestic rules:
- If they do not drive for more than 4 hours a day in any week, drivers are exempt from any GB domestic rules for that week.
- If they drive for more than 4 hours for up to two days in any week, they are still exempt from the rules, but on these two days:
- all working duties must start and finish within a 24-hour period;
- a 10-hour period of rest must be taken immediately before the first duty and immediately after the last duty; and
- rules on driving times and length of working day must be obeyed.
- If any working day overlaps into a week in which drivers are not exempt from the rules, then on that day the limits on driving time and length of working day must be obeyed.
- An exemption from the rules on driving time and rest applies during any time spent dealing with an emergency.
Domestic driving limits
Driving is defined as being at the controls of a vehicle for the purposes of controlling its
movement, whether it is moving or stationary with the engine running, even for a short period of time.
Breaks and continuous driving
- After 5.5 hours of driving a break of at least 30 minutes must be taken in which the driver is able to obtain rest and refreshment.
- Alternatively, within any period of 8.5 hours in the working day, total breaks amounting to at least 45 minutes are taken so that the driver does not drive for more than 7 hours and 45 minutes. The driver must in addition have a break of at least 30 minutes to obtain rest or refreshment at the end of this period, unless it is the end of the working day.
Key Information
Daily driving
In any working day, the maximum amount of driving is 10 hours. The daily driving limit applies to time spent
at the wheel, actually driving, and includes any driving done under EU or AETR rules.
Length of working day ('spreadover')
A driver should work no more than 16 hours between the times of starting and
finishing work (including work other than driving and off-duty periods during the working day).
Daily rest periods
A continuous rest of 10 hours must be taken between two consecutive working days. This can be reduced
to 8.5 hours up to three times a week.
Fortnightly rest periods
In any two consecutive weeks (Monday to Sunday) there must be at least one period of 24 hours
off duty.
Record keeping
Under the GB domestic rules on drivers' hours, there is no requirement for drivers of passenger
vehicles to keep records. A person driving both passenger and goods vehicles under the domestic rules should keep written records of
hours of duty and driving of goods vehicles.
HGV and PSV Common Rules
Travelling abroad
The GB domestic rules apply only in GB, but you must observe the national rules of the countries in
which you travel. The embassies of these countries will be able to assist in establishing the rules that might apply.
Mixed vehicle types
If it occurs that a driver divides his time driving goods vehicles and passenger vehicles under
GB domestic rules, then in any working day or week, if he spends most of his time driving passenger vehicles then the appropriate GB rules
for passenger vehicles apply for that day or week.
Working Time Regulations
Drivers who are subject to the UK domestic rules on drivers' hours are affected by four
provisions under the UK's Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended).
Source - VOSA
