Annex 2. Working time rules
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-22)

The working time rules that apply to you depend on whether you drive a vehicle in scope of the assimilated or GB domestic drivers’ hours rules.

Driving under assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules

The Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 as amended (‘the 2005 Regulations’) apply to mobile workers who are regulated by assimilated or AETR drivers hours rules and to those who operate transport services. There are different rules for occasional mobile workers (see text boxes below for definitions).

A mobile worker is defined as being any worker forming part of the travelling staff (including trainees and apprentice) who is in the service of an undertaking which operates transport services for goods or passengers by road for hire or reward or on its own account.

The 2005 Regulations define working time as the time from the beginning of work, during which the mobile worker is at the workstation (this includes in the vehicle) at the disposal of the employer and exercising his functions or activities – i.e. time devoted to all road transport activities including:
- driving
- loading/unloading
- training that is part of normal work and is part of the commercial operation
- assisting passengers boarding/disembarking from vehicle
- cleaning, maintenance of vehicle
- work intended to ensure safety of vehicle and its cargo and passengers (e.g. monitoring loading and unloading - including daily defect check and report)
- administrative formalities or work linked to legal or regulatory obligations directly linked to the specific transport operations under way
- time during which the mobile worker cannot freely dispose of his/her time and is required to be at the workstation ready to take up normal work, with certain tasks associated with being on duty (e.g. working in the warehouse, or in an office or doing other activities for the employer)
- waiting periods where the foreseeable duration is not known in advance by the mobile worker
The main provisions of the 2005 Regulations are as follows:
- weekly working time must not exceed an average of 48 hours per week over the reference period, which can only be 17 or 26 weeks - a maximum working time of 60 hours can be performed in any single week providing the average 48-hour limit is not exceeded
- night work: if night work is performed, working time must not exceed 10 hours in any 24-hour period. Night time is the period between 00.00 and 04.00 for goods vehicles and between 01.00 and 05.00 for passenger vehicles. The 10-hour limit may be exceeded if this is permitted under a collective or workforce agreement
- breaks:
- mobile workers must not work more than 6 consecutive hours without taking a break
- if working hours total between 6 and 9 hours, working time should be interrupted by a break or breaks totalling at least 30 minutes
- if working hours total more than 9 hours, working time should be interrupted by a break or breaks totalling at least 45 minutes
- breaks should be of at least 15 minutes’ duration
- rest: the regulations are the same as the assimilated drivers’ hours rules
- record keeping: records need to be kept for two years after the period in question
- If a mobile worker works for more than one employer who operates vehicles regulated by assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours the worker must inform each employer in writing of the hours worked for another employer
The reference period for calculating the 48-hour week is normally 17 weeks, but it can be extended to 26 weeks if this is permitted under a collective or workforce agreement.

There is no ‘opt-out’ for individuals wishing to work longer than an average 48-hour week, but breaks and ‘periods of availability’ do not count as working time.

Generally speaking, a period of availability (POA) is waiting time, the duration of which must be known in advance. Examples of what might count as a POA are accompanying a vehicle on a ferry crossing or waiting while other workers load/unload the vehicle. For mobile workers driving in a team, a POA would also include time spent sitting next to the driver while the vehicle is in motion (unless the mobile worker is taking a break or performing other work ie navigation).

In addition, mobile workers are affected by two provisions under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended – ‘the 1998 Regulations’). These are:
- an entitlement to 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave
- health checks for night workers
Drivers who only occasionally drive vehicles subject to assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules may be able to take advantage of the exemption from the 2005 Regulations for occasional mobile workers (see text box below for the criteria).

Self-employed drivers were brought in scope of the 2005 Regulations in GB in May 2012, by the Road Transport (Working Time) Amendment Regulations 2012. Self-employed drivers are responsible for keeping their own working time records for 2 years and for making records available to enforcement officers for inspection.

The employer is responsible for keeping working time records, making the records available for inspection and informing workers of their responsibilities. Records must be kept regardless of whether or not the operation works close to the average 48-hour weekly working time limit and need to be kept for 2 years after the end of the reference period in question.

Mobile workers must see details of any relevant agreement in advance.

On request from an employer, a mobile worker must inform that employer (in writing) of work performed for another employer.

Employment agencies/employment businesses must keep working time records if the mobile worker is paid by (or via) them.

Owner drivers who do not meet the criteria for a self-employed driver should keep a record of their own working time.

DVSA enforces the provisions of the 2005 Regulations and the requirement for health checks for night workers (under the 1998 Regulations). For any questions about matters relating to annual leave, call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) national helpline on xx-xxxx-xxxx, for free support and advice.

Definition of a self-employed driver under the 2005 Regulations

‘Self-employed driver’ means anyone whose main occupation is to transport passengers or goods by road for hire or reward within the meaning of Community legislation under cover of a Community licence or any other professional authorisation to carry out such transport, who is entitled to work for himself and who is not tied to an employer by an employment contract or by any other type of working hierarchical relationship, who is free to organise the relevant working activities, whose income depends directly on the profits made and who has the freedom, individually or through a co-operation between self-employed drivers, to have commercial relations with several customers (Regulation 2 of SI 2005/639).

Definition of an occasional mobile worker under the 2005 Regulations

A mobile worker would be exempt from the 2005 Regulations if:
- they work 10 days or less within scope of assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules in a reference period that is shorter than 26 weeks or
- they work 15 days or less within scope of assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules in a reference period that is 26 weeks or longer
Driving under the GB domestic drivers’ hours rules or are an occasional mobile worker

Drivers of vehicles subject to the GB domestic drivers’ hours rules or who are an occasional mobile worker (see text box for definition below), are affected by four provisions of the Working Time Regulations 1998.

These are:
- weekly working time, which must not exceed an average of 48 hours per week over the reference period (although individuals can ‘opt out’ of this requirement if they want to)
- an entitlement to 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave
- health checks for night workers
- an entitlement to adequate rest
The reference period for calculating the 48-hour average week is normally a rolling 17-week period. However, this reference period can be extended up to 52 weeks, if this is permitted under a collective or workforce agreement.

Adequate rest Adequate rest means that a worker has regular rest periods, the duration of which are expressed in units of time. Rest periods must be sufficiently long and continuous enough to ensure that workers do not harm themselves, fellow workers or others and that they do not damage their health in the short or long term as a result of fatigue or other irregular working patterns.

When considering the requirement for ‘adequate rest’ under the 1998 Regulations, employers need to take into account, not only the GB domestic drivers’ hours rules (which set maximum limits; which are only intended to give the industry some flexibility and should not be regarded as normal working patterns), but also the duty on employers, under health and safety at work legislation, to manage the risks of fatigue. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on this issue, as per the links below to further relevant guidance on their website:
- managing shift work (https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg256.htm)
- human factors - managing fatigue risks (https://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/toolkit.htm) – under the heading “specific topics”
- human factors - fatigue (http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/fatigue.htm)
- managing work-related road safety (https://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/manage.htm)
Whilst mobile workers regulated by the 1998 Regulations can opt out of the 48 hour weekly average working limit, an employer cannot opt out of the requirement that workers get adequate rest. Therefore, employers are required to ensure that workers who have opted out of the 48-hour weekly average do not work excessively long hours and take regular breaks. Employers might also want to take into account; as best practice, the break and rest requirements in the sector specific working time legislation, which is applicable to drivers in scope of assimilated drivers’ hours rules see Driving under assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules (#driving-under-assimilated-or-aetr-drivers-hours-rules) in this annex.

Employers must take responsibility for determining what constitutes ‘adequate rest’ for each of their workers, which can differ dependent on a number of factors, such as: their age; health; personal circumstances; outside influences; type of work (mentally or physically strenuous) etc. to determine all the potential risks and impacts on that worker’s fatigue level. Compliance with the drivers’ hours and working time rules alone is insufficient to manage the risks of fatigue.

The 1998 Regulations do not apply to self-employed drivers (see text box below for definition). Please note that this definition is different to the one used under the 2005 Regulations.

DVSA enforces the working time limits and the requirement for health checks for night workers under the 1998 Regulations for drivers operating under the GB domestic drivers’ hours rules (and occasional mobile workers). Any questions about matters relating to rest or annual leave, call the ACAS national helpline on xx-xxxx-xxxx, for free support and advice.

Further information

For further details on the 1998 Regulations, email the Department for Business, Energy and Trade at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Definition of self-employed under the 1998 Regulations

You are self-employed if you are running your own business and are free to work for different clients and customers.

Definition of an occasional mobile worker under the 2005 Regulations

A mobile worker would be exempt from the 2005 Regulations if:
- they work 10 days or less within scope of the assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules in a reference period that is shorter than 26 weeks
- they work 15 days or less within scope of the assimilated or AETR drivers’ hours rules in a reference period that is 26 weeks or longer