HGV driver working hours: what the rules actually cover

HGV driver working hours: what the rules actually cover (and why they matter)

If you’re looking into HGV training, working hours are usually the part people skip over. But they’re what really make the job feel great or tough. The first step is understanding the three main categories people often mix up:

• Driving time: hands actually on the wheel, recorded on the truck tachograph. GOV.UK
• Other work: loading, straps, paperwork, vehicle checks, shunting, waiting that counts as work.
• Working Time Directive (WTD) totals: driving plus other work, which adds up to the total effort you can put in each week. GOV.UK

Most HGV jobs follow the UK’s adapted EU-style drivers’ hours rules, but some use GB domestic rules depending on the vehicle and job. What you drive, where you drive, and the job’s purpose all matter.

To decide which rules apply, use this simple guideline: if you’re driving an HGV for long-haul or international routes, you’ll likely need to adhere to the EU-style (assimilated) rules. If you’re working mainly within the UK on local routes with vehicles that fall under certain exemptions/weight limits, GB domestic rules might apply. GOV.UK

And yes, we’ll get to the main numbers you want to know: daily limits, weekly limits, and the maximum working hours per week for HGV drivers.

Helpful internal reads

• HGV drivers’ working hours
• Life of an HGV driver in the UK

Maximum working hours HGV driver: the weekly cap people miss (WTD)

Here’s the tricky part. You can follow the driving hours rules, but still break the working time rules. This isn’t just theory; drivers get caught out by this all the time.

WTD in plain English

• 48 hours average per week (averaged over a reference period). GOV.UK
• Up to 60 hours in a single week, as long as your average stays under control. GOV.UK
• Night work is usually limited to 10 hours per night unless there’s a workforce agreement for longer hours. GOV.UK

Myth-bust (quick, but important)

• Driving limits = one rulebook
• Working time limits = a different rulebook
• You can meet one set of rules but still break the other. GOV.UK

Those internal reads set the stage. Now, let’s break down daily limits and required breaks so you stay legal throughout a typical shift.

• Changes to fines for commercial drivers

Daily limits & breaks: how to stay legal on a normal shift

Let’s talk about daily life on the job. Not the polished version, but the real hands-on experience.

Core driving rules most new drivers need in their bones

• 9 hours driving per day (you can stretch to 10 hours twice a week). GOV.UK
• After 4.5 hours driving, you need a 45-minute break (which can be split). GOV.UK

Rest rules go hand in hand with these. Planners often design routes around them because fines, fatigue, and finding a safe place to park can turn into a proper headache. GOV.UK

A “looks-like-real-life” shift timeline

A “looks-like-real-life” shift timeline

• 05:30 – pre-use checks, paperwork, keys (other work)
• 06:00–10:30 – drive (4.5 hours)
• 10:30–11:15 – break (45 minutes)
• 11:15–15:45 – drive (another 4.5 hours)
• 15:45 onwards – loading, yard shuffles, end-of-shift bits… then rest

Hesitation moments (because life is life): if a crash closes a motorway and you’re hunting for a safe place to stop, there are limited “exception” scenarios (often discussed under Article 12). It’s not a loophole; it’s more like a lifejacket.

More useful reads

• HGV drivers’ working hours (full guide)
• What happens if you violate working hours rules?

Weekly limits: 56 hours + the 90-hour trap (the numbers everyone googles)

Let’s pin the keywords to the wall properly: the maximum working hours per week for HGV drivers depends on whether you mean driving or working.

Driving limits (assimilated rules)

• 56 hours max driving in a week
• 90 hours max driving across any 2 consecutive weeks

GOV.UK

Working time limits (WTD)

• 60 hours max working time in a single week
• 48-hour average

GOV.UK

The “trap” is straightforward but can sting: if a driver completes 56 hours of driving in Week 1, their available driving hours for Week 2 are reduced to stay compliant with the 90-hour two-week limit. That can directly affect earnings, because Week 2 might be “forced lighter” even if you’re keen (and available) to work.

Mini case studies (so it actually makes sense)

Case study A: New Class 2 multidrop (rigid)

Driving hours look fine… but the week is chunky with:

• Tail-lifts, cages, signatures, waiting bays
• “quick” loads that aren’t quick

Result: WTD becomes the limiter before driving does. One more route? Might not be possible.

Case study B: Class 1 tramping/long-haul

Here, driving limits dominate the chessboard:

• The 4.5-hour rule dictates breaks
• The 56/90 limits shape which jobs you can accept next week

Done right, it’s smooth. Done wrong, it’s chaos with nowhere safe to park.

Case study C: Agency night driver

Nights pay nicely, sure, but they can feel “tight” because:

• night work limits can cap how much working time you rack up in a 24-hour window

That classic text — “mate, can you do just one more?” — is where the maths bites.

Now that you’ve seen the traps and case studies, let’s talk about the practical side — what the actual HGV training process looks like and how you get job-ready.

So, what is our typical training process and how you learn the rules

If you’re weighing the expense, here’s the practical truth: good training doesn’t just teach you to pass a test. It teaches you to run a week without accidentally torpedoing your licence.

Our approach at HGVT Training looks like this:

• Medical (D4): proves you’re fit to hold the entitlement. HGV medical
• Provisional application (D2/D4): admin, but necessary (and where people often get stuck).
• Theory + hazard perception: not trivia — a tool for spotting danger patterns in traffic. HGV theory
• Driver CPC (Modules 2 & 4): professional standards and safety aren’t just “paperwork”. Driver CPC
• Practical training & tests:
  • Cat C / Class 2 first for most beginners: Cat C (Class 2) licence
  • Then C+E / Class 1 for artics and typically higher earning potential: LGV C+E (Class 1) training
• Getting matched to jobs: employers love reliability, tachograph competence, and someone who won’t “wing it” with hours. HGV job finder

So… is HGV training worth the expense?

It can be — if you treat “working hours” as part of the skillset, not a footnote. Because the drivers who earn healthy long-term aren’t just good at driving; they’re good at planning, staying legal, staying alert, and not getting lured into daft overtime that breaks the rules (or breaks you).

Why not contact us and find out more? Get a no-commitment quote in minutes