Tachograph requirement for cross-border journeys

From July 1, 2026, tachographs will be mandatory for cross-border journeys with small vans and light commercial vehicles within the EU. However, there are exceptions for many tradespeople.

Light commercial vehicles with a permissible total mass between 2,5 and 3,5 tonnes must now be equipped with a tachograph (speed recorder) for cross-border freight transport and cabotage operations within the EU. This is an EU regulation. However, many craft businesses are exempt. The [relevant authority/organization] points this out. Central Association of German Crafts attentively.

Core of the new regulationSince July 1, 2026, all cross-border freight transport or cabotage operations with vehicles over 2,5 tonnes are subject to social regulations on driving and rest times*. This also generally entails the obligation to use a tachograph (second generation)**.

For the skilled trades, two key exceptions remain important:

The well-known "Craftsmen's exemption" Article 3(aa) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, for which the ZDH campaigned intensively at EU level, also applies in the range of over 2,5 to 3,5 tonnes.

➡️ This applies to the transport of materials, equipment or machinery that the driver needs to carry out his job, as well as the delivery of handcrafted goods.

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Requirements include, but are not limited to:

✔️ Driving is not the driver's main activity.

✔️ The transports are not carried out commercially in the sense of commercial road haulage and exclusively within a radius of 100 kilometers around the company headquarters.

Secondly, Article 3(ha) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 is a new addition. It creates a [requirement] for vehicles over 2,5 tonnes up to a maximum of 3,5 tonnes. Another exception:

✔️ The regulation – and therefore the tachograph requirement – ​​does not apply to transports carried out in own-account transport, i.e. at the company's or driver's own expense, and not as commercial road haulage.

✔️ Furthermore, driving must not be the main activity of the person driving the vehicle.

✔️ Unlike the exemption for tradespeople, there is no mileage limit here. However, it is crucial that the transport is indeed for company purposes and that no full-time professional driver is employed.

According to the ZDH, this will exempt a large proportion of craft transports in the 2,5 to 3,5 tonne range in cross-border traffic from the obligation to use a tachograph.

This would not exclude, among other things, the cross-border delivery of third-party products on behalf of a third party or the cross-border delivery of one's own products to a branch using a full-time driver.

Overview of all documentation requirements and exceptions On the ZDH website you can find a Fact sheet on documentation requirements and exceptions in all weight classes. As of March 2026

*Article 2(1)(aa) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006.

** Regulation (EU) No 165/2014

Source: ZDH

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