Tachograph driver card
Tachograph driver cards are required by law for bus and truck drivers. Find out how the card works, what data is stored, when to use it, and how to apply for one.
Apply for a tachograph driver card
Apply now for a tachograph driver card or read on to find out more about the tachograph driver card.
About the tachograph driver card
The personal tachograph driver card is a credit card-sized plastic card that contains a microchip. The card can store all relevant driver data required for EU Drivers’ Hours regulations including break and rest times.
Important details
Your driver card:
- Is unique to the individual driver and valid for five years,
- Can store information for 28 days,
- Can only be used by its owner, ie. the driver authorised to use it,
- May be suspended or withdrawn by an enforcement officer if the card has been falsified, if the person using the card is not the legal holder of the card, or if the card has been obtained by false declaration or forged documents,
- Must be made available to enforcement officers on request.
How to use your tachograph driver card
Before a journey begins (eg, when loading/unloading or driving) you must insert your driver card into the appropriate slot in the digital tachograph unit.
Where a vehicle is double-manned, both driver and co-driver slots are used.
Similar to an analogue tachograph, a digital tachograph will record your activities such as driving, other work, breaks and rest.
When you are doing manual entry of data into the tachograph you will be asked (via the units menu) if you have driven any other vehicle that day and must select whether it was by digital or analogue-recorded method.
If you are driving a vehicle fitted with an analogue tachograph you should have a chart to record your activities.
Downloading data
Data must be downloaded from the driver card every 28 days. A transport undertaking shall ensure that the data from their drivers’ tachograph card is downloaded every 28 days. A self employed driver must download the data from their tachograph card every 28 days. The data must be retained for inspection by enforcement officers for a period of at least 12 months.
Agency drivers
In you work for more than one company, you need to download data every 28 days from the driver card and retain it for inspection.