Driver driving and rest time – the rules of Regulation 561/2006

The most important driving time, break and rest limits in road transport in one place. DDDStart checks them automatically in every file from a driver card and tachograph.

Driving time

• Daily: up to 9 h, twice a week up to 10 h.
• Weekly: up to 56 h (a week runs from Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00).
• In two consecutive weeks: up to 90 h in total.

Break

After 4.5 h of driving the driver takes a break of at least 45 minutes. The break can be split into two parts: first at least 15 minutes, then at least 30 minutes – in that order.

Daily rest

• Regular: at least 11 h within 24 h of the end of the previous rest.
• Reduced: at least 9 h, at most three times between two weekly rests.
• Split: 3 h + 9 h (12 h in total), the second part uninterrupted.
• Crew: when driving with two people, a rest of at least 9 h within 30 h.

Weekly rest

• Regular: at least 45 h; reduced: at least 24 h.
• It starts no later than after six 24-hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest.
• In two consecutive weeks the driver takes at least two regular weekly rests, or one regular and one reduced weekly rest.
• A reduction must be compensated by rest taken in one block before the end of the third week following the week in which it occurred.
• A regular weekly rest may not be spent in the vehicle cab.

Driver working time is more than driving time

A driver's working time also includes other work (loading, vehicle maintenance, formalities), and in Poland it is settled under the Act on drivers' working time – with daily standards, a settlement period and overtime. The current version of DDDStart shows the recorded activities and potential infringements; it does not offer payroll settlement or overtime calculation.

Questions and answers

Updated: 12 October 2026 · Prepared by the DDDStart team (AMK VISION sp. z o.o.). For information only; this is not legal advice.