7.5 Tonne and HGV Driving Hours: The basics European Union rules on drivers hours The European Union (EU) drivers hours rules set limits for daily, weekly and fortnightly driving. The rules also specify minimum breaks for drivers during the working day, and daily and weekly rest periods. The main points of the EU rules are: Daily driving must not exceed nine hours, although this may be extended to ten hours twice a week. Weekly driving must not exceed 56 hours. Fortnightly driving must not exceed 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks. Drivers must take breaks that total at least 45 minutes during or after a maximum of 4.5 hours of driving. The break can be split into two periods, one of at least 15 minutes followed by one of at least 30 minutes. You cannot split breaks into three periods of 15 minutes. Drivers must normally take at least 11 consecutive hours of daily rest. This can be reduced by up to two hours on no more than three occasions between any two weekly rest periods. Drivers may split their daily rest into two periods totalling 12 hours. If they do, the first period must be at least three hours and the second at least nine hours. You cannot split daily rest into more than two periods. Within six 24-hour periods from the end of their last weekly rest, drivers must extend their daily rest period into a weekly rest period. This may be either the regular 45-hour weekly rest or a reduced period of at least 24 hours. With effect from 4 June 2010, the weekly rest requirement for drivers on international occasional coach journeys changes. The concession allows drivers on single international journeys to postpone their weekly rest period until the end of the twelfth day. It also requires the driver to take a regular 45 hour rest prior to the journey beginning, in addition to requiring at least one regular and one reduced weekly rest period back-to-back on the journey's completion, which amounts to a minimum rest period of at least 69 hours