New Rules for Commercial Drivers: Who They Apply To and What Has Changed

On July 26, 2026, updated rules governing the working hours and rest periods of commercial motor vehicle drivers came into effect in Ukraine. These rules govern driving time, breaks, and weekly rest periods, as well as the use of tachographs, data storage, and the responsibilities of motor carriers.

Some of the provisions were in effect previously, but the new version expanded the scope of transportation services covered by the rules, clarified exceptions, and introduced additional requirements. Let’s take a look at who is affected by these changes and what drivers and carriers need to keep in mind.

Who Is Affected by the Rules

The rules do not apply to all drivers, but only to those who transport cargo or passengers as part of their business activities. Drivers and carriers must comply with these rules during:

1. Domestic and international freight transport, if the maximum technically permissible weight of the vehicle, together with a trailer or semi-trailer, exceeds 3.5 metric tons.
2. Domestic and international passenger transport in vehicles with more than nine seats, including the driver’s seat. This primarily includes buses and minibuses.
3. International passenger transportation by taxi or on-demand service using vehicles with six to nine seats, including the driver’s seat.

The rules apply to both employed and self-employed drivers, including sole proprietors who provide transportation services independently. They may apply not only to transportation companies but also to businesses that use such vehicles for their own commercial activities.

These requirements do not apply to ordinary trips in a personal passenger car.

Who Is Exempt from the Rules

The regulation provides for a long list of exceptions. Some of them relate to the purpose of the vehicle, while others relate to the purpose and conditions of a specific trip. It is important to note that a short route or a vehicle weight of up to 7.5 metric tons does not, in and of itself, exempt a vehicle from these rules.

Vehicles of Security, Defense, and Emergency Services

The rules do not apply to vehicles of security and defense forces, ambulances, emergency rescue services, and vehicles used during emergencies, urgent operations, and for the non-commercial transport of humanitarian aid.

Training, test, and low-speed vehicles

The requirements do not apply to vehicles with a maximum permitted speed not exceeding 40 kilometers per hour.

An exception is also provided for vehicles used for driver training or driving tests, provided they are not used to generate profit from the transportation of passengers or cargo.

The rules also do not apply to vehicles undergoing road testing for the purposes of technical development, repair, or maintenance, as well as to new or modified vehicles that have not yet been put into service.

Non-commercial transport of one’s own cargo by vehicles up to 7.5 metric tons

A separate exception applies to vehicles with a maximum technically permissible mass not exceeding 7.5 metric tons, provided they are used to transport the owner’s own cargo for non-commercial purposes and without generating income or receiving compensation.

Transportation in which driving is not the person’s primary occupation

Another exception applies to vehicles with a maximum technically permissible mass of no more than 7.5 metric tons that are used within a 100-kilometer radius as the crow flies from their storage location.

The vehicle may carry materials, tools, or equipment needed by the person for their primary job, as well as goods produced during craft activities. There must be no separate payment or compensation for the transportation itself.

In this case, driving the vehicle must not be the person’s primary professional activity. The total time spent driving must account for less than 30% of their monthly working hours.

Therefore, a professional driver whose primary task is to deliver goods does not qualify for this exception simply because they drive distances of up to 100 kilometers.

Certain Sector-Specific and Specialized Transportation Services

Exceptions are also provided for certain agricultural, forestry, postal, municipal, and specialized transport services. Specifically, these include the following cases:

• the transport of goods by agricultural, horticultural, and forestry enterprises;
• the operation of agricultural and forestry tractors;
• towing of damaged vehicles;
• delivery of general mail;
• transportation of live animals;
• transportation of construction equipment for a construction company’s own use;
• maintenance of electrical, gas, heating, water supply, and other utility networks;
• collection and transportation of waste;
• transportation of concrete, milk, cash, valuables, and circus or fair equipment.

For some of these transports, there is a restriction of 100 kilometers from the vehicle’s storage location. However, each exception has additional conditions regarding the purpose of the transport and the reason for the trip. A distance of up to 100 kilometers alone is not sufficient.

Temporary Exceptions Related to Martial Law

During the period of martial law and for three months after its termination or repeal, the rules do not apply:

• in territories where combat operations are taking place or have taken place, as well as in temporarily occupied territories;
• when transporting cargo necessary to support the operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• during the transportation of military personnel in vehicles rented along with a driver;
• during domestic transportation of cargo or passengers at one’s own expense for business purposes, provided the trip lasts no more than 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Therefore, a short route or the transport of one’s own goods does not automatically exempt one from these rules. One must take into account the type of vehicle, the purpose of the trip, the nature of the cargo, and the driver’s work.

What Has Changed

Five major changes can be identified in the updated rules.

The rules have been extended to certain international passenger transport services

Drivers—including sole proprietors—who provide on-demand international passenger transportation or work for international taxi services must now also comply with work and rest regulations and use tachographs.

This requirement applies to vehicles with six to nine seats, including the driver’s seat. Previously, such services were not explicitly covered by the rules.

Regular weekly rest periods cannot be taken in the vehicle

A driver’s weekly rest period may be either regular or reduced. A regular rest period lasts at least 45 hours, while a reduced rest period lasts at least 24 hours.

A standard weekly rest period cannot be taken in the vehicle. This also applies to rest periods lasting more than 45 hours, to which compensation for a previous reduced rest period has been added. The driver must rest in a habitable space; the carrier reimburses the costs for this.

A reduced weekly rest period may be taken in a vehicle if it is equipped with a sleeping area and the driver has adequate conditions for rest.

Night work is limited to ten hours

If a driver’s work takes place at night, from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., the duration of work during each 24-hour period must not exceed ten hours.

This limit applies to total working time, not just time spent behind the wheel. It includes, in particular, loading, unloading, and other work.

Waiting time is taken into account depending on the circumstances. If its duration could not be determined in advance, it is counted as working time.

Certain international trucks require G2V2 smart tachographs

Vehicles used for international freight transport that are first registered in Ukraine after June 30, 2026, must be equipped with second-generation G2V2 smart tachographs.

These devices record the vehicle’s and driver’s operations and feature enhanced data protection against tampering.

The period for which records must be presented has been extended

During an inspection, the driver must have and provide records of work and rest periods for the day of the inspection and the preceding 56 days.

The carrier must read and store data from tachographs, driver cards, and tachograph cards for at least 24 months.

What Has Remained Unchanged

The update has not changed the basic limits on the amount of time a driver may spend behind the wheel.

No more than nine hours of driving per day

Generally, a driver may drive no more than nine hours per day.

Twice a week, this time may be extended to ten hours.

No more than 56 hours of driving per week

The total time spent driving in a single week must not exceed 56 hours.

Over any two consecutive weeks, a driver may drive for no more than 90 hours.

Break after four and a half hours of driving

After 4 hours and 30 minutes behind the wheel, the driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes. The break may be divided into two parts: at least 15 minutes first, followed by at least 30 minutes.

For example, a driver may drive for two hours, rest for 15 minutes, drive for another two hours and 30 minutes, and then rest for at least 30 minutes. A new driving period begins after the second break ends.

A separate rule applies to non-scheduled passenger transport: the 45-minute break may be replaced by two breaks of at least 15 minutes each.

During a break, the driver must not drive the vehicle or perform any other work.

Tachographs remain mandatory where required by law

Vehicles for which the law requires a tachograph must be equipped with a device that is in good working order and has been inspected on time.

An exception is provided for domestic regular passenger routes, including special regular routes, up to 50 kilometers in length. On such routes, a tachograph is not mandatory if records are kept using a shift schedule or a self-employed driver’s individual logbook.

Who Is Responsible for What

Compliance with work and rest periods is a shared responsibility of the carrier and the driver. Responsibility cannot be placed entirely on one party.

The carrier and the transportation manager must organize work so that the driver can adhere to the established driving times, breaks, and rest periods. They also provide training and monitor compliance with the rules. The appointment of a manager does not relieve the carrier itself of its obligations.

The carrier is prohibited from offering bonuses, allowances, or other incentives based on delivery speed, distance traveled, cargo volume, or the number of passengers if this could compromise safety or encourage the driver to violate the rules.

The driver must adhere to actual driving times and breaks, properly record work and rest periods, use the tachograph and their own card, and provide the necessary records during inspections.

A self-employed driver, in particular a sole proprietor who independently provides transportation services, combines the responsibilities of both a driver and a carrier.

Based on the results of an inspection, the carrier, the driver, or both may be held liable, depending on the nature and circumstances of the violation. Specific liability is determined by the laws of Ukraine.
 

Олег Пархітько