The laws that actually affect you
You don't need them off by heart, but you should know which one governs what. Regulation (EU) 165/2014 defines the device (including the smart tachograph G2V2); Regulation (EC) 561/2006 is the bible of hours: 9 hours' driving a day and a 45-minute break every 4h30. On top of that, the enforcement side is the DVSA and the Traffic Commissioner. The big recent changes come from the EU Mobility Package. If you carry passengers by coach, the rules shift and you've got them in tachograph rules for buses.
Driving and rest hours, without the tangle
This is where most fines come from, so start with the driving and rest times guide 2026, which pulls it all together. Then, depending on your case: if you run two-up, check double-crew driving times; if you take a boat, the ferry rule; and to avoid arguing over seconds at a check, the one-minute rule.
The move to the smart tachograph V2 (retrofitting)
This is the change giving half the fleet a headache. To work out what your lorry is fitted with, see the differences between G2V1 and G2V2, and to know when it's your turn, the retrofitting calendar and the mandatory V2 replacement guide. If you run a larger van, mind this: from 2026 the tachograph is mandatory in vans over 2.5 t.
When the check comes
Don't let it catch you cold. What they can ask for at the roadside is in the roadside inspection guide 2026, and how to get the firm ready for a transport audit or a labour inspection. And day to day, two things you ask about a lot: how to make manual entries and what to set on the mode switch (other work or availability).
Getting all of this right by hand, with split breaks and reduced weekly rests, is nearly impossible. That's why the rest dashboard applies the 561 logic and warns you before you go over, not after.