HGV & Transport Logbooks · Filed 01 Jun 2026

Drivers' Log Book UK: Paper vs Digital (2026 Guide for HGV, PCV and Van Drivers)

Q: Does my electric 4.25-tonne van need a tachograph or a log book?

In Great Britain since 1 June 2026 it needs no tachograph; the driver keeps GB domestic hours records on a weekly record sheet. A tachograph is still required on GB to Northern Ireland journeys.

A UK HGV, PCV and van driver's guide to log book formats: paper analogue, digital tachograph cards, Smart Tachograph 2, and the June 2026 change putting electric 4.25t vans on GB weekly record sheets.

By Jamie Dawson · Editor ▮ Updated 12 Oct 2026 ▮ 6 min read

A UK driver's log book, modern digital tachograph cards have largely replaced paper records, but some operators still use both.

Quick answer: UK professional drivers (HGV, PCV, qualifying vans) record their working time through one of three log book formats: paper analogue tachograph charts (pre-2006 vehicles, virtually obsolete), digital tachograph cards (June 2006 onwards), or Smart Tachograph 2 (newly registered vehicles since 2023, full units only since 24 December 2025; international HGV retrofits were due by 31 December 2024 and 19 August 2025, and goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes on international hire-or-reward work since 1 July 2026). Digital is universally preferred, easier to download, harder to falsify, automatically compliant. Paper-based manual entries remain valid for specific gaps but are a supplement, not a primary record. Since 1 June 2026, zero-emission vans of 3.5 to 4.25 tonnes in Great Britain keep GB domestic hours records instead of a tachograph.

Update, October 2026: One category of professional driver has moved back to a written record. The Goods Vehicles (Testing, Drivers' Hours and Tachographs etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/501), made 11 May 2026 and in force from 1 June 2026, take zero-emission goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and up to 4.25 tonnes out of the assimilated EU drivers' hours and tachograph rules in Great Britain. Drivers of these vans now fall under the GB domestic rules (no more than 10 hours' driving and 11 hours' duty in a day) and, in GOV.UK's words, must record their hours on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph. The van also moves from the heavy vehicle annual test to the Class 7 MOT. The change does not apply in Northern Ireland and a tachograph is still needed on GB to Northern Ireland journeys. Separately, from 1 July 2026 goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used for international hire-or-reward journeys need a Smart Tachograph 2, and we have corrected the HGV retrofit dates below. For the vehicle side of the file, note that most HGVs taxed between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 pay £1 vehicle tax; see our guide to the £1 HGV tax and the V5C tax class. Status as of 12 October 2026.

The three generations of UK driver log books

1. Paper analogue charts (pre-June 2006)

Wax-coated paper discs marked by the tachograph as the driver works
Driver completes start time and end time; tachograph traces driving/work/rest segments
Charts retained on the vehicle for 28 days; uploaded to operator for record
Now found only on pre-2006 vehicles and rare niche operations

2. Digital tachograph cards (June 2006 onwards)

Driver smart card inserted into the tachograph at shift start
Tachograph records driving, other work, POA, and rest electronically
Card retains approximately 28 days of data
Vehicle unit (VU) retains data for 365+ days
Download required at least every 28 days (card) and 90 days (VU); many operators download more often

3. Smart Tachograph 2 (August 2023 onwards)

Enhanced anti-tampering security
GNSS position recording every 3 hours
Remote enforcement capability for DVSA at checkpoints
Enhanced encryption
Required on most newly registered vehicles from August 2023
International HGVs had to retrofit by 31 December 2024 (analogue and digital units) or 19 August 2025 (smart 1 units); goods vehicles over 2.5t on international hire-or-reward work since 1 July 2026

Why digital won

Automation: digital tachographs calculate breaks automatically
Audit trail: any tampering attempts leave forensic traces
Cross-EU compatibility: same card works across European tachographs
Operator efficiency: bulk download via card readers or cloud-connected vehicles
DVSA enforcement: roadside downloads complete in minutes

When paper records still matter

Even with digital tachographs, paper has roles:

Manual entries: when driver card is forgotten or vehicle has electrical fault. Paper printout completed at shift start with driver name, licence, and activities. Used until digital re-engages.
Print rolls: digital tachographs can print thermal-paper records on demand, for handover, dispute resolution, DVSA checks.
Some specialised vehicles: pre-2006 classics, certain emergency services, specific limited exemptions.
Working Time Directive records: paper RTD time records still common in smaller operations.

Zero-emission vans of 3.5t to 4.25t: GB domestic records instead of a tachograph

Since 1 June 2026, a zero-emission goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes and up to 4.25 tonnes (including any trailer) used to carry goods for a business in Great Britain is outside the tachograph rules. The driver follows the GB domestic rules instead: no more than 10 hours' driving and 11 hours' duty in a working day, with hours recorded on a weekly record sheet or on a tachograph if one is fitted. Operators running these vans alongside diesel 3.5-tonners should treat the record sheet as the primary record, keep it with the driver's file, and remember that the Working Time rules and the van driver logbook requirements still apply. The exemption is Great Britain only; the Northern Ireland DVA's special notice SN 02-2026 confirms a tachograph is still required on GB to NI journeys and for vehicles sold into Northern Ireland.

The driver smart card

The driver smart card is the primary record:

Issued by DVSA (UK) or equivalent in other countries
Validity: 5 years from issue
Used in the tachograph at every shift
Identifies the driver uniquely; tracks work across multiple vehicles
Lost/stolen card: report immediately; driver cannot legally drive professionally until replaced

What records the operator must keep

Record	Retention	Source
Driver card data	12 months minimum	Download every 28 days
Vehicle unit data	12 months minimum	Download at least every 90 days
Working Time records	2 years minimum	Calculate from card data + manual records
Manual entries	12 months	Filed with operator
Paper analogue charts	12 months	Retrieved from vehicle
Infringement records	12 months minimum	Operator infringement policy
GB domestic weekly record sheets (zero-emission 3.5t to 4.25t vans, exempt vehicles)	12 months	Driver completes, operator files
Vehicle tax confirmation and V5C (per vehicle)	Life of the licence period plus the operator's retention policy	DVLA confirmation; £1 rate for most HGVs 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027

Digital tachograph software

UK operators typically use cloud-based platforms for tachograph data:

TruTac: widely used by UK fleets
Stoneridge Optac: manufacturer of many tachographs
Tachomaster: popular for SME operators
FleetCheck: fleet management software with tachograph integration

These platforms automate compliance: downloads, infringement detection, RTD calculations, DVSA-ready exports.

The Smart Tachograph 2 deadlines (all now passed)

Corrected October 2026: the international retrofit dates for in-scope HGVs were 31 December 2024 (analogue and digital units) and 19 August 2025 (smart 1 units, registered between June 2019 and August 2023). The 1 July 2026 date extended the Smart Tachograph 2 requirement to goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used for international hire or reward, in practice vans of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes. Newly registered vehicles have needed a full smart 2 since 24 December 2025. DVSA enforces all of these at the roadside. Implications:

Vehicles registered between June 2019 and August 2023 (smart 1 to smart 2) on international work
Older Gen 1 digital tachograph vehicles operating internationally
Vans over 2.5 tonnes on international hire-or-reward work since 1 July 2026
Operator must plan retrofit programs: typically £400-£700 per vehicle
Non-compliance after deadline: vehicle cannot be used internationally

FAQs

Can I use paper records as a backup to digital?

Yes, paper printouts from digital tachographs are valid for manual entries, handovers, and dispute resolution. Paper alone (without digital) is only valid on pre-2006 analogue-only vehicles.

What if the digital tachograph breaks during a shift?

Make manual entries on paper or use the tachograph's manual entry function. Document the fault and arrange repair within 7 days. DVSA accepts genuine breakdown records.

How do I download driver card data?

Use a card reader (cheap dedicated devices, ~£50-£150) plus software. Many operators use cloud platforms (TruTac, Tachomaster) that integrate the workflow.

Does my electric 4.25-tonne van need a tachograph or a log book?

In Great Britain since 1 June 2026, a zero-emission van over 3.5 tonnes and up to 4.25 tonnes needs no tachograph. The driver keeps GB domestic hours records on a weekly record sheet (or on a tachograph if one is fitted). The van takes a Class 7 MOT from three years old. A tachograph is still required on GB to Northern Ireland journeys.

Are paper Working Time records still acceptable?

Yes, Working Time Directive records can be kept on paper, but most modern operators use digital systems that compute WTD compliance from tachograph data automatically.

Sources for the October 2026 update

Last reviewed 2026-10-12 by Jamie Dawson, Editor.

Drivers' Working Time Directive UK: 48-hour week, night and rest limits

Free download: our business mileage log template is built around the HMRC approved rates, updated for the 55p car and van rate that replaced 45p on 6 April 2026.