Change in the law from July 1, 2026

Bocholt, October 22, 2025

A change in the law for delivery vehicles in cross-border traffic will come into force on July 1, 2026. From this date, vans with a gross vehicle weight between 2.5t and 3.5t that are used for international freight transport must be equipped with a digital tachograph.

Aim of the legislative amendment
The aim of the legislative amendment is to improve drivers' working conditions and ensure fair competition.

Previous regulation and impending penalties
Until now, the tachograph requirement has only applied to vehicles and combinations with a gross vehicle weight of over 3.5 tons. This means that in future, many more vehicles will be affected by this requirement and will therefore have to be retrofitted.
If the affected vehicles are not retrofitted by the deadline, penalties may be imposed. In addition, violations of driving time regulations can result in heavy fines.

What you should now bear in mind
Even though the deadline of July 1, 2026, is still some way off, you should bear in mind that retrofitting will take some time. You should also set up the structures for managing the data from the tachograph at an early stage and remember the mandatory training for drivers in terms of operation and data protection.