Very probably yes. If the vehicle's maximum permissible mass, including any trailer, exceeds 2.5 tonnes and you carry goods across borders, it must have a second-generation smart tachograph from 1 July 2026. The driver must observe driving times, breaks and rest periods as truck drivers do. The new extension for combinations over 2.5 and up to 3.5 tonnes applies to international transport and cabotage. Above 3.5 tonnes, domestic journeys may also be covered; statutory exemptions must always be assessed. At an inspection, the relevant records for the inspection day and the preceding 56 days must be produced.
What matters is the mass of the combination, not the van alone. From 1 July 2026, tachograph and driving-time rules apply to vehicles used for international goods transport whose maximum permissible mass, including any trailer or semi-trailer, exceeds 2.5 tonnes. Mobility Package I introduced this change: Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 extended Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 on driving times and Regulation (EU) No. 165/2014 on tachographs, which previously applied only above 3.5 tonnes. An ordinary van with a trailer can therefore exceed the threshold even if the van itself weighs less.
Who is covered
The obligation applies to international goods transport and cabotage, including a courier delivering parcels to customers in another Member State. For a tradesperson carrying materials for their own installation work, however, the exemptions discussed below must be examined. It covers both new and already registered vehicles; there is no exemption for older vehicles. The extension to combinations over 2.5 and up to 3.5 tonnes does not apply to purely domestic transport within Slovakia. Combinations over 3.5 tonnes may, however, be subject to the rules even in domestic transport under Article 2(1)(a). Passenger transport has its own rules; this article concerns goods transport.
Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 also provides exemptions: Article 3 applies in all Member States, while each country introduces its own exemptions under Article 13(1), so these vary. In practice, Article 3(ha) may help for vehicles or combinations over 2.5 and up to 3.5 tonnes carrying goods on the company’s or driver’s own account without remuneration, where driving is not the driver’s main activity. Its scope is narrow, however, and must be assessed against the actual operation. This exemption must not be confused with non-commercial carriage under Article 4(r); own-account carriage may be connected with the company’s business. If a vehicle has a tachograph but a journey falls outside the rules, the driver selects “out of scope”.
The same rules as for trucks
Affected vehicles must have a second-generation smart tachograph. Drivers use a digital driver card and comply with driving times, breaks and daily or weekly rest periods under Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 (consolidated text on EUR-Lex). Driving licence requirements remain unchanged: category B or BE is still sufficient for a combination up to 3.5 tonnes with a light trailer. According to the Slovak Ministry of Transport, these drivers are not subject to the mandatory initial qualification applicable only to categories C and D (the Ministry’s overview of tachographs in vans).
Inspectors can look back 56 days, including domestic journeys
At roadside checks, authorities may examine tachograph records for the inspection day and the preceding 56 days, just as for heavy goods vehicles. If a driver alternates between international and domestic journeys, the Ministry of Transport recommends using the tachograph domestically too. Otherwise, gaps appear in the record that the driver must explain and substantiate during an inspection abroad. Each country sets its own penalties; in some EU countries, fines for a missing tachograph or excessive driving times can be severe enough to threaten a business’s survival. In Slovakia, inspections are governed by Act No. 461/2007 Coll. on the Use of Recording Equipment in Road Transport.
Preparation therefore involves three steps: arrange tachograph installation in all affected vehicles, obtain driver cards, and train drivers in driving-time rules and recordkeeping, including when “out of scope” may be used.
How we can help
We assess which of your vehicles and journeys fall within the new rules and whether an exemption applies. When entering international transport, we also assist with permits through our road transport licensing service. Our external legal department can take over ongoing oversight of transport matters.
International transport has another side: freight invoices. Claims under carriage contracts become time-barred particularly quickly. We explain this in limitation of freight claims under the CMR, and our freight debt recovery service helps with unpaid invoices.
This answer provides general information on the law as at 10 September 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.
