Weekly and fortnightly driving limits are where most infringements actually happen.
Not because drivers don’t know the numbers — but because they misunderstand when and how these limits are checked.
These limits are independent from daily driving, breaks, and rest periods.
What weekly driving time really is
Weekly driving time is the total amount of driving recorded within a fixed week.
A fixed week always runs from:
Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00
It does not follow:
- your rota
- your start day
- when you took a weekly rest
Only the fixed week boundary matters.
What are weekly and fortnightly driving limits
- Weekly driving limit = max 56 hours
- Fortnightly driving limit = max 90 hours
- These limits apply across fixed weeks only
Across any two consecutive fixed weeks, total driving time must not exceed:
90 hours
This check always looks at:
- current fixed week
- the fixed week immediately before it
It does not reset because of:
- weekly rest
- reduced weekly rest
- compensation
Only the movement of the fixed week window resets this limit.
What these limits are checked against
Tachograph analysis groups driving time by fixed weeks (Monday 00:00 – Sunday 24:00).
Rest periods do not move or reset these limits.
What does NOT reset weekly or fortnightly limits
- ❌ Weekly rest
- ❌ Reduced weekly rest
- ❌ Daily rest
- ❌ Starting a new job or rota
Only the fixed week boundary resets weekly and fortnightly driving limits.
A common real-world mistake
A driver finishes a weekly rest on Sunday night and assumes Monday is a “fresh” week.
In reality, the reset happens at 00:00, not because a rest was taken.
Example:
- Week 1: 56 hours driving
- Week 2: 35 hours driving
Total = 91 hours
Even though each week individually looks legal, the fortnightly limit is broken.
This is one of the most common infringements in roadside checks.
How this causes infringements
A tachograph may look clean day by day —
but still fail when total driving time is checked across the fixed week or fortnight.
When enforcement downloads data, driving time is grouped by:
- fixed weeks
- rolling two-week blocks
This means:
- day-by-day compliance is not enough
- clean daily rules can still hide weekly or fortnightly infringements
That’s why many drivers are shocked at checks.
In short
- Weekly limit = 56h
- Fortnightly limit = 90h
- Fixed week = legal reference
- Rest ≠ reset
- Mixing rules causes infringements
Need help with your tachograph data?
If something doesn’t add up, looks clean but still failed a check,
or you’re not sure how the rules were applied — we can help.