What is the 28-day tachograph download rule?
Under EU Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85, transport companies must download data from every driver card at least once every 28 calendar days. This is one of the most enforced and most frequently violated tachograph obligations in the EU.
The rule applies to all professional drivers operating vehicles above 3.5 tonnes used for goods transport, and vehicles carrying more than 9 persons used for passenger transport, across all EU member states plus EEA and AETR signatory countries.
What data must be downloaded, and how often?
There are two separate download obligations:
| Data source | Maximum interval | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driver card | Every 28 days | Must be downloaded before the 28-day period elapses |
| Vehicle unit (VU) | Every 90 days | Applies per vehicle, not per driver |
The 28-day clock starts from the date of the last download, not the calendar month. If a driver's last download was on 3 June, the next download must happen by 1 July at the latest.
Who is responsible?
EU law places the primary compliance responsibility on the transport company (operator), not the driver. Under Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, the company is liable for violations found during inspections, even if the driver failed to submit their card for download on time.
This means fleet managers must actively track download deadlines for every driver, not wait for drivers to volunteer their cards.
What are the fines for missing the 28-day deadline?
Fines vary by country and enforcement authority, but are consistently among the highest tachograph penalties:
| Country | Typical fine range (operator) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Up to GBP 5,000 per offence | DVSA classed as serious or very serious |
| Germany | EUR 500-EUR 1,500 per driver | Can result in operating licence review |
| France | EUR 750-EUR 1,500 | Can double for repeat offences |
| Romania | 2,000-4,000 RON | Per vehicle per inspection |
| Netherlands | EUR 1,300 per offence | Immediate roadside collection |
| Spain | EUR 1,001-EUR 4,000 | Serious infringement category |
In 2024, tachograph offences accounted for 58% of all DVSA prosecutions of heavy goods vehicles in the UK. Failure to download on time is consistently in the top three causes of roadside fines across the EU.
Note: These are representative ranges. Fines are updated periodically and enforcement varies by national authority. Always verify current rates with your national transport authority.
What happens during a roadside inspection?
Enforcement officers can request the download log from both the driver card and the vehicle unit at any roadside check. If the last download timestamp exceeds 28 days for the driver card, or 90 days for the vehicle unit, this is recorded as an infringement.
The officer will typically:
- Insert the company card into the tachograph to read the vehicle unit download history.
- Request the driver's card and check the last download date.
- Issue an on-the-spot fine or a fixed penalty notice if deadlines have passed.
Drivers cannot self-report the download to retroactively fix a missed deadline. The timestamp recorded in the card and unit is immutable.
How to stay compliant: three approaches
1. Manual tracking with a spreadsheet
Create a spreadsheet with one row per driver, recording:
- Driver name and card number
- Last download date
- Next deadline (last date + 28 days)
- Responsible person for the download
Set calendar reminders 5-7 days before each deadline. This works for fleets of 1-5 drivers but becomes unreliable above that.
2. Dedicated tachograph compliance software
Platforms like TachoCard track download deadlines automatically. When a driver uploads their card data, the system records the upload timestamp and alerts the company 7 days before the next required download. This eliminates spreadsheet error risk and provides an auditable download log.
TachoCard sends alerts for:
- Download overdue (28-day rule breached)
- Download due within 7 days
- Card expiry approaching
3. Remote download (larger fleets)
For fleets of 20+ vehicles, remote tachograph download systems connect to the vehicle unit via telematics hardware and download data automatically without requiring the driver to be present. This approach is more expensive but eliminates the need for manual tracking. See our remote tachograph download guide for how it works and what it costs.
What is a .ddd file?
When a driver card is downloaded using a card reader, the output is a .ddd file (digital data download). This is the standard format defined by EU Regulation (EU) No 165/2014. The file contains all driving, rest, and work activity recorded on the card.
A .ddd file cannot be read directly. It requires tachograph analysis software to parse and display the data in a readable format. TachoCard accepts .ddd file uploads directly from any EU-approved digital tachograph.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 28-day rule apply to smart tachograph Gen 2?
Yes. The download obligation applies to all digital tachograph types, including Gen 1 and Gen 2 smart tachographs. The interval remains 28 days for driver cards regardless of tachograph generation.
What if a driver is on holiday or sick for more than 28 days?
The card still needs to be downloaded within 28 days of the last download. If the driver cannot present their card, the company must document the reason.
Does the 28-day rule apply to analogue tachographs?
No. Analogue tachographs use paper discs (charts) that must be retained, but there is no electronic download obligation. The 28-day rule applies only to digital tachographs.
Can the 28-day deadline be extended?
No. There are no standard EU exemptions that extend the 28-day driver card download interval. Some national authorities may offer temporary waivers in exceptional circumstances.
Who can perform the download?
Any person using a company card can download driver card data. This is typically the transport manager, compliance officer, or the driver.
How long must downloaded data be stored?
Under EU Regulation (EU) No 165/2014, tachograph data must be stored for a minimum of 12 months after download. Many operators store for 24 months.
Related articles
- How to download driver card data
- Tachograph infringement categories
- Choosing the right tachograph card reader
- Remote tachograph data download: how it works
- TachoCard features
- Compare plans and pricing
Sources: EU Regulation (EC) No 561/2006; Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85; EU Regulation (EU) No 165/2014; DVSA enforcement statistics 2024.
