From 1 July 2026, vans over 2.5 t in international goods transport must have a smart tachograph and follow the driving and rest time rules. Many start their driving career in a van. Here are the rules, the checks, the capital requirement and the van training.
Introduction
From 1 July 2026, vans over 2.5 t that carry out international goods transport must have a tachograph and follow the driving and rest time rules. The weight includes any trailer or semi-trailer. The rules apply when the transport is for hire or reward, and when it is on the company's or the driver's own account if driving is the driver's main activity. The decision was taken in the EU in 2020 with the mobility package (Regulation (EU) 2020/1054).
The tachograph must be a smart tachograph, version 2 (G2V2). For the driver, this means the same rules as in a lorry: daily and weekly driving times, daily and weekly rest periods and breaks. You must use your own driver card in the tachograph so the driving is recorded on you.
Who carries out the checks?
- 01The police can enforce the rules at the roadside from 1 July 2026.
- 02The Danish Road Traffic Authority expects to call companies in for checks at the start of 2027. The material is uploaded via the authority's company portal.
- 03The company must have a company card to register the tachograph and the vehicle. A driver card costs DKK 350.
Licence and capital requirement
International van transport requires a Community licence. The capital requirement in 2026 is DKK 13,400 for the licence and the first certified copy and DKK 6,700 for each extra copy. National van transport has the same rates. See the article »Goods Transport Act — licences and haulage business«.
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