HGV weekly rest periods fall into two categories under EU Regulation 561/2006: regular weekly rest (at least 45 continuous hours, which can't be taken in the cab) and reduced weekly rest (between 24 and 44 continuous hours, which can be taken in a vehicle with sleeping facilities). Every two consecutive fixed weeks, you must take at least one regular and one reduced rest — or two regular rests. Getting this wrong doesn't just risk a fine. It can mean losing your licence.
What Is a Regular Weekly Rest Period?
A regular weekly rest is any uninterrupted rest period of at least 45 hours. That's nearly two full days where you're free to do whatever you want — no driving, no other work, no being on call.
Here's the thing most drivers miss: since the Mobility Package I changes in 2020, you cannot take a regular weekly rest in your cab. Full stop. You need to be in suitable accommodation — your home, a hotel, a B&B, or any proper lodging. If DVSA catches you sleeping in your truck during what should be a 45-hour rest, that's an infringement.
Your employer or agency is supposed to help cover the cost of accommodation. That's the law, not a courtesy.
What Is a Reduced Weekly Rest Period?
A reduced weekly rest is any continuous rest period of at least 24 hours but less than 45 hours. Think of it as the shorter version — still a proper weekly rest, but with strings attached.
The big difference? You can take a reduced weekly rest in your vehicle, provided it has suitable sleeping facilities. The Mobility Package I rules about cab rest only apply to the 45-hour regular rest, not the reduced one.
But there's a catch. Every time you take a reduced rest instead of a regular one, you build up a compensation debt. The difference between 45 hours and the rest you actually took must be paid back later. We'll cover exactly how that works below.
Regular vs Reduced Weekly Rest — Comparison
| Feature | Regular Weekly Rest | Reduced Weekly Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum duration | 45 continuous hours | 24 continuous hours |
| Maximum duration | No upper limit | Less than 45 hours |
| Can be taken in cab? | No — must be in suitable accommodation | Yes — if vehicle has sleeping facilities |
| Compensation required? | No | Yes — 45h minus actual rest taken |
| Compensation deadline | N/A | End of 3rd week after the reduction |
| How often allowed? | Unlimited | Max 1 per fortnight (as the only reduced rest) |
Can You Take Weekly Rest in Your Cab?
This is where most drivers get caught out. The answer depends on which type of weekly rest you're taking.
- Regular weekly rest (45+ hours) — No. Absolutely not. The Mobility Package I (Regulation 2020/1054) made this explicit: regular weekly rest periods cannot be taken in a vehicle. You need a bed in proper accommodation.
- Reduced weekly rest (24–44 hours) — Yes. You can stay in your cab, as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities. The Mobility Package ban only targets regular rests taken in the vehicle.
This distinction trips people up because before 2020, the rules were less clear-cut. Now there's no ambiguity. If you're taking 45 hours off, get out of the truck.
The Fortnight Rule — How Weekly Rests Work Together
You can't just chain reduced rests week after week. The fortnight rule puts a hard limit on that.
In any two consecutive fixed weeks (Monday 00:00 to Sunday 24:00), you need at least:
- Two regular weekly rests (45h + 45h), or
- One regular + one reduced (45h + at least 24h)
What you can't do is have two reduced rests as the only weekly rests in back-to-back fixed weeks. That's an infringement — and it's taken seriously.
Now, here's a useful edge case. A single rest period of 69 hours or more that spans the boundary between two fixed weeks (crossing over Sunday midnight) can count as two weekly rests: one regular (45h) and one reduced (24h). That's enough to satisfy the fortnight requirement in one go.
So if you're planning your schedule and you know you'll be home for a long weekend, a 69+ hour rest that straddles two weeks ticks both boxes.
What Is the 144-Hour Rule?
The 144-hour rule is separate from the fortnight rule, and it catches a lot of drivers off guard.
A new weekly rest must start no later than 144 hours (6 × 24-hour periods) from the end of your last weekly rest. Not from the start — from the end.
So if your last weekly rest ended at 06:00 on Monday, your next weekly rest must begin by 06:00 on the following Sunday at the latest. That's six days of driving time, maximum.
Daily rest periods don't reset this clock. Only a weekly rest of at least 24 hours counts. If you're only taking daily rests (9–11 hours), the 144-hour timer keeps ticking.
Go past 144 hours without starting a weekly rest? That's a serious infringement. Your tachograph data will show it plain as day, and enforcement officers know exactly what to look for.
How Does Compensation Work for Reduced Rest?
Every reduced weekly rest creates a compensation debt. The maths is simple:
Compensation owed = 45 hours − actual rest taken
Took a 30-hour reduced rest? You owe 15 hours. Took the minimum 24 hours? You owe 21 hours.
But the rules about how you pay it back are strict:
- One continuous block — You can't split compensation across multiple rest periods. It must be taken all at once.
- Attached to the front of a rest period — The compensation block must come immediately before a rest of at least 9 hours (a daily rest or a weekly rest).
- Deadline — Compensation must be taken by the end of the third week following the week in which the reduction happened. Miss this, and you're looking at another infringement.
For example: you take a 24-hour reduced rest in Week 1. You owe 21 hours of compensation. That compensation must be taken as a single 21-hour block, attached to the front of at least a 9-hour rest, before the end of Week 4.
If you're an agency driver working through multiple operators, keeping track of compensation debt is even harder. Tools like ShiftOwt help by tracking your rest periods and flagging when compensation is due — so you don't have to do the calculations yourself.
How Do You Determine Rest Type From Your Schedule?
This is a common source of confusion. The labels on your schedule or calendar don't determine rest type. What matters is consecutive rest days:
- 2 or more consecutive rest days = a regular 45-hour weekly rest
- 1 rest day on its own = a reduced 24-hour weekly rest
It doesn't matter if someone labels a single day as a "45-hour break" on a rota. One day is roughly 24 hours. You'd need two consecutive days off to genuinely achieve 45 continuous hours of rest.
Always count the actual hours, not the labels. That's what enforcement officers do, and it's what your tachograph records.
What Happens If You Break the Weekly Rest Rules?
The penalties for driving hours violations in the UK are serious. DVSA can issue fixed penalties on the spot, and repeated or deliberate infringements can lead to driver conduct hearings or even O-licence action against the operator.
Common weekly rest infringements include:
- Exceeding the 144-hour gap between weekly rests
- Taking two reduced rests in consecutive fixed weeks with no regular rest
- Taking a regular weekly rest in the cab
- Missing the compensation deadline for a reduced rest
If you're working with driver staffing agencies, clear communication about rest periods is essential. Agencies that use ShiftOwt can see your availability calendar and rest patterns before booking you — which means fewer compliance surprises for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours is a regular weekly rest for HGV drivers?
A regular weekly rest is at least 45 continuous hours. During this time, you must be away from your vehicle and in suitable accommodation (home, hotel, etc.). This rest can't be split — it must be one unbroken period.
Can I take two reduced weekly rests in a row?
Not as your only weekly rests in two consecutive fixed weeks. The fortnight rule requires at least one regular rest (45+ hours) in every two-week period. Taking two reduced rests back-to-back without a regular rest in the same fortnight is an infringement under EU 561/2006.
What's the difference between a daily rest and a reduced weekly rest?
A daily rest is typically 11 hours (or 9 hours in a reduced daily rest), and it sits between individual driving shifts. A reduced weekly rest is at least 24 hours — much longer — and it counts toward your weekly rest obligations. Daily rests don't satisfy the weekly rest requirement and don't reset the 144-hour clock. Only a rest of 24 hours or more qualifies as a weekly rest.
This article is part of our complete guide to EU driving hours regulations. For more on specific rules, see our guides to the 144-hour rule, tachograph requirements, and driving hours penalties in the UK.
Related Guides
This article is part of our complete guide to EU driving hours regulations. For more on specific topics: