If you are a HGV or PSV driver and holder of a digital driver card you need to be aware of your responsibilities. If you are found to be in breach of the rules you can be fined or, in the most serious cases, be imprisoned for up to two years. The following points will help you to stay within the law and maintain compliance with drivers’ hours and working time regulations.

1. When driving any vehicle in-scope of EC drivers’ hours rules and you have been issued with a driver card then you must be able to produce it on request.
2. If your card bears incorrect details you must inform DVLA of the error and return the card when requested to do so.
3. If you change your name and/or address you must send your driver card to DVLA to get the details updated.
4. You must ensure that the card and the tachograph equipment functions properly and that you use them correctly.
5. If your card is lost, stolen, becomes damaged or malfunctions you must report it to DVLA within 7 days and return it.  If a lost or stolen card is subsequently found you must return it to the DVLA after downloading the data stored on it. Whilst waiting for your new card you must take printouts at the start and the end of each day you drive. You must write your name, driver card or driver licence number and the vehicle registration number then sign each print.  You can order your printer rolls in our online shop.
6. You may not hold a UK issued driver card at the same time as holding a driver card issued by another EC Member State.  If your normal residence changes to another Member State then you must apply for an exchange. Normal residence means the place where you live for at least 185 days in each calendar year.
7. You must not use a driver card which does not have your details.
8. You must not be in possession of 2 driver cards bearing your details. There two exceptions to this: during the one month period before your current card expires when your new card may also be in your possession, and holding a time-expired card at the same time as a current card.
9. You must not use, or be in possession of, a forged or altered card, record any false data on the card, or on the tachograph equipment, suppress or destroy any data recorded on the card or the tachograph equipment or make a false/forged/ altered statement to obtain a card.

Check out the VOSA leaflet Digital driver cards: How to stay within the law, which can be downloaded for free from the VOSA website.