# The Goods Vehicles (Testing, Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are made under sections 41(1), (2) and (5), 45(1), (2) and (7), 46(7), 47(5), 49(1) and (2) and 51(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52) (“the 1988 Act”) and section 14 (3) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28) (“the 2023 Act”). These Regulations amend the regulatory framework in respect of goods vehicles in the areas of roadworthiness testing and drivers’ hours and tachographs. The effect of these amendments is, firstly, to extend the regulatory framework that applies to goods vehicles with a design gross weight or maximum permissible mass not exceeding 3,500 kilograms to zero-emissions goods vehicles (“ZEGVs”) with a design gross weight or maximum permissible mass of more than 3,500 kilograms but not exceeding 4,250 kilograms (“the affected vehicles”), and, secondly, to remove the affected vehicles from scope of the regulatory framework that would otherwise have applied by virtue of their weight exceeding 3,500 kilograms.
Regulations 2, 3 and 4 amend the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981 (“the 1981 Regulations”), the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (“the 1986 Regulations”) and the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1988 (“the 1988 Regulations”). Regulations 2 and 4 move the affected vehicles into the Class 7 MOT testing system under the 1981 Regulations and take them out of the scope of heavy vehicle roadworthiness testing under the 1988 Regulations. Regulation 3 amends regulation 27 of the 1986 Regulations to apply the tyre tread requirements applicable to Class 7 MOT testing to the affected vehicles.
Regulation 5 revokes and replaces with alternative provision the existing discretionary national derogation to the assimilated drivers’ hours rules ( Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport, as it has effect in the UK) which is contained in paragraph 6 of the Schedule to the Community Drivers’ Hours and Recording Equipment Regulations 2007 (“the 2007 Regulations”). Paragraph 6 of the Schedule to the 2007 Regulations is secondary assimilated law within the meaning of section 11(2) of the 2023 Act. The alternative provision made additionally exempts the affected vehicles from the assimilated drivers’ hours rules and the associated tachograph rules (Regulation (EU)165/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 February 2014 on tachographs in road transport, as it has effect in the UK) with no limit on the distance travelled.
Regulation 6 requires the Secretary of State to review the regulatory provision in these Regulations at least once every five years.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. A de minimis assessment covering the amendments to drivers’ hours and tachograph rules and a de minimis assessment covering the amendments to roadworthiness testing have been prepared for this instrument and are published on legislation.gov.uk alongside this instrument.
An Explanatory Memorandum for this instrument has been published alongside these Regulations at www.legislation.gov.uk.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348278798/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-goods-vehicles-testing-drivers-hours-and-tachographs-etc-amendment-regulations-2026/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.