Fines – who is responsible?
Infringements are classified from minor to most serious. Not only the driver but also the employer and the consignor can be held liable.
How high is the fine?
Each country sets the amounts itself. That is why they vary widely: the same infringement can cost a few tens of euros in one country and more than a thousand euros in another. However, every country must impose penalties that are effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Classification of infringements
The EU classifies infringements by gravity (Regulation 2016/403). This matters for your employer's good repute: too many serious infringements can put their licence at risk.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Most serious (MSI) | Manipulating the tachograph or using a magnet, using someone else's card, seriously exceeding driving times |
| Very serious (VSI) | Daily driving time exceeded by a wide margin, rest far too short |
| Serious (SI) | Smaller overruns of driving time or shortfalls in rest |
| Minor (MI) | Minor recording errors |
Who gets fined?
- The driver is responsible for their own driving behaviour and records.
- The employer is liable for infringements by their drivers, even if they happened abroad. They must organise the work so that the driver can comply with the rules.
- Consignors, freight forwarders and principals who agree transport times that can only be met by committing infringements can also be held liable.
Infringements from another country
An enforcement officer may also impose fines for infringements you committed in another country and that they find on your card. Since 2024, this explicitly also applies to infringements of the tachograph rules.
Manipulation: never do it
A magnet, a "switch" or anything else that makes the tachograph record falsely is the most serious infringement. The vehicle can be immobilised, the fines are very high, and in some countries it is a criminal offence with criminal-law consequences. If your employer asks you to do this, that is a reason to inform your trade union.