Digital Tachograph Cards

The digital tachograph card is an essential part of the overall unit and is used to store digital data on your speed, distance and driving activity. However there are different types of cards for drivers, law enforcement agencies and technicians use the digital tachograph software effectively. Here’s a breakdown of each type of digital tachograph card:

Digital Control Card

This type of card is used by law enforcement agencies to retrieve digital data from any tachograph head. It overrides any company locks put in place by operators.

Digital Driver Card

The driver card is used by driver employees to digitally record their own driving i.e. speed, distance and activity. Your individual digital driver card is issued by the DVLA (in the UK) after filling out an application.

Digital workshop Card

The workshop card is used by authorised digital tachograph technicians to help them to fit and calibrate the tachograph units.

Company Card

Operators use this card to retrieve digital tachograph data on their employee’s activity. The card also allows the data to be locked so it can’t be obtained by other operators, such as when the vehicle changes ownership.

Digital tachograph card owner responsibilities

All drivers must comply with the following requirements when using their digital tachograph system.

  • Ensure that the recording equipment and driver card are fully functional
  • Only hold one card at a time; apart from during the month before your card’s expiry date
  • Allow your employer to download data from your card
  • Apply for a replacement to lost, stolen, damaged or malfunctioning cards within 7 days, and take printouts at the start and end of each driving day before your replacement card arrives
  • Do not use a card which doesn’t have your personal details
  • Do not use or possess an altered or forged card, and do not forge or alter statements to obtain a card
  • Do not record any false data on the recording equipment or on your digital data card
  • Do not withhold or destroy any digital data recorded on your card or recording equipment
  • Always carry your card when working and have it to hand for DVSA officer or police inspection, even if it hasn’t been used

As an operator or employer, you must also comply with the following.

  • Ensure that your drivers follow the list of responsibilities above
  • Own a company card in order to download the recorded digital data from the digital tachograph head
  • Download all data from each driver’s card at least once every 28 days
  • Download all data from each driver’s recording equipment at least once every 56 days
  • Examine the data from digital driver cards and recording equipment to check for infringements or drivers’ working hours
  • Make sure that the recording equipment is all fully functional and is being used correctly
  • Make sure that the recording equipment is calibrated once every 2 years
  • Make sure any defective recording equipment in the digital tachograph is repaired as soon as possible

How to apply for a digital tachograph driver’s card

Individual application – You must apply to the DVLA for a digital driver’s card, or driver smart card. Simply fill in the ‘D777B/DL – Application for a digital tachograph driver card’ form and post to the address provided Click Here. On your digital driver card you will have a photo and digital copy of your signature, which are taken from your photo-card driving licence.

Company application – As an employer you can apply for up to 25 driver cards through the DVLA on one company cheque, on behalf of your drivers. For more information on requesting more than one application pack, fax the DVLA on 01792 783 525 using company-headed paper. If you have any general questions about digital tachograph cards, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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