Tachobuch, Kontrollbuch and Tageskontrollblatt are terms long familiar to hauliers using vans in international transport. They refer to documents that allow a driver's working time to be recorded manually. They are used by those performing transport in Germany with vehicles of 2.8 to 3.5 tonnes GVW that are not fitted with a tachograph.
For companies and drivers engaged in international transport, what matters is not only delivering loads on time, but also meeting all the obligations arising from the legal regulations. One of them is keeping correct documentation of the driver's working time and activities. For transport performed in Germany, in certain situations manual records are required, kept using the Kontrollbuch control book containing the appropriate forms, or the daily Tageskontrollblatt forms. The correct method of record-keeping is dictated, among other things, by the rules on drivers' working time and the rules for checking compliance with them in Germany.
In the rest of this article we explain exactly what a Kontrollbuch for a van up to 3.5 t is, when using such a document is required and how to fill it in correctly to avoid problems during an inspection.
Tachobuch: what is it?
The Tachobuch, also known as the driver's working time control book or Kontrollbuch, is a document used to record a driver's activities manually while at work. In Germany such records must be kept in a form corresponding to the Tageskontrollblatt form, which can be downloaded from the BALM website. Note that the term Tachobuch is used in the transport industry both for a single daily form to be filled in and for a set of sheets in the form of a control book.
The purpose of recording activities with a Tachobuch is to show how the driver used their time during the day:
- how long they drove the vehicle,
- when they performed other work-related activities,
- when they took a break,
- when they rested.
A reliably completed Kontrollbuch allows inspectors to check whether the driver complies with the applicable working time rules.
Tachobuch vs tachograph: what is the difference?
A tachograph records data automatically. It records, among other things:
- driving time,
- vehicle speed,
- driver activity,
- breaks and rest periods.
A Tachobuch works differently. The person performing the transport records information about their work themselves. A driver's records without a tachograph must be kept accurately and in line with the facts. The entire course of their activity should be reconstructible from the entries in the document.
Who must keep a Kontrollbuch?
The obligation to keep such documentation depends, among other things, on the type of transport performed, the nature of the business and the scope of application of EU and German regulations. The rules on transport for hire or reward and own-account transport also matter.
Importantly for the obligation to record drivers' working time, Germany has extended the scope of application of the rules originally provided for in EU law. This is expressed in the German Regulation on vehicle crews – the Fahrpersonalverordnung. Under it, for certain types of transport, drivers of vehicles whose GVW together with a trailer or semi-trailer exceeds 2.8 t but does not exceed 3.5 t must document their driving time, breaks, rest and other work every day. If:
- no tachograph is fitted in the vehicle – the driver's working time record must be kept manually using a Tachobuch,
- a tachograph is fitted in the van – activities must be recorded using the recording device (a paper document cannot be used in place of the tachograph).
To be sure that all obligations related to recording the driver's activity are properly met, before starting to perform transport it is worth, among other things, familiarising yourself with the current regulations, checking which vehicles are exempt from the tachograph, and making sure when a Kontrollbuch has to be kept.
Note that from 1 July 2026 the use of tachographs becomes mandatory in vans with a GVW above 2.5 t used in international and cabotage transport. From that point the Tachobuch ceases to be mandatory, as the working time and activities of the person performing the transport will be recorded using the tachograph and driver card. In the light of the new rules, manual working time records are permitted only in exceptional situations, e.g. a tachograph failure or a damaged or lost driver card.
Tachobuch: how to write in it to comply with the rules?
A Kontrollbuch for a van driver performing international transport in Germany is one of the basic tools of the job. Using it competently is essential to minimise the risk of a penalty in the event of a roadside check. A correctly kept document should make it possible to reconstruct the driver's entire working day. What information should be entered in it? Below we present instructions prepared for Kontrollbuch users, explaining which data should go into the driver's daily working time documentation.
Driver and vehicle details and route information
The basic information that must be provided when filling in a Tachobuch includes:
- the driver's first name and surname,
- the vehicle registration number,
- the form number,
- the date of work,
- the place where work started and ended,
- the odometer reading at the start and end of the route and the number of kilometres driven,
- the driver's signature and any remarks.
In addition, the driver should note the activities performed at particular times and include an hourly summary of the day's activities.
Driving time
One of the activities whose duration the driver must record is driving. They should reliably note the periods in which they are actually driving the vehicle.
Example:
08:00 – start of driving
10:30 – end of driving
The length of a given driving period is marked with a continuous line in the space provided on the form. Periods devoted to other work, breaks and rest are marked in the same way.
Other work
Many people associate a driver's working time solely with driving. That is a mistake.
Other activities include:
- loading and unloading,
- vehicle handling,
- preparing transport documents,
- activities related to performing the transport.
Periods in which the driver performed other work should also be meticulously recorded in the Tachobuch.
Breaks and rest
The Tachobuch should also include the periods in which the driver is not working. Complete records make it possible to assess whether the driver took the required breaks and rest.
Summary of daily activities
The driver also enters in the Kontrollbuch the total time spent during the day on driving, other work, and breaks and rest.
Kontrollbuch: how to keep it correctly?
To be sure that the driver's working time documentation in the Kontrollbuch is kept correctly, it is worth following a few basic rules.
1. Fill in the document as you go
The most common mistake is entering data only after the route is finished. This increases the risk of errors, because the driver may not remember the exact start and end times of individual activities.
2. Record all activities. The inspector does not check driving time alone. Full records should show the entire course of the working day.
Example:
07:00 – start of work
07:20 – driving
09:30 – unloading
10:15 – break
11:00 – driving resumed
3. Keep the entries legible
The driver's working time documentation should be:
- complete,
- legible,
- in line with the facts.
Unclear entries or missing information may be treated as a breach of the driver's obligations.
What are the most common mistakes made by drivers keeping a Tachobuch?
No driver wants to be fined by the enforcement authorities for not having a Kontrollbuch or for keeping it incorrectly. To avoid problems during an inspection, steer clear of the most frequently repeated mistakes, such as:
- recording only driving in the Kontrollbuch and omitting other activities, e.g. other work, breaks or rest,
- filling in the document after the fact – the document should reflect the actual course of work, not be created "from memory",
- entries inconsistent with the actual route,
- entering unreliable information about the time the driver spent on individual activities.
What role does the Kontrollbuch play during a roadside check?
During an inspection, the authorities may check whether the driver's working time documentation is kept correctly. A correctly completed Tachobuch helps demonstrate that:
- the driver complies with the working time rules,
- the company properly supervises its transport operations,
- the required information is available for inspection.
Missing documentation or incorrect entries can mean financial consequences for both the driver and the business.
Mandatory tachographs in vans: how to adapt to the new reality?
As we signalled earlier, from 1 July 2026 new rules come into force under which vans with a GVW above 2.5 tonnes used in international and cabotage transport must be fitted with a second-generation smart digital tachograph (G2V2). This marginalises the role of the Tachobuch in transport – once a tachograph is fitted in the vehicle, the driver's working time must be recorded using that recording device.
There is no denying that this is a landmark change for companies engaged in international and cabotage transport using vans. Adapting to the new conditions requires hauliers to take a number of preparatory steps, including:
- buying and fitting tachographs in vans,
- obtaining the necessary documents, including a company card and driver cards,
- training staff in driver working time rules and tachograph operation,
- adapting the company's operations to the new reality, including designing a process for systematic downloading of driver cards and tachograph memory and secure archiving of the downloaded data.
The last of these points can be helped by implementing the modern Navifleet telematics system, which offers many useful features, such as remote tachograph download from a van. What benefits does this solution provide?
Remote download of driver cards and tachograph memory makes it possible for data to be downloaded automatically, according to an agreed schedule. This minimises the risk of breaching the mandatory download deadlines. What is more:
- online tachograph download from a van does not require the vehicle to be physically present at the company's base – data is downloaded remotely, even while the driver is on the road,
- the Navifleet system enables not only remote download of DDD files, but also their secure, compliant archiving – finding the information you need in the event of an inspection is no problem at all,
- remote data downloads can also streamline the process of settling drivers' accounts – DDD files from the selected period are automatically sent to the e-mail address of the person responsible for settlements, which speeds up work and helps avoid errors.
By deciding to implement the Navifleet system, a company using vans in international and cabotage transport can make it easier to keep correct records of drivers' working time and to find its feet in the new legal reality.
Tachobuch: what it is and how to fill it in correctly? Summary
Tachobuch, Kontrollbuch and Tageskontrollblatt are terms used in the international transport industry that refer to a form of manual record of the activities of a van driver performing transport in Germany. On each working day the driver enters in the Tachobuch detailed information on, among other things, periods of driving, other work, breaks and rest, and the route covered. Unreliable completion of the Kontrollbuch carries the risk of severe penalties from the enforcement authorities.
The most important rules for keeping the documentation correctly are:
- entering data in line with the facts,
- including all of the driver's activities,
- keeping records as you go,
- ensuring the documents are complete.
Well-kept records mean not only meeting the formal requirements, but also greater security for the company during roadside checks.
Importantly, from 1 July 2026 vans with a GVW above 2.5 tonnes used in international and cabotage transport must be fitted with second-generation smart tachographs (G2V2). Hauliers must therefore ensure both that recording devices are fitted in their vehicles and that driver cards and tachograph memories are downloaded regularly. The Navifleet system is valuable support in this respect, making possible, among other things:
- remote download of driver cards and tachograph memory – a solution that automates the process of downloading and archiving DDD files,
- easier driver working time control, which helps prevent breaches of the applicable rules.
Want to monitor drivers' working time more effectively and always have fleet data at hand? See how Navifleet helps transport companies automate the management of documentation and tachograph-related processes.
If you would like to learn more about the new regulations that make tachographs in vans mandatory, and about the benefits of remote download of DDD files, take a look at our other articles:
- Tachographs in vans – what you need to know about the new rules
- Tachographs in vans – the 2026 changes nobody is talking about yet
- Download DDD files from the tachograph remotely with Navifleet!
Agata Świerczek
E-marketing Specialist
As a UX/UI design specialist I combine creativity with precise communication. I design intuitive interfaces and engaging digital content, and I write product copy and blog articles that hold attention and support business goals.
