Which smart tachograph deadline applies to my truck?
Adopted 2026-06-14 · ≈ 1 min read · 
edited by Dirk Baaijen
The deadline depends on your current device: analogue/first-generation digital had to be retrofitted by end 2024 (learning phase until 28 Feb 2025), ST1 to ST2 by 18 Aug 2025, and vans of 2.5-3.5 tonnes in international transport from 1 July 2026.
Short answer: Which smart tachograph deadline applies to you depends on the device currently fitted in your truck and whether you carry out international transport. Under the Mobility Package (Regulation (EU) 2020/1054), older devices must be phased out and replaced by the second-generation smart tachograph (ST2).
Determine your starting point
The deadline that applies to your vehicle is set by the type of tachograph currently installed:
- Analogue or first-generation digital: vehicles in international transport fitted with an analogue or first-generation digital tachograph had to be retrofitted to ST2 by the end of 2024. A learning phase applied to this category until 28 February 2025.
- First smart tachograph (ST1): vehicles with an ST1 device had to be upgraded to ST2 by 18 August 2025.
- Vans of 2.5-3.5 tonnes: light commercial vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes carrying out international transport fall under the tachograph obligation from 1 July 2026.
These deadlines apply to vehicles carrying out international transport. The starting point is therefore twofold: which device is fitted, and whether you cross borders.
What makes ST2 different
The second-generation smart tachograph records border crossings and loading and unloading actions automatically. Actions that previously had to be entered manually are now logged by the device itself. This supports enforcement of driving and rest times and of the cabotage and posting rules under the Mobility Package.
Legal basis
The obligations stem from Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 (Mobility Package) and build on Regulation (EU) 165/2014, which sets out the framework for tachographs in road transport. Always check whether your specific situation, including vehicle type and form of transport, falls under the correct category before planning a retrofit.
Read the main file: Smart tachograph and the Mobility Package. Or take the Transport & Logistics scan.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/1054/oj
Regulation (EU) 2020/1054 (Mobility Package); second-generation smart tachograph.
Read next
What does the second-generation smart tachograph record?
The second-generation smart tachograph (ST2) records driving and rest times plus, new under the Mobility Package, automatic border crossings and loading/unloading events via satellite positioning.
Smart tachograph 2 & the Mobility Package: the deadlines for road transport
The Mobility Package (Regulation (EU) 2020/1054) requires trucks in international transport to fit the second-generation smart tachograph. Older vehicles had to switch by end 2024; ST1 follows on 18 August 2025, vans 2.5–3.5 t from July 2026. The deadlines at a glance.
Does the tachograph duty apply to my van (2.5–3.5 t)?
Yes, but only from 1 July 2026 and only for vans of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes used for international transport. The required device is the second-generation smart tachograph (ST2) under the Mobility Package.