A tachograph is a device fitted to heavy commercial vehicles that records speed, distance, driving time and the driver's break and rest records. In Türkiye it is mandatory to have and use one in goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight above 3,500 kg. Its records are the main evidence in roadside and company checks of whether the driver has complied with driving and rest rules.
What does a tachograph record?
The device continuously records the vehicle's speed and the distance travelled. On the driver side, four activities are recorded separately: driving, other work (loading, paperwork), availability, and break or rest. Thanks to these records, daily and weekly driving times, breaks taken and rest periods can later be examined minute by minute. The rules themselves are explained in the AETR driving and rest times entry.
What types of tachograph are there?
| Type | Recording medium | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Analogue | Daily record sheet (disc) per driver | Remains in older vehicles; discs are kept in the vehicle and at the company |
| Digital | Vehicle unit and personal driver card | Data is written to the chip card and the device memory |
| Smart (version 1) | Satellite positioning in addition to the digital set-up | Records position automatically and allows remote pre-screening from the roadside |
| Smart (version 2, G2V2) | Enhanced position recording | Also records border crossings and loading-unloading operations |
In the EU, the second-version smart tachograph is fitted to vehicles registered for the first time after 21 August 2023; details are in the smart tachograph G2V2 entry. This version was developed to enforce the cabotage and return rules under the EU Mobility Package.
How do the driver card and other cards work?
Four cards are used with digital and smart tachographs: the driver card, company card, control card and workshop card. In Türkiye these cards are issued by TOBB (Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye). The driver card is personal; new-generation cards compatible with the smart tachograph store at least 56 days of driving activity. The company card allows the operator to download and lock the data in the vehicle unit.
Article 31 of Highway Traffic Law No. 2918 (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu), amended on 12 February 2026, explicitly prohibits driving without using a card, inserting a damaged or invalid card, and driving with another driver's card. The card holder is obliged to take measures to prevent the card from being used by someone else.
What data is requested at a check?
- The driver card and the current driving records on it; at an EU roadside check, the officer may ask to see records for the current day and the previous 56 days.
- Printouts taken from the tachograph and signed by the driver in the event of driving without a card or a malfunction.
- In vehicles with analogue devices, the record sheets for the current day and previous days.
- The plaque and record showing the device's calibration at an authorised workshop.
With the amendment to the law, traffic police can also check tachograph records through the database to which they are transferred, and issue fines. In other words, checks are no longer limited to the roadside.
What are the penalties for violations?
| Violation (Law No. 2918, Art. 31) | Administrative fine for the driver (2026) | Additional sanction |
|---|---|---|
| Not having a tachograph or not keeping it in working order | TRY 75,000 | Vehicle taken off the road until the deficiency is remedied |
| Tampering with the device to produce false data | TRY 185,000; TRY 370,000 for each repeat within one year | Driving licence withdrawn for 30 days, 90 days on repeat |
| Not using a card or using someone else's card | TRY 75,000; TRY 150,000 on repeat | Driving licence withdrawn for 30 days, 90 days on repeat |
If the driver is not the vehicle operator, an operator who has not taken the necessary measures is fined twice the driver's penalty. Penalties for exceeding driving and rest times are set out in Article 49 of the same Law, graded according to the length of the excess.
Who is responsible?
The vehicle operator is responsible for ensuring the device is installed, calibrated and in working order, and for downloading and storing the data regularly. Inserting the card, selecting the correct activity and following the rules are the driver's duties. On international trips, these records are among the first documents requested at every border and roadside check in international road transport.