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Free practice tool

How to do a tachograph manual entry: free simulator

If you are nervous about your first day in the cab, practise here first. Insert your driver card the correct way round, then work through a full manual entry exactly as you would on a real unit.

How to play

1

Insert your card

Chip facing up, chip end first, into slot 1.

2

Wait to be prompted

The unit moves on by itself, so do not press OK too early.

3

Make the entry

Use ▲ and ▼ to change a value, then press OK to confirm it and move right.

Highlighted keys show you which button to press. If you make a mistake, the screen explains why. Nothing you do here affects a real driver card.

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World 1–1

MANUAL ENTRY QUEST

Learn how to make a tachograph manual entry safely, before you have to do it for real.

Tachograph unit with a driver card going into slot 1

Your mission

Your card was removed yesterday at 17:47, but you did not finish work until 18:00, as you still had your walkaround check and paperwork to complete. You then rested overnight. This morning you started work at 09:00, and you are climbing into the cab now at 09:10.

Record all of that correctly on the tachograph: other work 17:47 to 18:00, then rest 18:00 to 09:00, then other work 09:00 to 09:10.

How to play

  1. 1.Insert your card into slot 1, chip facing up and chip end first.
  2. 2.Wait. The unit works through its start-up screens on its own, and pressing OK too early can leave you with an infringement.
  3. 3.When it asks “1M entry addition?”, press OK to answer YES.
  4. 4.Use the ▲ and ▼ keys to change a value, and OK to confirm it and move right through the symbol, date, hours and minutes.

This is World 1–1, the tutorial. Three more levels are waiting, each one harder than the last.

View all games

The four tachograph symbols

Every tachograph, old or new, uses the same four pictograms for what you are doing. You will see them on the mode buttons, on the screen and on any printout, so learn them before your first shift.

Driving

The wheel is turning. The unit switches to this on its own as soon as you move, so you never select it yourself.

Other work

Working but not driving: walkaround checks, fuelling, loading, unloading, paperwork, sheeting and strapping.

Availability (period of availability)

Waiting for a known length of time with no other duties, such as queuing at a delivery or riding as the second driver.

Break or rest

Time that is your own to use as you please. Breaks and daily rest go here, and it is the most common choice in a manual entry.

What is a digital tachograph card?

You need a digital tachograph card to drive most vehicles over 3.5 tonnes fitted with a digital tachograph. The card is tied to you, so every hour of driving is logged against it. For fees, how to apply and the four card types, read our digital tachograph card guide. Lost your card? See what to do if your tachograph card is lost or damaged.

How to do a tachograph manual entry in a truck

A manual entry records what you did while your driver card was out of the tachograph, such as rest, breaks or other work. Follow these steps every time you put your card in:

  1. Insert your card into slot 1, chip side up and chip end first, with the photo of your face pointing down. Push it in and let the tray close.
  2. The unit reads your name and shows when your card was last taken out.
  3. When it asks "1M entry addition?", answer YES if there is time that has not been recorded.
  4. Choose the symbol for what you were doing since your card was last taken out — usually rest.
  5. Set the date and time that period ended. Repeat for each different activity.
  6. Record what you are doing now — normally other work, for your walkaround check.
  7. Enter your begin country, check the entry and confirm YES.

How to use a digital tachograph

Use ▲ and ▼ to change a value, OK to confirm it and move on, and the back key to go back one step. Insert your card before every drive, make your manual entry, and the unit records driving automatically. At the end of your shift, hold the slot 1 button to take your card out and enter your end country.

More tachograph guides

Need help with your card itself? These guides cover everything outside the manual entry.

Digital tachograph card: fees, applying and card types£32 first card, £19 renewal, form D777B, the four card types and working for more than one employer.Lost, stolen or damaged tachograph cardThe 15-day rule, start and end of day printouts, telling your employer and getting a replacement fast.

Frequently asked questions

How do you do a manual entry on a tachograph?

Insert your driver card into slot 1 and wait for the unit to read it. When it asks "1M entry addition?", press OK for YES. Pick the symbol for what you were doing while your card was out (usually rest), set the date and time it ended, add any other activities, enter your begin country and confirm YES.

How do you use a tachograph in a truck?

Insert your driver card before you drive, make a manual entry for any time the card was out, then drive. The unit records driving automatically. Use ▲ and ▼ to change values and OK to confirm. At the end of your shift, hold the slot 1 button to take your card out and enter your end country.

When do I need to make a manual entry?

Every time you put your card in after it has been out, so that the time since you last took it out is recorded, such as your daily rest, breaks, or work done away from the truck.

Which way round does a digital tachograph card go in?

Chip side up and at the front of the card so it goes into the slot first, with the photo of your face pointing down. Slot 1 is the driver's slot.

How much is a digital tachograph card?

£32 for a first GB driver card, £19 to renew an expired card, £19 to replace a lost, stolen or defective card and £32 to swap an EU, EEA or Northern Ireland card to a GB card. Check the DVLA site for current fees.

How long is a driver card valid for?

Five years. You may only hold one driver card at a time, and a replacement card keeps the same expiry date as the card it replaces.

Can I drive if I lose my driver card?

You may drive for up to 15 days while you wait for a replacement, but you must print out and keep your activity at the start and end of each drive, and your employer must record the situation and confirm a replacement has been applied for.

What is my digital tachograph card number?

A 16-digit alphanumeric number unique to you, printed on the card, in the same way a driving licence has its own number.