In Ukraine, tachographs will become mandatory for minibuses on international routes
Effective July 26, 2026, new requirements regarding the use of tachographs during international passenger transport will take effect in Ukraine. From now on, the mandatory installation of such devices will apply not only to large vehicles but also to minivans and minibuses designed to seat 6–9 passengers, including the driver.
This new regulation applies to international passenger transportation carried out by vehicles with 6–9 seats, including the driver, if the carrier operates under an employment or civil law contract.
In such cases, the vehicle must be equipped with a tachograph.
Current legislation does not specify a particular type of equipment. Carriers may use either a digital tachograph or a smart tachograph.
At the same time, the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development recommends installing a smart tachograph immediately, as Ukraine will eventually transition to this standard in accordance with its European integration commitments.
The main goal of this initiative is to improve road safety.
The tachograph automatically records the time spent driving the vehicle, the driver’s rest periods, and work patterns.
This allows for monitoring compliance with regulations designed to prevent driver fatigue.
According to the rules, after 4.5 hours of continuous driving, a driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes. The ministry emphasizes that fatigue and loss of concentration are often the causes of serious traffic accidents.
The Ministry of Development recommends that carriers not wait until the last days of July. In addition to installing the device, it must also be inspected or adapted to meet the new requirements.
As the effective date of the new rules approaches, service centers may experience significantly longer wait times.
The new rules will take effect on July 26, 2026, as part of the updated Regulations on Drivers’ Working Hours and Rest Periods. For international carriers, this means that they must prepare their vehicles to comply with the new requirements in the very near future.
Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, highlighted this point.
As a reminder, Ukraine plans to significantly increase penalties for speeding, with the maximum fine potentially reaching 17,000 hryvnias. The severity of the penalty will depend on the severity of the violation and the frequency of repeat offenses.
Over the past year, the number of reserved workers in Ukraine has increased significantly—by approximately 300,000 people—and the number of enterprises recognized as critical to the economy has also risen. The government attributes these changes to the expansion of the reservation mechanisms, particularly for frontline regions, and is preparing to update the regulations.
