Driver card for a tachograph – how to get one and renew it

What the driver card is for

The driver card is a personal smart card that identifies a particular driver to the tachograph. Once inserted into the unit, activities are recorded onto it – driving, other work, availability and rest.

The card is tied to a person, not to a vehicle. The driver uses it in every vehicle they drive and must not lend it out. A driver may hold only one valid driver card.

From 1 July 2026 the card will also be needed by drivers of vans over 2.5 tonnes in international carriage of goods – a group that until now has had nothing to do with it.

Where and how to apply

The application is submitted to the card issuing authority in your member state; the arrangements differ from country to country. In Slovakia, for example, the collection points are operated by the ČESMAD Slovakia association, with branches in Bratislava, Zvolen and Košice.

For a first issue an in-person visit is required, because the applicant's identity and the submitted documents are verified physically. It is usually dealt with in a single visit.

Have your identity document and driving licence ready. Check the exact list of attachments and the current form with the issuing authority directly – the requirements can change.

Fee and issuing time

The fee differs by member state. In Slovakia the driver card costs €54 according to the ČESMAD Slovakia price list. Amounts can change, so check the current rate before submitting your application.

The issuing time tends to be on the order of two weeks from submitting the application. It is therefore not something that can be arranged the day before a planned journey – allow for the delay both when a new driver joins and at renewal.

That lead time is the most frequent reason a driver suddenly cannot set off. If you know someone is joining, deal with the card in advance.

Validity and timely renewal

A driver card is issued for five years. The validity may be shorter, however – for instance depending on the validity of the driving licence the card is tied to.

Renewal can be applied for 60 days before expiry. That window matters: if you miss it and the card expires, the driver cannot legally drive a vehicle subject to the regulation.

A practical recommendation: record the expiry dates of all cards in a single overview and set a reminder at least three months ahead. With a larger number of drivers it is otherwise impossible to stay on top of.

Loss, theft or damage

If a card is lost, stolen or stops working, a replacement must be applied for without delay. Until it is issued, special rules apply to recording activities – the driver keeps records by an alternative means, for example a printout from the tachograph which they sign.

In the case of loss or theft the event should also be reported. Check the detailed procedure and how long you may drive without a card with the issuing authority or a transport adviser – this is a place to act precisely, not by feel.

A driver card and a driver qualification card are not the same

This is very often confused. A driver card is a smart card for the tachograph. A driver qualification card (Driver CPC) is proof of having completed initial qualification and periodic training.

Under Directive (EU) 2022/2561, the obligation to hold a driver qualification card applies only to drivers of categories C and D. A van driver with a category B or BE licence therefore does not need one, even though they must have a driver card for the tachograph.

As this comes from the Directive, the same regime applies across the whole European Union, with national law transposing it in each member state.