As of July 1, 2026, stricter rules apply to certain light commercial vehicles.
Affected are vehicles and vehicle combinations over 2.5 tonnes when used in international freight transport. For example, vans, cargo vehicles or light commercial vehicles with trailers that cross borders.
Important note: It does not affect every tradesperson and not every light commercial vehicle. The rule applies when the driver spends more than half of their working time driving.
For purely domestic transport within Switzerland, nothing changes.
For courier, express and small transport companies, this is nonetheless a significant turning point. Those who regularly travel from Switzerland to Germany, France, Italy or Austria must now look more closely at the requirements.
The regulations concern working hours, rest periods, documentation, driver cards and control procedures. Dispatch planning must also be more meticulous. Simply making a quick trip to Freiburg, Milan or Stuttgart cannot always be organized as flexibly as before, depending on the operation.
The rule is not unexpected. The Federal Government announced the change in December 2025. Since July 2026, it is now in effect.
