Tachograph Company Cards: Lock-In, Lock-Out and Remote Download Authorisation

What a company card is — and is not

According to GOV.UK’s operator responsibilities, company cards do not primarily hold drivers’ hours data. They act as an electronic key to protect and access data from the vehicle unit. A company can hold a large number of cards with the same card number and different issue numbers so you can tell them apart.

• Needed to download data from the VU (card can sit in either driver slot)
• Not needed to download a driver card separately from the VU
• Used to lock in (protect) subsequent VU data for your undertaking
• Used to lock out when you finish with a vehicle (sale, end of hire, and similar)

Lock-in: protecting your VU data

Official guidance: once an operator has locked in, subsequent data is protected and the full details may only be downloaded by inserting the same numbered company card. GOV.UK especially recommends locking in because failure to do so can leave you unable to download your data if a previous operator has already protected the VU with their card.

Operator procedure: lock in when a vehicle comes onto your operator licence or hire, confirm the card number and issue number on your register, and treat an unlocked VU on a multi-operator vehicle as a risk until someone checks who last protected it.

Lock-out: ending your interest in a vehicle

Official guidance: company cards can lock out when an operator has finished with a vehicle — for example on sale or after hire. That signifies the end of their interest in the vehicle and its operations. Failing to lock out does not prevent another operator protecting its own data by locking in; locking in automatically locks out the previous protection.

Legal requirement on timing: download VU data immediately before transferring control of the use of the vehicle. Operator procedure: download, then lock out, then hand over keys — in that order when you can.

Remote download still needs company-card authorisation

Remote tachograph download pulls card and VU files over a compatible telematics link when the vehicle is powered and online. It does not invent a new legal key. The VU still expects company-card authority for protected company data. A failed remote job is often an auth, connectivity or power problem — not “the cloud forgot the deadline”.

Card security and lost cards

Apply and manage cards through the official GOV.UK company card service (first card, additional cards, renewals, replacements, name or address changes). Treat company cards like keys to your VU archive: limited issue, named custody, and immediate recovery when someone leaves.

• Do not leave company cards in vehicles overnight as a habit
• Do not share one card across contractors without a written custody rule
• Replace lost or damaged cards through the official process and update your register
• Keep lock-in / lock-out events in the vehicle file when control changes

If analysis later shows driving without a card or missing mileage, investigate as in tachograph infringements explained — a missing company-card process can be the root cause of an empty VU download trail.

Questions operators ask

Do I need a company card to download a driver card?

Is lock-in a legal requirement?

GOV.UK especially recommends locking in because unprotected or previously locked VUs can block your download. Treat lock-in as essential official guidance for protecting access, and pair it with the legal duty to download before control transfers.

Can remote download work without a company card?

Not as a substitute for company-card authorisation of protected VU data. Remote intake still sits on top of the same key model. Confirm availability and fit on remote tachograph download.

Does locking out replace the VU download?

No. Download before transfer of control; lock-out marks the end of interest. Do both when you leave a vehicle.