The short version
- You need a work diary if you drive a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle beyond 100km of your base, or work under BFM, AFM, ACH or exemption hours.
- The 100km radius is measured as the crow flies, not by road distance.
- From 1 August 2026, some entries became optional, including the day of the week and daily totals.
- Not carrying a work diary carries an infringement fine of $1,412.
- False entries, keeping two diaries and altering records are court only, with maximum penalties up to $28,230.
- Diary entries can be checked against GPS, fuel, toll and pay records.
In this article
The work diary, often called the log book, is one of the first things an officer checks at the roadside. Small errors can lead to fines, and false or altered entries can lead to court.
This guide explains NHVR log book fines: who needs a work diary, what changed on 1 August 2026, the most common mistakes and the current penalties.
Who Needs a Work Diary?
Work diary rules apply to drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles. These include vehicles or combinations over 12 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), and buses over 4.5 tonnes fitted to carry more than 12 adults.
You must use a work diary if:
- you drive outside a 100km radius of your base under standard hours, or
- you work under Basic Fatigue Management (BFM), Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM), Alternative Compliance Hours (ACH) or exemption hours, regardless of distance.
If you only do local work within 100km of your base under standard hours, you do not need a work diary. You must still record your work and rest times and give those records to your record keeper.
The 100km radius is measured as the crow flies from your base.
It is not measured by road distance.
You can use a written work diary or an NHVR-approved electronic work diary (EWD).
What Changed on 1 August 2026?
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) changes removed some “paperwork traps” from the written work diary. From 1 August 2026:
- Marking the day of the week is optional.
- Recording your daily work and rest totals is optional.
- Standard hours drivers no longer have to tick the “Standard” hours box.
- A new Alternative Compliance Hours (ACH) box has been added.
- You no longer need to return a lost or stolen diary to the NHVR if it is later found.
These changes apply even if you are still using an older diary. You do not need to buy a new one until your current diary is full.
What Hasn’t Changed
You must still:
- carry and fill in your work diary where required
- comply with your work and rest hours
- carry your accreditation certificate and documents if you work under BFM, AFM or ACH
- show your work diary to an authorised officer when asked
- notify the NHVR within two business days if your diary is filled up, lost, stolen or destroyed.
Drivers under BFM, AFM or ACH must still tick the correct hours option box on every daily sheet.
Received a fine or notice about your log book?
Get advice before you respond. Work diary matters often turn on small details and what the other records show.
The Most Common Log Book Mistakes
1. Not carrying a work diary when you go beyond 100km
Drivers who usually do local work get caught when an unplanned job takes them outside the 100km radius. If that happens under standard hours, you must start recording in your work diary as soon as possible, and record all details for that day, including the local work.
2. Misjudging the 100km radius
The radius is measured in a straight line from your base, not by road distance. Getting your base wrong, or not updating it when it changes, can make a whole trip non-compliant.
3. Not recording straight after starting work
Some information must be recorded immediately after you start work. Filling in the diary at the end of the shift, from memory, is a common breach.
4. Missing odometer readings
Forgetting to record the odometer reading is one of the easiest offences to commit and to prove.
5. Using more than one diary at a time
You must only use one written work diary at a time, and never record the same period in two diaries. Keeping two diaries is a court-only offence.
6. Altering, defacing or removing pages
Changing an entry after the fact, using correction fluid, or tearing out daily sheets can be treated as defacing or changing work records. These offences carry some of the highest penalties for work diaries.
7. Not cancelling unused sheets
Unused daily sheets that are not needed must be cancelled by drawing two parallel lines across the middle of the page and writing “CANCELLED” in large letters.
8. Not reporting a lost, stolen or full diary
You must notify the NHVR within two business days. You can use a supplementary work diary record until you get a replacement, and it must be treated the same way as your work diary.
9. Not carrying accreditation documents
If you work under BFM, AFM or ACH, you must carry your operator’s accreditation certificate and supporting documents, such as the letter confirming you have been inducted into the operator’s fatigue management system.
10. Entries that don’t match other records
Work diary entries can be checked against other records, such as fuel receipts, toll records, GPS data, run sheets and pay records. Entries that do not line up can lead to allegations of false or misleading entries.
NHVR Log Book Fines and Penalties
These are the HVNL penalties for common work diary offences from 1 August 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Failing to carry a work diary
Infringement fine: $1,412
Maximum court penalty: $14,120
Failing to record required information immediately after starting work
Infringement fine: $563
Maximum court penalty: $5,630
Failing to record the odometer reading
Infringement fine: $212
Maximum court penalty: $2,120
General recording errors
Infringement fine: $212
Maximum court penalty: $2,120
Failing to make supplementary records when required
Infringement fine: $848
Maximum court penalty: $8,480
Failing to notify the NHVR that a diary is full
Infringement fine: $423
Maximum court penalty: $4,230
Keeping two work diaries at the same time
Infringement fine: none – court only
Maximum court penalty: $14,120
False or misleading entries
Infringement fine: none – court only
Maximum court penalty: $28,230
Defacing or changing work records, or removing pages
Infringement fine: none – court only
Maximum court penalty: $28,230
Drivers still working under a BFM or AFM accreditation approved before 1 August 2026 may face different maximum penalties for some of these offences.
A single check can uncover several breaches across several days.
Each one can be a separate offence.
Log book problems also often lead to fatigue charges, where severe and critical breaches carry demerit points. Read more in our guide to fatigue offences for heavy vehicle drivers, and see how Eric defends logbook offences and fatigue offences.
For the bigger picture, including what goes in a work diary, how long records must be kept and the chain of responsibility penalties for operators, read our quick guide to logbook offences under the HVNL.
It’s Not Just the Driver
Record keepers, employers and operators also have duties. They must keep the required records and ensure drivers comply with the work diary rules. Under the chain of responsibility laws, a business that does not have proper systems can be investigated alongside the driver.
How to Avoid Log Book Fines
- Fill in your diary at the start of each shift and as you go, not at the end of the day.
- Record every break, including short rest breaks.
- Double-check odometer readings, locations and times before you sign.
- Never use correction fluid or tear out pages. If you make a mistake, follow the NHVR’s instructions for correcting it.
- Keep only one active diary, and cancel unused sheets properly.
- Report a lost, stolen or full diary within two business days.
- Carry your accreditation paperwork if you work under BFM, AFM or ACH.
- Operators should audit diaries regularly and compare them with GPS, fuel and toll records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for not carrying a log book in NSW?
From 1 August 2026 to 30 June 2027, the infringement fine is $1,412, with a maximum court penalty of $14,120.
Do I need a log book if I stay within 100km?
Not if you work under standard hours and stay within 100km of your base. You must still keep local area records for your record keeper.
Do I still have to write the day of the week?
No. From 1 August 2026, marking the day of the week is optional.
Can I keep using my old log book?
Yes. You can keep using your current diary until it is full. The new rules apply to how you fill it in.
Speak With Eric Before You Respond
Work diary matters often turn on small details, such as how time was counted, what the other records show and what was said at the roadside. Many NHVR matters are won or lost early, before they reach court.
Eric Navea is a former Senior Prosecutor at the NHVR. He understands how investigators review work diaries and build fatigue and false entry cases.
As a truck driver lawyer, Eric focuses on heavy vehicle and NHVR defence, acting for truck drivers and transport businesses across NSW. He will identify the immediate issues, important deadlines and the information needed to properly assess your position.
Received an infringement notice, court attendance notice or NHVR notice about your log book? Speak with Eric before you respond.
Speak With Eric Before You RespondDisclaimer
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Penalty amounts are from the NHVR schedule for 1 August 2026 to 30 June 2027 and are indexed each year. Case outcomes depend on the individual facts and circumstances of each matter.
Sources (accessed 22 October 2026)
- NHVR – Work diary
- NHVR – HVNL changes to recording information in the Written Work Diary (information sheet)
- NHVR – Local area work diary requirements
- NHVR – Record keeping requirements
- NHVR – HVNL Schedule of Infringement Penalties and Demerit Points, 1 August 2026 to 30 June 2027
- Service NSW – Request a National Driver Work Diary
