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Truck driving ban on Sundays and public holidays; application for a special permit

In Germany, trucks with a total mass of over 7.5 tons and trucks with trailers are prohibited from driving on all Sundays and on certain public holidays. Certain transports are legally exempt from the ban.

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Supplement: Landratsamt Passau

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Procedure details

Ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays

Section 30 (3) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulates that trucks with a maximum permissible mass of over 7.5 tons and trailers behind trucks are not permitted to drive on Sundays and public holidays between 00:00 and 22:00. The public holidays are defined in Section 30 (4) StVO.

The driving ban therefore applies both to trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of over 7.5 t operating individually and to any combination of a trailer and a truck, regardless of their weight. However, the driving ban does not apply to private truck traffic that does not serve a commercial purpose.

The ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays was introduced back in 1956. The main reasons were to protect the peace and quiet on Sundays and public holidays and to keep the road network free of heavy truck traffic in favor of car traffic in order to enable increased excursion traffic on Sundays and public holidays and to contribute to increasing road safety on these days.

Certain transports, such as those of perishable fruit and vegetables or fresh milk and fresh dairy products as well as showmen and showwomen, are legally exempt from the ban. In addition, the road traffic authorities can grant exemptions for other urgent transports in individual cases.

Vacation travel ban

In addition to the ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays, there is a ban on truck driving under the Holiday Travel Ordinance to protect vacation travel. This driving ban applies to the same vehicles and vehicle combinations mentioned above on all Saturdays from July 1 to August 31 of each year, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., on all highways and federal roads specified in the ordinance. Further information can be found under "Related topics".

Supplement: Landratsamt Passau

Sunday and public holiday driving ban

The Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulate in § 30 Para. 3 that on Sundays and public holidays, lorries with a permissible total mass of more than 7.5 t and trailers behind lorries are not permitted to drive between 00:00 and 22:00. The public holidays are defined in § 30 Para. 4 StVO.

The driving ban thus applies to trucks with a total permissible mass of over 7.5 t travelling individually as well as to any combination of a trailer and a truck, irrespective of their weight. However, the driving ban does not apply to private lorry traffic that does not serve a commercial purpose.

The ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays was introduced as early as 1956. The main reasons were to protect the peace on Sundays and public holidays and to keep the road network free of heavy truck traffic in favour of passenger car traffic in order to enable increased excursion traffic on Sundays and public holidays and as a contribution to increasing road safety on these days.

Certain transports, such as those of perishable fruit and vegetables or fresh milk and fresh dairy products, are exempted by law from the ban. In addition, the road traffic authorities may grant exemptions for other urgent transports on a case-by-case basis.

Holiday travel ban

In order to protect holiday travel, there is a ban on HGV driving in addition to the ban on Sundays and public holidays in accordance with the Holiday Travel Ordinance. This driving ban applies to the same vehicles and vehicle combinations already named above, all Saturdays from 1 July up to and including 31 August of a year, in the period from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., on all motorways and federal roads named in the ordinance. Further information can be found under "Related topics".

However, such exemptions may only be granted if there is a public interest in carrying out the journey during the prohibited period (e.g. removal of emergencies, supplying the population) or if the refusal of the permit would represent an undue hardship for the applicant and proof is provided that transportation is not possible either by other means of transport or outside the prohibited period. Economic or competitive reasons alone cannot justify exceptions to the driving ban on Sundays and public holidays.

Supplement: Landratsamt Passau

However, such exemptions may only be granted if there is a public interest in carrying out the journey during the period of prohibition (e.g. elimination of emergency situations, supply of the population) or if refusal of the permit would represent an undue hardship for the applicant and proof is provided that transport is not possible either by other means of transport or outside the period of prohibition. Operational or competitive reasons alone cannot justify exemptions from the driving ban on Sundays and public holidays.

  • Application for derogation to the competent authority
  • Proof of the urgency of the promotion by the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK)
  • Vehicle documents
    Vehicle registration certificate / registration certificate part 1 of the vehicles for which an exemption is requested
  • other documents
    in individual cases: orders, shipping documents

Framework fee 10.20 € to 767.00 €

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Status: 11.02.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration
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