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

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. Public holidays are defined in § 30 Para. 4 StVO.

The driving ban therefore applies both to single trucks with a maximum permissible mass of over 7.5 t 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 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 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 in accordance with 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".

Under Forms you will find the "Application for exemption from the statutory ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays".

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.

• Application for exemption from the statutory ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays

• Annex (to § 1) Fee schedule for road traffic measures (GebOSt)
• Showmen's Exemption Ordinance (SchauAusnV)
• § Section 30 (3) of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO)
• § Section 46 (1) no. 7 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO)

  Exemption and permit

• §§ Sections 1 and 4 Ordinance on the Facilitation of Holiday Travel by Road (Holiday Travel Ordinance)

• Truck driving ban on Saturdays during the vacation travel period; application for a special permit