Truck driving ban on Sundays and public holidays: exemption permit

In Germany, trucks with a gross vehicle weight of over 7.5 tons and trailers behind trucks are not permitted to drive on Sundays and public holidays between midnight and 10 pm.

The ban does not apply to

1. combined road-rail freight transport from the consignor to the nearest suitable loading station or from the nearest suitable unloading station to the consignee, but only up to a distance of 200 km
   1.a) combined port-road transport of goods between the place of loading or unloading and a port located within a maximum radius of 150 kilometers (arrival or departure)
2. the transportation of
   a) fresh milk and fresh dairy products
   b) fresh meat and fresh meat products
   c) fresh fish, live fish and fresh fish products
   d) perishable fruit and vegetables
3. empty journeys in connection with journeys under number 2
4. journeys with vehicles used in accordance with the Federal Benefits Act

The benefit certificate must be carried and handed over to the responsible persons for inspection on request.

Exceptions to the ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays:

Under certain conditions, exceptions to the ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays may be granted:

Granting an exemption is only justified in particularly urgent cases. Strict requirements must be met to prove such urgency. An individual permit may only be granted under certain conditions, e.g. to

• supplying the population with perishable foodstuffs
• timely loading and unloading of sea-going vessels
• maintaining the operation of public supply or transport facilities.

Economic or competitive reasons alone do not justify a permit under any circumstances.

An individual permit is valid for one journey with one vehicle or vehicle combination.