Request exemption from the Law on Sundays and Public Holidays

Sundays and public holidays are particularly protected. The Public Holidays Act (FTG) prohibits publicly noticeable work on these days that may interfere with the peace and quiet of the day.

Public holidays are:

New Year's Day
Feast of the Epiphany (6 January)
Good Friday
Easter Monday
1. May
Ascension Day
Whit Monday
Corpus Christi
All Saints' Day (1 November)
Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Under federal law, another public holiday is German Unity Day on 3 October.

The ban does not apply to:

Post
Railways and other commercial passenger transport companies
Auxiliary transport facilities (repair work on motor vehicles is only permitted if it is necessary for the continuation of the journey)
work which cannot be postponed and which is necessary in order to
- Prevent damage to health or property, or
- to satisfy domestic or agricultural needs, in particular
  - to supply the population with milk, and
  - harvesting (including the treatment and processing of perishable foodstuffs)
light work in gardens carried out by yourself or your relatives as garden owner.

Furthermore, the FTG prohibits

on Sundays and certain public holidays: actions in the vicinity of churches and other buildings used for religious services that are likely to disturb the service
on certain Sundays and public holidays: the holding of certain events.
Example: Public dance entertainments as well as dance entertainments by clubs and closed societies in commercial premises are prohibited on the following days:
- from Maundy Thursday 6 p.m. to Holy Saturday 8 p.m
- on All Saints' Day, if All Saints' Day falls on the weekdays of
- on the General Day of Prayer and Repentance (from 3 a.m. to midnight)
- on Remembrance Day (from 5 a.m. to midnight)
- on Remembrance Day (from 5 a.m. to midnight)

Legal exceptions can be found in the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act (Gewerbeordnung) and in other regulations on the protection of working hours. For exceptions beyond this, you need an appropriate permit.

Tip: Contact the competent authority for clarification of questions and information on the applicable regulations.

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

There must be a special exceptional case.

Example: Sales events for the exclusive and direct promotion of charitable, benevolent or church purposes.

Responsible department

if you want to apply for the exemption for the area of a city district or a large district city: the city administration
if you wish to apply for an exemption for the area of a municipality that belongs to an administrative community that performs the tasks of the lower administrative authority: the municipality/city administration of one of the participating municipalities
otherwise: the district office responsible for the area
for certain dance events and for certain events during the main church service: the municipality

Standard port

Enter the name of the city or municipality for whose district you are applying for the exemption in the city selection.

Procedure

You must apply for the exemption permit at the competent authority. Depending on what the competent authority offers, you can obtain the application forms there or download them from the internet.

Deadlines

You should submit your application as early as possible. This is especially true if you are applying for an exemption for the first time.

Required documents

none

If documents are required in an individual case, you may submit them subsequently upon request by the competent authority.

Costs

The amount of the fees depends on the municipal fee regulation.

Miscellaneous

none

Appeal

Depending on the situation of the specific individual case, you may have the legal remedies of an objection, a lawsuit or an application for interim legal protection.

For further information, please refer to the information on legal remedies in the respective order.

Release note

23.04.2024 Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg