Permits

EXEMPTION FROM DRIVING BAN

GERMANY:

In Germany, driving bans on certain days are regulated by the following provisions:
1. Sundays and public holidays (§30 StVO) – The driving ban applies between 00:00 and 22:00 on Sundays and public holidays on the entire road network.
2. Holiday driving ban (Ferienreiseverordnung) – The driving ban applies on Saturdays from 07:00 to 20:00, in the period from 1 July to 31 August. The holiday driving ban applies only on certain stretches, primarily motorways, and aims to limit traffic in connection with holidays.

Vehicles with a permissible total weight of more than 7.5 tonnes are prohibited from driving when there is a driving ban. There are, however, certain general exceptions, such as the transport of fresh milk, fresh meat or perishable fruit and vegetables (see section 3, 1-7 in §30 StVO). The exceptions are the same for the two driving bans.

In addition to general exceptions, it is possible to apply for an exemption from the driving ban under certain conditions (§46 StVO).

A prerequisite can be, among other things, that the transport is necessary with regard to:

- Supplying the population with perishable food that is not already exempt
- Timely loading and unloading of vessels
- Maintaining the operation of public utility or transport facilities
- Transport of live animals, plants, trade fair goods or equipment/material for events

Q: What information is needed to make an application?

A: There is always a need for:

- Vehicle owner/user information
- Registration number
- Reason for exception
- The place where the permit is to be used for the first and last time in Germany, for example border crossings or loading/unloading points. If the vehicle is already in Germany, this will be the place where the vehicle starts the journey on Sunday.
- Date of transport

At some application points, there is also a requirement for a registration certificate for the lorry/tractor and trailer/semi-trailer.
Issuance of a permit is subject to a fee, which depends on where the permit is to be issued.

The permit must be applied for in good time. If the application is made too late, it may result in the permit not being issued. How long it takes to apply depends on the circumstances.

2024	Day of week	Public holidays with driving ban
01. January	Monday	New Year's Day
29. March	Friday	Good Friday
01. April	Monday	Easter Monday
01. May	Wednesday	Labour Day
09. May	Thursday	Ascension Day
20. May	Monday	Whit Monday
30. May	Thursday	Corpus Christi – Only these regions: - Baden-Württemberg, - Bayern, - Hessen, - Nordrhein-Westfalen, - Reinland-Pfalz og - Saarland
03. October	Thursday	National Holiday (Tag der Deutschen Einheit)
31. October	Thursday	Reformation Day - Only these regions: - Brandenburg, - Bremen, - Hamburg, - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, - Niedersachsen, Sachsen, - Sachsen-Anhalt, - Schleswig-Holstein og - Thüringen
01. November	Friday	All Saints’ Day - Only these regions: - Baden-Württemberg, - Bayern, - Nordrhein-Westfalen, - Reinland-Pfalz og - Saarland - (Public holidaywithout driving ban: Hessen)
25. December	Wednesday	Christmas Day
26. December	Thursday	St. Stephen’s Day

 

 
AUSTRIA:

In Austria, an exemption from night and weekend driving bans can be applied for under certain conditions.

Straßenverkehrsordnung 1960 § 42


NIGHT DRIVING BAN

Applies to;

- Vehicles with a permitted total weight of more than 7.5 tonnes, between 10pm and 5am on the entire road network.

General exceptions (extract):

- Quiet vehicles. Must be confirmed by the manufacturer and inspection is required every two years. An "L-plate" must be located at the front license plate.
- It is possible to apply for exemption when transporting special types of goods.

During the period, vehicles over 7.5 tonnes may not drive more than 60 km/h, unless otherwise indicated by traffic signs.


WEEKEND AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY DRIVING BAN

Applies to:

- Truck with trailer, if the permissible total weight of either truck or trailer is more than 3.5 tonnes.
- Trucks and tractors with a permissible total weight of more than 7.5 tonnes.
- From Saturdays at 15.00 to Sundays at 10 p.m
- On public holidays From 00:00 to 22:00

General exceptions;

- Transports carried out exclusively as part of combined transport within a radius of 65 km from specified loading or unloading stations/ports
- Conveyors used solely for the transportation of cattle or slaughter cattle, mail and periodicals or the delivery of beverages in excursion areas, non-delayable repairs of cooling systems, water or energy supply systems or broken sewers, towing services, demolition assistance or waste disposal, transport with vehicles for the entertainment industry with vehicles from lighting/sound technicians, with self-driving agricultural machinery and tours of the local area on the last two Saturdays before 24 December.
- Transport of certain foodstuffs (the bill of lading or the loading list must be brought with you). This includes fresh food such as fruit/vegetables, milk (products), meat (products), fish (products), eggs, mushrooms, baked goods and confectionery, herbs and ready-to-cook foods, as well as associated emptying for the transport of transport aids and packaging of the named product groups.

Please note that in Tyrol there are further prohibitions than the above.

Q: What information is needed to make an application?

A: There is always a need for:
- Vehicle owner/user information
- Registration certificate(s)
- Reason for exception
- Start and end place of the transport in Austria, e.g. a border crossing
- Date of transport

Issuing a permit is subject to a fee.

The permit must be applied for in sufficient time. If the application is made too late, it may result in the permit not being issued.

Disclaimer

We endeavor to ensure that the information is correct and up-to-date, and any errors are continuously sought to be corrected, but FDE assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the content. FDE disclaims any responsibility for any losses, including any fines, that have arisen as a result of acting on the basis of the above information. This disclaimer is governed exclusively by Danish law without regard to international private law. We recommend contacting FDE directly for further advice.