Sunday is a “quiet day” in Germany, and a law adopted in 1950 prohibits shops from opening so people can enjoy recreational activities and time with family and friends. Restaurants, cafes, bars, museums and cinemas remain open.
This phenomenon is known as “Ruhezeit.” It basically means that on Sundays (and weeknights after 10 PM), making noise is actually legally forbidden. So, if you think about running the washing machine, mowing your lawn, or vacuuming your house on a Sunday, you might want to think twice.
Why can't you throw away glass on Sunday in Germany?
Here - just like for residential glass containers - you are expected to avoid the noisy task during "Ruhezeiten," or quiet times, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and after 8:00 pm on weekdays, as well as on Sundays and public holidays.
Do Not Do This On Sunday in Germany || Germany Sunday Time
What is not allowed on Sundays in Germany?
In the evening, you are not permitted to mow lawns after 8 p.m. General evening quiet time begins at 10 p.m. All loud activities are restricted throughout all of Sunday, to include lawn mowing, car washing, loud games or music...if it can be heard outside your dwelling or vehicle, it is too loud.
Can you hang your washing out on a Sunday in Germany?
Yeah apparently it's illegal to hang laundry outside (where it's visible from the road) on a Sunday. You know how Germans are with their Sunday obsession.
In Germany, the standard workweek is typically five days, Monday through Friday. Most full-time employees work between 36 and 40 hours per week, spread over five days. The usual working hours are 9 am to 5 pm or 8 am to 4 pm, which can vary depending on the company and industry.
Don't worry, of course, you can still do your everyday routines during quiet hours in Germany. You can flush the toilet, take a bath or shower at night as usual.
In Germany Sunday is also called “Ruhetag”, which translates to “day of rest” (literally meaning “quiet day”). This means that all chores, particularly noisy ones like mowing the lawn or vacuum cleaning the house will have to wait until the next week.
It's supermarkets, and everyday shops and businesses that are closed Sundays. Restaurants, Cafés, Museums, Tourist attractions are usually open - because Sunday is a day to enjoy them. Supermarkets at the train stations are open in big cities like Berlin are open on Sunday.
In the Federal Republic of Germany, the Ladenschlussgesetz or "Shop Closing Law" (abbreviated: LadSchlG) is the federal "blue law" compelling retail stores to close to the public on Sundays and Christian holidays.
The Domestic Work and Music Noise Ordinance generally stipulates a night-time quiet period between 10 pm and 7 am and a midday quiet period between 12 pm and 3 pm for domestic and gardening work that disturbs the peace.
Globally, the average work week is closer to 40 hours. At one extreme, Bhutan holds the record for the longest work week globally, at 54.4 hours per week, according to the ILO. While at the other, workers in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati enjoy the shortest work week at just 27.2 hours.
Sundays, however, are considered quiet time for the entire day. These German Sunday laws mean you're not allowed to: Do loud DIY jobs, like hammering or drilling. Play loud music music, or hold noisy gatherings.
Sundays and public holidays are quiet days. On other days, the quiet hours are from 22:00 to 6:00. You can't use certain machines between 20:00 and 7:00.
Generally speaking, all foreigners require a visa for stays in Germany. A visa is not required for visits of up to 90 days in an 180 day period for nationals of those countries for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement. Indian citizens require a visa.
From Monday to Saturday, there are practically no legal regulations restricting the shopping hours, which means that shops are permitted to open at any time. On Sundays and public holidays, shops are generally closed. There are, however, up to eight specific Sundays each year on which shops are allowed to open.
In Munich, according to a 2023 ruling, a maximum of four barbecues per month are permitted, but not on two consecutive public holidays or weekends (Ref.: 1 S 7620/22 WEG). The Bavarian Supreme Regional Court ruled particularly strictly and only allowed barbecues five times a year (Ref.: 2 Z BR 6/99).
Here's something you probably didn't know: in some German federal states it's illegal to wash your car on Sunday. Even in progressive Berlin, car owners can get fined when they take out the bucket and sponge on Sundays. The rule also applies to car washes.
