Authority for Justice and Consumer Protection

Apply for an exemption from the ban on working on Sundays and public holidays

Do you want to allow employees in your company or business to work on Sundays or public holidays? You can find out how to apply for the necessary permit here.

Use Online-Service

Apply for exceptions to the Working Hours Act

Detailed description

You can apply for permission to work on Sundays or public holidays for:

  • the organization of in-house and order fairs for commercial resellers
  • Preventing disproportionate damage to a business due to special circumstances, such as a very high rate of sick leave or delayed material delivery.
  • the legally required inventory, unless it can be carried out on a weekday.

If other reasons exist, these will also be examined and Sunday or public holiday work will be approved if necessary.



The general prohibition of work on Sundays and public holidays does not apply to activities that serve to satisfy particularly pressing needs of the population, such as:

  • Public services (for example, in the care of the sick or the care of animals),
  • certain services (for example, in restaurants or taxi companies) as well as
  • Leisure activities (for example, in theatres, at football matches or in leisure facilities)
  • Deployment in emergencies and exceptional cases (urgent work, such as repairs to burst pipes or storm damage to roofs).

Maximum limits apply to certain exceptions.

 

Information

Prerequisites

  • You are an employer.
  • Your employees should be allowed to work on Sundays or public holidays.
  • These activities are not exempt from the prohibition of work on Sundays and public holidays.

Documents required

  • Statement from the works council (if one exists)
  • You can find out about any further required documents from the responsible authority.

Please note

There are no special instructions to follow.

Deadlines


  • Apply for approval at least 4 working days before the Sunday or public holiday on which your employees are scheduled to work.

  • In case of unforeseen events, you can apply for approval on the last office day before the deployment until 10:00 a.m.

Procedure

You can apply for approval online:

  • You access the online service.
  • You fill out the fields of the online service completely and send it with the required documents to the responsible authority.
  • The responsible authority will review your application and documents. If necessary, they will request further documents or information from you.
  • The relevant authority will decide on your application.
  • You will receive a notification.
  • You will receive a fee notice.
  • They pay the fees.

You can apply for approval in writing.

  • You fill out the application form completely and send it with the required documents to the responsible authority.
  • The responsible authority will review your application and documents. If necessary, they will request further documents or information from you.
  • The relevant authority will decide on your application.
  • You will receive a notification.
  • You will receive a fee notice.
  • They pay the fees.

Processing time

The processing time depends on the individual case.

Fees

Fees apply. The amount of the fees depends on the processing effort.

Legal remedies

Contradiction

Legal basis

Section 13 paragraph 3 no. 2a, 2b and 2c Working Time Act (ArbZG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/arbzg/__13.html




Section 13 paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Working Time Act (ArbZG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/arbzg/__13.html

Forms and downloads

Links on hamburg.de

Address and contact information

Authority for Justice and Consumer Protection

State Occupational Safety Inspectorate

By appointment

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Keywords: Sunday work Osh Holiday work Replacement day of rest employee protection

Last updated: 10.06.2026