Shop opening hours - exception due to a special occasion

Sales outlets in Berlin may open around the clock from Monday to Saturday (6 days / 24 hours).
Sales outlets must generally be closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Exceptions from the general rule are provided for by the Berlin Shop Opening Act:

• Sales outlets that cater for the needs of tourists and that offer

only
souvenirs, road maps, city maps, travel guide books, tobacco, consumption materials for photography and filming, items for immediate use as well as food and beverages for immediate consumption
may open between 1 pm and 8 pm on Sundays and public holidays.
This exception applies only for sales outlets that also cater solely for the needs of tourists on all other days of the week, as well.

• Sales outlets with a special product range

such as flowers and plants, newspapers and magazines, bread and pastry products, milk and milk products
may open between 7 am and 4 pm on Sundays and public holidays.

• Special sales outlets such as

petrol stations, pharmacies or sales outlets that are located in passenger train stations, long-distance train stations, passenger airports and coach terminals
may open on Sundays and public holidays.

• Art and second-hand markets may open between 7 am and 6 pm on Sundays and public holidays.


• Open Sundays and public holidays

The federal state of Berlin may allow up to eight Sundays or public holidays on which shops across Berlin may open between 1 pm and 8 pm. These dates are published in the official journal.

In addition to this, sales outlets may open between 1 pm and 8 pm on a further two Sundays or public holidays, due to special occasions (such as a company anniversary or a public festival). The competent Public Order Offices must be informed about such an opening two weeks in advance, in writing and including information about the occasion.
Exceptions are not possible on special Sundays and holidays, such as:
New Years Day, 1st of May, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Whit Sunday, Remembrance Day, last Sunday before Advent, 24th of December if it is on an Advent Sunday and the public holidays in December, as well as on no more than two Sundays or public holidays in any one month.

Online processing

Service provided online

Prerequisites

• Special event / occasion for opening on a Sunday / public holiday
  
  Relevant occasions include in particular company anniversaries, public festivals or similar events.

Documents required

• Notification of intended opening on a Sunday / public holiday
  Notification must be submitted in writing, two weeks in advance including information about the occasion, no particular form is required
  Please use the template!

Forms

• Template for notification of opening a shop on Sunday / a public holiday due to a special occasion

Fees

Legal basis

• Berlin Shop Opening Act § 6 section 2
• Law regarding Sundays and public holidays
• Ordinance for the Protection of Sundays and Public Holidays

Average time to process request

More information

• Information about workers’ protection - Senate Department for Work
• Shop opening hours in Berlin - information provided by the Senate Department for Economics
• Shop opening hours, information by CCI Berlin
• Information about privacy

Responsible authorities

Applications for exception from the Berlin Shop Opening Act must be submitted to the competent Public Order Office for the sales outlet.

Show other authorities offering these services on the main Service Portal.