Store opening hours

In Lower Saxony, sales outlets may be open from midnight on Monday to midnight on Saturday.

There is a general ban on opening and selling on Sundays and public holidays. The Lower Saxony Act on Shop Opening and Selling Hours (NLöffVZG) regulates exceptions to this ban for:

• Pharmacies, petrol stations, points of sale at railroad stations for passenger transportation, airports and ferry ports,
• Points of sale for the consumption of goods for immediate consumption to meet local needs
• Sales outlets in health resorts and resorts for recreation, excursions and pilgrimages,
• Sales outlets which, in terms of their size and product range, are geared towards the sale of goods for small daily needs,
• farm stores,
• Sundays open for business four times a year and eight times a year in tourist destinations.

Different time and shopping basket restrictions apply to the exceptions.

The regulations applicable in Lower Saxony do not apply

• to the wholesale trade (sales to resellers and commercial customers),
• to the sale of accessories if they are provided at the location of the main service and the main service is not subject to the provisions of the law,
• the sale of goods at fairs, markets and exhibitions,
• to restaurants, video shops and service businesses.

• Lower Saxony law on store opening and sales hours (NLöffVZG)