Germany · § 5 ArbZG

Rest Period in Germany: the 11-Hour Rule

"Can I start again at 6 a.m.?" German law requires 11 hours of uninterrupted rest between the end of one shift and the start of the next. Here is how it works, and when it can drop to 10.

What the 11-hour rest means

The rest period is the gap between the end of one working day and the start of the next. It is distinct from the break within a shift (§ 4): the break interrupts a day; the rest separates two days. It must be uninterrupted.

Shift ends atEarliest next start (11h)
18:0005:00
20:0007:00
22:0009:00
00:0011:00

The 10-hour exception

In hospitals and care, hospitality, transport, agriculture and broadcasting, the rest may be shortened to 10 hours (§ 5 (2) ArbZG) — but every shortening must be offset by another rest period of at least 12 hours within one calendar month or four weeks. So a hospital shift ending at 22:00 could, where permitted, resume at 08:00.

Interruptions and on-call duty

A work call-out during the rest generally restarts the 11-hour clock. Pure on-call standby (Rufbereitschaft) counts as rest until an actual call-out; on-site availability duty (Bereitschaftsdienst) counts fully as working time.

Working time in Germany

German working hours calculator→ Break rules in Germany (§ 4 ArbZG)→ Night work & pay in Germany→ Ruhezeit-Checker (auf Deutsch)→

Frequently asked questions

Under § 5 of the Working Time Act (ArbZG), at least 11 consecutive hours of rest must fall between the end of one working day and the start of the next. This is separate from the break within a shift (§ 4).
Add 11 hours: after finishing at 22:00, the earliest permitted next start is 09:00 the following day. The rest period must be uninterrupted.
Under § 5 (2) ArbZG, hospitals and care, hospitality and hotels, transport, agriculture and broadcasting may reduce the rest to 10 hours — provided each shortening is offset by another rest period of at least 12 hours within one calendar month or four weeks.
Yes. The rest must be uninterrupted. A work-related interruption — such as a call-out during on-call standby or answering emails — generally restarts the 11-hour clock.
Pure standby (Rufbereitschaft), where you may stay at a place of your choosing, largely counts as rest until an actual call-out. On-site availability duty (Bereitschaftsdienst) counts fully as working time and interrupts the rest period.
Yes. In addition to the daily 11-hour rest, Sunday is generally work-free (§ 9 ArbZG). Combined with the daily rest, this gives a continuous weekend rest of at least 35 hours.

Note: This calculator and its content offer general guidance based on the assumptions given and do not constitute legal advice. The applicable statute, collective agreement and employment contract prevail.