🇸🇰 Slovakia — HGV driving bans 2026
In Slovakia, heavy vehicle restrictions are straightforward: a Sunday and public holiday ban on major roads, extended to Saturdays during the two summer months. Here is the full breakdown, with exemptions, permit procedures and the 2026 calendar.
Quick answers
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1. General rule
The ban applies to heavy vehicles with a GVW exceeding 7.5 t, on motorways, international roads and first-class national roads:
🚫Sundays and public holidays. Driving banned from 00:00 to 22:00.
☀️Summer Saturdays. From 1 July to 31 August, the ban also applies on Saturdays, from 07:00 to 19:00.
2. Exemptions
The following are exempt from the ban:
- Vehicles engaged in essential seasonal agricultural operations.
- Transport of medical instruments, biological or pharmaceutical products to hospitals or medical institutions.
- Combined transport by rail or sea within Slovak territory.
- Transport of equipment for cultural or sporting events.
- Vehicles supplying fuel stations.
- Transport of perishable goods and live animals.
3. Permit applications
A permit to drive during restricted hours may be granted for extraordinary or unavoidable circumstances, provided the journey does not compromise public safety.
For travel limited to a single region, the regional traffic inspector is the competent authority.
If the journey crosses multiple regions, the application must be submitted to:
Odbor dopravnej polície Prezídia policajného zboru
Račianska 45, 812 72 Bratislava
Tel.: +421 9610 11111
4. Public holidays 2026
On the dates below, the 00:00–22:00 ban applies:
1 January — New Year's Day and National Day
6 January — Epiphany
3 April — Good Friday
6 April — Easter Monday
1 May — Labour Day
8 May — Victory Day 1945
5 July — Saints Cyril and Methodius Day
29 August — Slovak National Uprising Day 1944
1 September — Constitution Day
15 September — Our Lady of Sorrows Day
1 November — All Saints' Day
17 November — Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day
24 December — Christmas Eve
25 December — Christmas Day
26 December — St Stephen's Day
5. Good to know
🍺Alcohol: zero tolerance — maximum 0.0 g of alcohol per litre of blood.
❄️Tyres: winter tyres mandatory for vehicles over 3.5 t from 15 November to 31 March; snow chains mandatory in areas indicated by signs or in case of snow or ice; studded tyres prohibited.
💡Lights: dipped headlights mandatory during the day from 15 October to 15 March.
📞Useful numbers: 112 (police, fire and emergency); 18 124 (within Slovak territory only) or +421 2682 492 11 for breakdown assistance from the Slovak Automobile Club (SATC).
Official sources
The links below lead to the authorities and the legal texts that prevail. They are in the language of the country.
The direct link to the regulatory text still has to be confirmed for this country. The source below is that of the competent authority: it is the one that prevails.
-
Slovak Ministry of Transport
Ministerstvo dopravy · Competent authority · sk
Before a sensitive journey
Bans may be changed temporarily because of the weather, roadworks, events, environmental measures or local decisions. This page provides a general overview and does not replace checking the official source before a sensitive journey.
Neighbouring countries and related routes
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