Can shops open on Sunday?
In principle every shop must take one weekly rest day, but there are many exceptions — so in practice quite a few shops open on Sunday. Under the still-current Law of 10 November 2006, a trader must observe a weekly rest day: an uninterrupted 24-hour period starting Sunday at 5 or 13:00 (it need not always be Sunday, but the same day for at least 3 months). There are many exceptions: night shops, tourist zones and seaside resorts, fuel-station shops, station and airport shops, hospital shops and newsagents. A municipality can also allow up to 15 derogation days per year. Important: whether a shop may open (rest-day law) is distinct from whether it may employ staff (the Labour Act of 16 March 1971 bans Sunday work, with staff after noon on Sunday forbidden). A reform abolishing the mandatory closing day and extending hours to 21:00 passed the Chamber committee in June 2026, but as of 5 July 2026 it is not yet voted and not yet in force.
📋 The rules
- Every shop must take one weekly rest day of 24 hours (Law of 10 November 2006)
- Closed by default before 5:00 and after 20:00 (after 21:00 on Fridays and days before a public holiday)
- Exceptions: night shops, tourist zones, fuel stations, stations/airports, hospitals, newsagents
- The municipality can allow up to 15 derogation days per year (collective, for all traders)
- Opening (rest-day law) ≠ employing staff: employees may not work Sunday after noon (Labour Act 1971)
- Coming: a reform (closing day abolished, open until 21:00) — not yet voted/in force in July 2026
🔓 Exceptions
- Night shops (18:00–07:00, max 150 m², food/household goods), tourist zones and seaside resorts
- A small shop without staff (run by the owner or family) falls outside the Sunday-work ban
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A breach of the opening-hours law can bring criminal fines, and the mayor can order a shop that breaches the law or the municipal regulation to close. Illegal employment of staff on Sunday is an offence under the Social Criminal Code, with administrative or criminal fines per worker.
📎 Official sources
- FPS Economy · opening hours and weekly rest day →
- News.belgium · changes to retail opening hours →
- ejustice · Law of 10 November 2006 (opening hours) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a shop open on Sunday?
In principle every shop must take a weekly rest day, but it need not be Sunday, and there are many exceptions (night shops, tourist zones, fuel stations …). A municipality can also allow up to 15 Sundays per year.
Can my staff work on Sunday?
Sunday work is in principle forbidden (Labour Act of 16 March 1971), with sector exceptions. Even where the shop may open, employing staff after noon on Sunday stays forbidden.
What does the announced reform change?
The reform wants to abolish the mandatory closing day and extend hours to 21:00. It passed the Chamber committee in June 2026, but is not yet definitively voted as of 5 July 2026, so not yet in force.
What does a shop breaching the rules risk?
Criminal fines, and the mayor can order the shop to close. Illegal Sunday employment is punished under the Social Criminal Code, with fines per worker.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “shop sunday open belgium”
- “weekly rest day shop”
- “sunday work ban staff”
- “derogation days sunday municipality”
- “retail opening hours reform 2026”