Quiet times (Ruhezeiten)
- Night rest: typically 22:00–6:00 (sometimes 7:00) — no loud music, drilling, vacuuming, or heavy walking in boots.
- Sundays and public holidays: all day. No DIY drilling, lawn mowing or loud chores. Many people avoid even laundry and recycling glass.
- Midday rest (often 13:00–15:00) is not a federal law, but many house rules (Hausordnung) and local regulations include it — check yours.
- Garden machines: mowers and similar not on Sundays and holidays, and in residential areas only 7:00–20:00 on weekdays. Leaf blowers are more restricted (often only 9:00–13:00 and 15:00–17:00).
Public holidays
- 9 nationwide: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, 3 October (German Unity Day), 25 and 26 December.
- Each state adds its own (e.g. Epiphany in Bavaria/BW/Saxony-Anhalt, Corpus Christi in mostly Catholic states, Reformation Day in many northern/eastern states, Women's Day on 8 March in Berlin, Repentance Day in Saxony). Bavaria has the most.
- "Quiet" holidays (e.g. Good Friday): dance events and loud entertainment are restricted.
- 24 and 31 December are not official holidays, but shops close early (around 14:00).
Living with neighbours
- Introduce yourself when you move in — a short note or knock goes a long way.
- Parties: tell neighbours in advance with a note in the stairwell. It doesn't cancel quiet hours, but builds goodwill.
- Stairwell cleaning / Kehrwoche: in some buildings (especially Baden-Württemberg) tenants take turns cleaning stairs and pavement, including snow clearing in winter. Check the Hausordnung or ask.
- Barbecuing on balconies: depends on the lease and house rules. Electric grills are usually tolerated, charcoal often not.
- Problems: first talk directly, then write a polite note, then involve the landlord or property manager. Call the police (110) for serious night-time noise only. Disputes in many states must go to a mediator (Schiedsperson) before court.