Slovakia Changes Truck Driving Bans. New Time Restrictions from 1 September
From 1 September 2026, a package of amendments to Slovakia\'s road traffic legislation will enter into force. For transport companies, the most significant changes include new time periods for truck driving bans, additional exemptions, and modifications to the penalty system.
As of 1 September 2026, significant amendments to the Slovak Road Traffic Act will take effect. The legislation covers, among other things, driving bans for goods vehicles with a maximum permissible weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes and vehicle combinations exceeding 3.5 tonnes. The applicable restriction periods will change, and the list of exemptions from the driving bans will be expanded.
✅ The most important change for carriers concerns the hours during which the driving bans apply. During the summer period, from 1 July to 31 August, the driving ban on the first public holiday and on the Saturday following a working day will apply from 09:00 to 19:00. Previously, it started earlier, at 07:00.
✅ The rules applicable on Sundays and on the last public holiday will also change. In these cases, the driving ban will apply from 06:00 to 22:00. Previously, the restriction started at midnight. The same time period, from 06:00 to 22:00, will also apply to a single public holiday immediately following a working day.
✅ The amendment also expands the list of transport operations exempt from the driving ban. The exemptions will include, among others, the transport of agricultural products and animal carcasses, vehicles used for the regular collection of household municipal waste, as well as transport operations serving manufacturing plants operating continuously within the territory of Slovakia, provided that loading or unloading takes place in Slovakia.
✅ Clearly marked training vehicles operated by driving schools and training centres will also be exempt from the driving ban when used for driver training, initial qualification courses, or periodic training. However, this exemption will only apply if such vehicles are not simultaneously used for the commercial transport of goods or passengers.
✅ The exemption will also apply to vehicles returning to their destination within the territory of the Slovak Republic. This is important information for international transport operators, as the new wording of the legislation may facilitate the return of vehicles to their destination in Slovakia.
✅ An additional special provision will be introduced regarding travel on Class III roads. An exemption from the driving ban will be permitted if travel on such roads is carried out solely for the purpose of refuelling, replenishing operating fluids, or charging an electric vehicle. The condition is that the fuel station or charging station must be located outside a built-up area, directly adjacent to another road where the driving ban does not apply.
✅ The new legislation also modifies the liability system for selected road traffic offences. The catalogue of obligations for which penalties may be imposed on the registered vehicle owner under the principle of objective liability will be expanded. This includes, among other things, failure to maintain the minimum or safe following distance, using a mobile phone or a similar device while driving, and failure by the front-seat occupant to wear a seat belt.
✅ The penalties have been set as follows: EUR 99 for violating the minimum distance requirements, EUR 249 for holding or operating a mobile phone or a similar device while driving, and EUR 78 for failing to wear a seat belt in the front seat. In the case of selected offences, the registered vehicle owner will not be able to avoid liability by identifying the person who was driving the vehicle at the time the offence was committed.
✅ Violating driving bans applicable to certain categories of vehicles will also be classified as a serious road traffic offence. This includes bans in force on summer Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. For transport operators, this means that breaches of time-based driving restrictions will be treated more severely than before.
✅ The amendment also introduces changes to the general rules of road traffic. Drivers will be required to allow safe passage to pedestrians who have entered, or are about to enter, a pedestrian crossing. They will also be required to approach crossings at a speed that enables them to stop if necessary. Pedestrians, in turn, will be prohibited from using a mobile phone or a similar device in a manner that limits their ability to observe traffic conditions while entering or crossing the roadway.
✅ The rules concerning speeding offences will also become stricter. The thresholds at which speeding violations are classified more severely will be lowered. Within built-up areas, the new thresholds will be 15 km/h, 30 km/h, and more than 30 km/h above the speed limit. Outside built-up areas, the thresholds will be 25 km/h, 40 km/h, and more than 40 km/h, respectively.
✅ In practice, this means lower tolerance for speeding offences and the possibility of imposing more severe penalties even for smaller excesses than under the current regulations. For transport companies, it will therefore be important not only to adjust routes to the new driving ban schedules but also to ensure that drivers are informed about the changes to the penalty system.
✅ The amendments to the Slovak Road Traffic Act will enter into force on 1 September 2026.
