UK Act of Parliament 1994 United Kingdom

Sunday Trading Act 1994

What this means for your business

4 obligations
4 penalties
1 guides
Applies to
United Kingdom
On this page
4 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
Read full text on legislation.gov.uk

What you must do

4 compliance obligations under this legislation.

Management duties 1

Comply with Sunday loading/unloading restrictions

Fine up to £5,000

If your local authority has made your area a loading control area, you must not load or unload goods onto or from your large shop before 9 a.m. on Sundays while the restriction is in force. This means you’ll need to plan any deliveries or stock movements for after that time.

Occupier s.2 When your local authority has designated a loading control area and your …

Offences and prohibitions 3

Load or unload goods before 9 am on Sunday without consent

Fine up to £1,000

If your large shop is in a loading‑control area, you must not load or unload goods before 9 am on a Sunday unless you have written consent from the local authority. Doing so is an offence and can lead to a fine of up to £1,000 on summary conviction in the magistrates’ court.

Any Person Schedule 3

Open a large shop on Sunday for retail customers

Unlimited fine

If your large shop (over 280 m²) is open on a Sunday to serve retail customers when the law says it must stay closed – unless you fall within an exemption – you are committing an offence. On summary conviction you face an unlimited fine.

Occupier Schedule 1

Provide false statement in Sabbath shop‑closure notice

Unlimited fine

If you give a notice or certificate saying your shop will be closed for the Jewish Sabbath and you include a material false statement that you know is untrue (or you do not believe it to be true), you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face an unlimited fine. No prison term is provided for this offence.

Any Person Schedule 2

Penalties for non-compliance

4 penalties under this legislation. 2 carry an unlimited fine.

Unlimited fine

Open a large shop on Sunday for retail customers

Unlimited fine

Summary only Schedule 1 Penalises: Open a large shop on Sunday for retail …
Unlimited fine

Provide false statement in Sabbath shop‑closure notice

Unlimited fine

Summary only Schedule 2 Penalises: Provide false statement in Sabbath shop‑closure notice
Significant fine

Comply with Sunday loading/unloading restrictions

Fine up to £5,000

s.2 Penalises: Comply with Sunday loading/unloading restrictions
Fine

Load or unload goods before 9 am on Sunday without consent

Fine up to £1,000

Summary only Schedule 3 Penalises: Load or unload goods before 9 am on …

Practical guidance

Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.

Sunday Trading Rules

Understand Sunday trading hours restrictions and exemptions in England and Wales.

Sections and provisions

14 classified provisions from this legislation.

2 Duties 3 Offences and penalties 1 Powers 2 Definitions

Duties 2

  • s.2 Loading and unloading at large shops on Sunday morning.
  • s.6 Consequential repeal or amendment of local Acts.

Offences and penalties 3

  • Schedule 1 Restrictions on Sunday opening of large shops
  • Schedule 2 Supplementary Provisions
  • Schedule 3 Loading and Unloading at Large Shops on Sunday Morning

Powers 1

  • s.1 Reform of law relating to Sunday trading.

Definitions 2

  • Schedule 4 Rights of shop workers as respects Sunday working
  • s.8 Meaning of “local authority”.