Maximum working time in Romania (2026)
Last reviewed: 31 October 2026
In short: The normal working time is 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week for full-time employees. Weekly working time including overtime may not exceed 48 hours on average over a 4-month reference period. Employees get 12 hours of rest between two working days and 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Maximum average weekly working timeEmployees (adults) in general employment | 48 hours [1] |
| Maximum daily working timeEmployees (adults) in general employment | 8 hours a day as the normal length for full-time employees (6 hours for employees under 18). A longer or shorter daily duration can be set for certain sectors, units or professions by collective or individual negotiation or specific legislation; a 12-hour day must be followed by 24 hours of rest. [1] |
| Minimum daily restEmployees (adults) in general employment | 12 hours [1] |
| Minimum weekly restEmployees (adults) in general employment | 48 consecutive hours, as a rule on Saturday and Sunday. Where weekend rest would harm the public interest or normal activity, it may be given on other days set by the collective agreement or internal regulation, with a pay supplement. In exceptional cases weekly rest days may be accumulated after at most 14 calendar days of continuous work, with labour inspectorate authorisation and the agreement of the union or employee representatives. [1] |
| Normal full-time working weekEmployees (adults) in general employment | 40 hours a week for full-time employees, as a rule spread evenly over 5 days of 8 hours with two days of rest; an unequal spread is allowed within 40 hours a week. For employees under 18 it is 30 hours a week. [1] |
| Individual opt-out from the weekly maximumEmployees (adults) in general employment | ⚠ Not yet verified |
Notes
- The reference period can be longer by collective agreement (up to 6 months, and up to 12 months for objective, technical or work-organisation reasons) and does not apply to young people under 18 (art. 114 alin. (3) to (6)).
- In shift work the rest between shifts must be at least 8 hours (art. 135 alin. (2)).
- The articles read contain no individual opt-out from the 48-hour limit, but absence of a rule was not treated as a finding, so no value is given.
Sources
- Ministerul Justiției (Portal Legislativ): CODUL MUNCII (A) 24/01/2003 - Portal Legislativ (Internet Archive snapshot of 16 February 2026) (consulted 31 October 2026) · all sources
Related pages
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.