What is the German minimum wage for truck drivers in 2027?
Germany minimum wage 2027 truck driver: 14.60 EUR gross per hour from 2027-01-01, about 2,531 EUR gross per month at 40 hours a week.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
The German statutory minimum wage is 14.60 EUR gross per hour from 2027-01-01, up from 13.90 EUR in 2026. For a truck driver working 40 hours a week that is about 2,531 EUR gross per month, calculated as 14.60 EUR multiplied by 40 hours, 52 weeks and divided by 12 months.
How much is the 2027 minimum wage per month for a truck driver?
The Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance fixes 14.60 EUR gross per hour from 2027-01-01. Germany has no statutory monthly figure, so the monthly amount depends on the hours worked. A 40-hour week averages 173.33 hours a month (40 hours multiplied by 52 weeks, divided by 12 months), which gives 2,531 EUR gross. The same hours at the 2026 rate of 13.90 EUR give 2,409 EUR, so the second step adds about 121 EUR gross a month.
A driver on fewer or more contracted hours scales the figure in proportion: every 100 paid hours must bring at least 1,460 EUR gross from 2027-01-01. For what drivers actually earn above that floor, read our Germany truck driver salary guide or compare countries in the European truck driver salary guide .
When does the 14.60 EUR minimum wage take effect?
The ordinance is dated 2025-11-05 and was published in the Bundesgesetzblatt (the federal law gazette) as 2025 I Nr. 268. Its section 1 sets both steps in one provision: 13.90 EUR from 2026-01-01 and 14.60 EUR from 2027-01-01. No further decision is needed for the 2027 step, which IHK Hannover puts at a further 5.04 percent.
Does the German minimum wage apply to foreign truck drivers?
Section 20 of the Minimum Wage Act obliges employers with a seat in Germany or abroad to pay at least the minimum wage to employees who work in Germany, as set out in section 20 MiLoG . How that plays out on a given route, such as cabotage (domestic haulage by a carrier from another country), cross-trade or pure transit, depends on how much of the work is done in Germany. Customs (Zoll) checks compliance, so foreign carriers should confirm route-specific cases with the authority before dispatching.
Per diem allowances are a separate topic with their own rates, covered in our Spesen guide for 2026 .
Frequently asked questions
Is the 14.60 EUR minimum wage gross or net?
It is gross. The ordinance states 14.60 EUR brutto per hour, so income tax and social security contributions are deducted from that amount before payment.
What is the minimum wage in Germany in 2026?
The minimum wage is 13.90 EUR gross per hour from 2026-01-01. At 40 hours a week that is about 2,409 EUR gross per month.
How many hours should I use for a monthly figure?
Multiply the weekly hours by 52 and divide by 12. At 40 hours a week this gives 173.33 hours a month, so 14.60 EUR becomes 2,531 EUR gross. A contract with different weekly hours changes the result in proportion.
Will the minimum wage rise again after 2027?
The ordinance sets only the 2026 and 2027 rates. Any later rate needs a new recommendation from the Minimum Wage Commission and a new ordinance, so no rate after 2027 is law today.
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