Federal & State Regulations | Oversize and overweight movements - Vermont

General requirements

Reducible expectations	The Department of Motor Vehicles will not issue permits for loads that can be reasonably reduced to the legal width, height, length, or weight; all loads that are issued permits must be reduced to the absolute minimum.
Permit timing	NS
Method of application	Applications are accepted through the mail or in person or fax. Permits can also be obtained through J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Trip Permits, at (800) 231-5266.
Payments accepted	Payment must be made in advance of issuance of permit. The Commercial Vehicle Operations Unit will accept checks and money orders in U.S. funds only. You may also be able to establish an account or deposit with the Department, from which the agency will subtract the permit fee each time you obtain a permit.
Electronic permits	The permit, or a legible permit facsimile, must be carried in the vehicle. The permit shall be available for inspection by any enforcement officer or representative of the Department of Motor Vehicles or Agency of Transportation empowered to issue such permit during movement authorized by the permit.
Route surveys	When the size or weight of a vehicle and/or load is sufficiently excessive for the routing requested, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may require the Highway Department to conduct an engineering inspection of the vehicle, load, and route, for which an additional fees will be added.

Insurance requirements

Liability	If the oversize load to be hauled is required to have an engineering study prior to issuance of an overdimension/overweight permit, a special certificate of insurance is required.
Coverage	The special certificate of insurance must show a minimum of $250,000 for death or injury to one person, $500,000 for death or injury to two or more persons, and $250,000 property damage all arising out of any one crash, must be filed with the Commercial Vehicle Permit Unit.

Available permits and fees

Oversize
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip	Overlength	$40
Blanket
Annual	Oversize	$135
Annual	Each additional oversize	$8
Overweight
Special Excess Weight Permit
Permit Period	Weight	Fee
Annual	60,000 lbs	$187
Annual	69,000 lbs	$422
Annual	72,000 lbs PLUS	$18
Annual	76,000 lbs PLUS	$18
Annual	90,000 lbs (all products)	$458
Annual	90,000 lbs (milk if registered weight 90,000 lbs)	$10
Annual	99,000 lbs	$671
Engineering Survey Fees
Trip	Permit fee	$48
Trip	Overtime charge ( surveys requiring over 8 hours to process)	$60 per hour
Trip	Loads less than 150,000 lbs	$800
Trip	Loads 150,000 lbs up to (and including) 200,000 lbs	$2,000
Trip	Loads 200,001 lbs up to (and including) 250,000 lbs	$5,000
Trip	Loads 250,001 lbs and over	$10,000
Trip	Pre-fabricated Homes less than 150,000 lbs	$300
Overdimension and/or Overweight
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip	General	$48
Annual	Low bed blanket	$275
Single trip	Crane (self issued fee is for each permit number)	$48

Permit limitations

Permit limitations
Width	No specific maximum width limit for which permits are issued for interstate highways or other four-lane roads. For most movements, the maximum width allowed will depend on the engineering survey, the roads to be traveled, distance, and other factors.
Height	The height of structures along movement routes must be checked by the applicant to assure adequate clearances. The height of traffic lights is often a determining factor in the issuance of permits; most traffic lights are 14' above the ground. Generally, loads over 14' high are limited to short travel distances and need an Engineering survey.
Length	Limitations
State highways	Any load exceeding 75' when hauling a 48-53' trailer or less, must have a special permit before moving on state highways.
Interstate	There is no overall length limit for tractor semitrailer or tractor semitrailer-trailer combinations on the federal interstate system or designated federal-aid primary routes.
Permits	The routes to be traveled, the engineering survey, the distance, and other factors determine the maximum length limit for which permits will be issued.
Weight	Limitations
Tire	Limited to 600 lbs per inch width of tire (manufacturer’s rating will govern tire width)
Axles	The tires and axles, other than the front or steering axle, will determine the gross weight allowed under permit.
Bridges	No movement is allowed over bridges that are posted for a lower limit than the gross weight of the vehicle and load
Vehicle	Permits will be issued only to a 5 or more axle vehicle combination, including a 3-axle truck or truck-tractor
Registration	Vehicles that have indivisible loads exceeding the maximum limit must be registered for the maximum
Blanket Permits
Configuration	Limitations
Statewide operation	• Width: 10' 6" when length is greater than 75' up to 100' • Width: 12' 6"when length does not exceed 75' • Maximum width: 13' (farm equipment dealers only) • Height: 14' Weights: • Steer axle: 12,000 lbs • All other axles: 20,000 lbs • 5-axle combination: 92,000 lbs • 6- or more axle combination: 108,000 lbs • Vehicle must be registered to the maximum allowed for the vehicle’s configuration.
Zone limits	• Width: 13' 8" when length does not exceed 75' • Width: 12' when length exceeds 75' • Height: 14' • Weight: 120,000 lbs (for weight divisible loads)
Weight	Vehicles obtaining blanket permits for weight must be registered to the maximum limit and capable of grossing the road limit
Special Excess Weight Permit
Expiration	Permits will expire coincidentally with the vehicle’s registration except for vehicles not registered in Vermont, in which case the permit shall expire at midnight December 31st following the date of issue.
All Products - Special Excess Weight Permit
3-axle trucks	If registered to the minimum 55,000 lbs may obtain a permit to gross 60,000 lbs
4-axle trucks	If registered to the minimum 60,000 lbs may obtain a permit to gross 69,000 lbs
4-axle tractor-trailer	Up to 72,000 lbs if: • Distance between the second axle of the tractor and the rear axle of the trailer is at least 24’ • Less 2,000 lbs for every foot (or fraction) less than 24'
5-axle tractor-trailer	With a maximum gross weight of not more than 76,000 lbs provided that the distance between the 1st drive axle of the tractor and the rear axle of the trailer tandem is at least 24’ (Less 2,000 lbs for every foot (or fraction) less than 24') • 90,000 pound permit if Virginia bridge formula is met • 99,000 pound permit requires 6 or more axles and 51’ between centers of the extreme axles. Must be registered to 80,000 lbs
Unprocessed milk products or water	Raw milk or water transported in bulk in a tank truck, semi-trailer, trailer or combination. Water may be transported on state highways only: • 90,000 pound permit if a minimum of 51' is between centers of the first and last axle on a 5 or more axle combination

Signs

General sign requirement	Warning signs are required for vehicles and loads over legal width or height and for vehicles and loads over 75’ in length. The sign must be securely attached to the front most portion and rear most portion of the load or vehicle. The sign must be covered or removed when not making an oversize move. Similar signs that is allowed in other states will be accepted.
Escort sign requirement	An escort preceding an oversize load must have a sign on the front and an escort car following must have a sign on the rear. The signs must be covered or removed when the escort vehicle is not accompanying an oversize load.
	Type	Size	Lettering	Background
General signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	7' x 18"	10" high black with 1.25" brushstroke	Yellow
Escort signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	5' X 12" (minimum)	10" high black with 1.25" brushstroke	Yellow

Lights

General light requirements	All over legal size mobile homes require warning lights.
Escort light requirements	The escort vehicle must be equipped with warning lights.
	Type	Placement
General light type and placement	Flashing amber light	Mounted above the highest point of the vehicle towing the mobile home.
Escort light type and placement	Flashing amber light	The highest point of the vehicle and visible from 360°

Flags

	Size	Placement
General Flags	18" square	Overwidth: • Displayed on all 4 corners, on irregular shaped loads, additional flags may be necessary to mark the widest extremities of the load Overlength or overhanging (front or rear in excess of 4'): • Display 1 flag at the end of the overhang if less than 2' wide and 2 flags if the overhang is 2' wide or more
Escort Flags	NS	NS

Escort vehicle markings

Size	Placement	Content
NS	NS	NS

Escort/flagperson requirements

When one escort is required, it must precede a load on two lane highways and follow the load on four or more lane highways.

For interstate and intrastate operation, one escort is required on two lane roads with traffic in both directions and multilane divided highways with two or more lanes in direction with shoulder for:

Wide loads of 12 feet or more;
Long loads of 80 feet or more;
Overhangs of 15 feet or more; or
At the discretion of the Commissioner.

Two escorts may be required for safety reasons on large or hazardous moves.

Escorts must accompany any vehicle that exceeds 12 feet.

Escorts are required for movements that are 14 feet or higher.

Escorts must accompany any vehicle/load that exceeds 80 feet in length, or has more than 15 foot overhang.

Flagpersons

The Department may require flagpersons wearing distinctive clothing for large or long moves. Flagpersons must protect traffic when the permitted movement enters or leaves main highways, and assist drivers at locations where adequate vision is obscured.

Escort car/company requirements

Escort vehicles must be at least the size of a compact size car or larger. Escort vehicles will maintain visual and two-way radio contact with the permitted vehicle at all times.

Escort car signs, flags, and lights

An escort car must be equipped with a flashing amber light above the highest point of the vehicle and visible from the front and rear and with appropriate signs. An escort preceding an oversize load must have a sign on the front reading OVERSIZE LOAD and an escort car following must have a sign on the rear reading OVERSIZE LOAD. These signs must have 10-inch black letters (1.4-inch brush stroke) on a yellow background and be at least five feet long and 12 inches high. Signs must be covered or removed when an escort car is not accompanying an oversize move.

Travel restrictions

Daytime	Travel with vehicles and/or loads, that are overwidth or overlength or overheight, shall be restricted to daylight hours, and movement shall be made between 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. Vehicles, that are overweight only and are capable of traveling with the traffic flow are not restricted to daylight travel time.
Weekend	Vehicle combinations over 12'" wide, or 100' long, or in excess of 108,000 lbs cannot travel on Saturday or Sunday.
Holidays	If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is a legal holiday; if a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a legal holiday and these days are restricted as other holidays. On state highways unless otherwise stated, permits will not be issued for movements of loads in excess of 108,000 lbs, or over 12' wide, or over 100' long on the following legal holidays: • New Year’s • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving (and the day after) • Christmas Day
Visibility	For loads that are 12’ wide or greater, and or 80’ long or greater, no travel is allowed during any ice condition, sleet, freezing rain, slush or combination thereof or any snow accumulation to the extent it is heavy enough to stick to the highway surface; and when visibility is reduced by rain, fog or any other weather condition to the extent the load is not readily identifiable by users of the highway at a distance of a quarter (¹/₄) mile. At all times roads must be safe and clear enough to allow traffic to pass. When such conditions exist during a trip, permitted vehicles must exit the road at the first available safe location where vehicle and load can park without impeding traffic until the weather conditions clear. A vehicle is not permitted to travel during inclement weather if it is subject to, or was required to have, an engineering review.

['Size and Weight Limits']

['Oversize and Overweight Movements']

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Oversize and overweight movements - Vermont