Code of Maine Rules
29 - DEPARTMENT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
250 - BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Chapter 157 - THE ADMINISTRATION OF OVER DIMENSION AND OVERWEIGHT PERMITS
Section 250-157-8 - LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS

1. Permits are not issued for divisible loads. All requests to move divisible loads will be denied as such loads can be reduced to legal dimensions and/or weight.

2. Permits are granted only for roads and bridges maintained by the Maine Department of Transportation and the NETC network. Municipalities may have their own restrictions and permitting systems in place and would have to be checked individually. The Maine Turnpike Authority also issues permits at the toll booth upon entry for movement over their road. (See Section 19 - Maine Turnpike Authority).

3. A permit request may be denied or modified if the Issuing Authority, acting with the advice of the Commissioner or the Chief of the Maine State Police, determines that the move cannot be completed safely, or imposes an unacceptable impact on traffic or highway and bridge infrastructure.

4. The permittee is responsible for adequately planning the move in order to minimize impacts on public safety and traffic, and to protect the public infrastructure. The Issuing Authority may require the applicant to notify state and local law enforcement, municipal officials, Maine Department of Transportation Traffic Engineering and/or Bridge Maintenance, railroad companies, or public utilities. For extreme loads, the Issuing Authority may require the applicant to make public notification adequate to forewarn the public.

5. Violation of any statute, ordinance, rule, or regulation of the State, any State agency or political subdivision of the State, or operation beyond the scope of the permit is unlawful. The permittee must comply with all statutory provisions and regulations as to permits, vehicle registrations, fuel tax, vehicle equipment, and operation. Failure to comply with all motor vehicle related laws and rules may result in the denial of future permit requests.

6. A permit is invalidated by the violation of any condition specified by the terms of the permit or by false information given on the application. On evidence of such violation or falsification, the permittee may be denied additional permits.

7. A permit may be denied to a motor carrier with an unsatisfactory safety rating, as determined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's motor carrier rating system.

8. Whenever possible, vehicles exceeding legal limits should be moved during periods when traffic is lightest. Section 21 lists days-of-travel restrictions for mobile and modular homes. Overdimensional permits requested for travel on weekends during July and August, and on holidays throughout the year require pre-clearance by the Maine Department of Transportation's Traffic Engineering Division.3 Travel in areas when fairs and festivals are occurring may preclude the issuance of overdimensional permits. An applicant requesting such permits must allow at least two working days notice to obtain necessary clearances.

9. Permit processing time will be impacted if an engineering review is needed, and adequate time should be allowed for the completion of any review. An applicant should allow a minimum of two business days for the Maine Department of Transportation to complete any required engineering review.

10. A list of official holidays is published annually and available from the Overlimit Permit Unit or on the Internet at: http://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/commercial/2017%20Holiday%20Letter.pdf.

11. The Issuing Authority, with the advice and under the guidelines of the Commissioner, may allow moves at additional times and days when deemed necessary, and when it is determined that public safety will not be adversely impacted.

12. Permits do not exempt vehicles from posted road or bridge restrictions. The permittee is responsible for complying with road and bridge postings regardless of routing.

13. More than one object may be transported in a single move as long as the object configuration does not create a divisible load that exceeds legal size and/or weight limits. If the object configuration cannot be reduced to legal limits then a permit is required to cover any dimension(s) and/or weight that exceed such limits.

14. A permittee is restricted to a single trip, unless authorized for a return trip or multiple trips, in one direction from the permitted origin to the permitted destination traveling only on the designated highways recorded on the permit. The authorized movement must be made within the allotted time as stated on the permit, unless extended by the Issuing Authority.

15. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, a permittee is limited to daylight travel only, unless the move is an emergency off-hour move or an overweight-only move.

16. An applicant may be denied the issuance of permits based on their failure to appear in court to answer any motor vehicle summons, or for any other motor vehicle related infractions.

17. Permit bundling

18. Vehicles or combination of vehicles 20 feet and wider and/or 150 feet and longer require:

19. Permits will not be issued to move a vehicle combination consisting of a truck tractor and a non-conforming semitrailer unless: