Pennsylvania Code
Title 67 - TRANSPORTATION
Part I - Department of Transportation
Subpart A - Vehicle Code Provisions
Article VII - Vehicle Characteristics
Chapter 179 - OVERSIZE AND OVERWEIGHT LOADS AND VEHICLES
Section 179.9 - Issuance of permits

Universal Citation: 67 PA Code ยง 179.9

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024

(a) General. Upon approval of an application submitted under this chapter, a permit will be issued by the office to which application was made subject to this chapter and the conditions contained in the permit and its supplements.

(b) Form of permit. Upon request, a district office will issue a permit to a registered person by a wire method approved by the Department. A wired permit may not be altered.

(c) Dismantling, reducing or disassembling. Special hauling permits will not be issued for a vehicle or combination of vehicles, including the load carried thereon, which can be reasonably dismantled, reduced, disassembled or otherwise rearranged so as not to exceed the size or weight limits specified in Chapter 49 of the act (relating to size, weight and load). Even if a vehicle or load cannot be brought within the size or weight limits, it shall be dismantled, reduced, disassembled or otherwise rearranged as much as is practicable. The Department may allow removable parts to remain on a vehicle or load if axle weights do not exceed the limits specified in Table 8-2 (in the case of combinations) or 27,000 pounds (in the case of other vehicles) and if wheel weights do not exceed 800 pounds per nominal inch of tire width on the wheel.

(d) Movement without or in violation of permit. Subsequent to issuance of a citation by a police officer for movement without or in violation of a permit, a special permit may be issued by the Department authorizing the operation of the vehicle or combination to a point on the Commonwealth boundary by the shortest distance from the place where the violation occurred or, at the discretion of the Department, to some other place where the load can be reasonably dismantled, reduced, disassembled or otherwise rearranged.

(e) Additional fees. The following additional fees shall be assessed, when appropriate:

(1) If a permittee's vehicle or load is scheduled by the Department or the State Police for weighing, measuring or inspecting, the permittee shall reimburse the Commonwealth for costs incurred. The charges will be calculated either on an actual cost basis or a standard unit cost basis.

(2) If Department personnel or State Police, or both, escort the permitted vehicle, the permittee shall reimburse the Commonwealth for costs incurred. The charges will be calculated either on an actual cost basis or a standard unit cost basis.

(3) The fee for a permit if Department telecommunications equipment is used in processing is $1.

(4) The fee for an annual permit for special mobile equipment with overweight axles is $300.

(5) The fee for a seasonal permit for an implement of husbandry as authorized in § 179.15a(c) (relating to seasonal/annual permits) is $25.

(6) The fee for each submission of a preliminary super load application listing a gross weight in excess of 201,000 pounds is $50 plus $10 for each county involved in the routing.

(7) The fees for a permit issued under an executed multistate permit agreement shall be assessed in accordance with the agreement fee schedules.

(f) Refund. Section 1947 of the act (relating to refund of certain fees), authorizes the Department to refund a portion of the fees paid on unused permits. To be eligible to receive a refund, the permittee shall submit the following to the permit office to which payment is made:

(1) The permittee's copy, including a wired copy, of the permit.

(2) A refund request, in writing, which shall include an explanation as to why the permit was not used.

(3) Requests for refunds shall be postmarked or delivered to the appropriate permit office on or before the permit expiration date.

(g) Permit supplements.

(1) The Department may authorize or require modifications to the permit by issuing a supplement. A supplement may be issued to change a route or as otherwise provided in this subsection. A supplement will not be issued to change weights, dimensions, the permittee's name or the type of load or to authorize other changes which may only be authorized under a new permit.

(2) The permittee may request, in writing, a supplement to the permit for the following reasons:
(i) A substitution of a motor vehicle, a truck tractor or a semitrailer due to vehicle breakdown, if no weights or sizes are increased and the substitute vehicle has the same number of axles and wheels with spacings between axles and vehicle manufacturer's ratings no less than the permitted vehicle.

(ii) A one-time request for a 3 weekday time extension of a single-trip permit, if requested prior to the permit's expiration.

(iii) A necessary change to the scheduled date of the start of a movement to be escorted by the State Police, that is submitted and approved at least 24 hours prior to the initial movement in this Commonwealth.

(iv) A change to the registration number of a vehicle due to the issuance of a new vehicle registration number by the state in which the vehicle is registered.

(v) In the case of seasonal or annual permits, a change in the transporting vehicle due to the purchase of a replacement vehicle, if weights or sizes are not increased and the purchased vehicle has the same number of axles and wheels, with spacings between axles and vehicle manufacturer's ratings no less than the former permitted vehicle.

(3) If approved, a free supplement authorizing a modification to the permit will be issued, in writing, by the Department. Supplements shall be attached to the permit.

(h) Alteration of permit. A person may not alter, forge or counterfeit a permit or supplement. A person may not display an altered, forged or counterfeited permit or supplement. Alteration of a permit or supplement immediately invalidates the permit.

This section cited in 67 Pa. Code § 179.8 (relating to permit application procedure); 67 Pa. Code § 179.12 (relating to emergency movements); and 67 Pa. Code § 179.13 (relating to permit services).

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