Iowa Code § 321E.8 — IA Code / Title VIII / Chapter 321E / Section 321E.8
Annual permits.
Status: in_force

Subject to the discretion and judgment provided for in section 321E.2, annual permits shall be issued in accordance with the following provisions:

(1) Vehicles with indivisible loads, or manufactured or mobile homes including appurtenances, having an overall width not to exceed sixteen feet zero inches, an overall length not to exceed one hundred twenty feet zero inches, an overall height not to exceed fifteen feet five inches, and except for vehicles in compliance with section 321.463, subsection 6, paragraph “c”, subparagraph (1), a total gross weight not to exceed eighty thousand pounds, may be moved as follows:

(1) (a) Vehicles with indivisible loads, or manufactured or mobile homes including appurtenances, having an overall width not to exceed twelve feet five inches, an overall length not to exceed one hundred twenty feet zero inches, and an overall height not to exceed thirteen feet ten inches may be moved for unlimited distances without route approval from the permit-issuing authority.

(1) (b) Vehicles with indivisible loads, or manufactured or mobile homes including appurtenances, having an overall width not to exceed fourteen feet six inches, an overall length not to exceed one hundred twenty feet zero inches, and an overall height not to exceed fifteen feet five inches may be moved on the interstate highway system and primary highways with more than one lane traveling in each direction for unlimited distances and no more than fifty miles from the point of origin on all other highways without route approval from the permit-issuing authority.

(1) (c) All other vehicles with indivisible loads operating under this subsection shall obtain route approval from the permit-issuing authority.

(1) (d) Vehicles with indivisible loads may operate under an all-systems permit in compliance with paragraph “a”, “b”, or “c”.

(2) Vehicles with indivisible or divisible loads having an overall width not to exceed the width authorized under section 321.454, an overall length not to exceed the length authorized under section 321.457, an overall height not to exceed the height authorized under section 321.456, and a total gross weight not to exceed the gross weight authorized under section 321.463 by more than twelve and one-half percent, may operate under an all-systems permit and shall obtain route approval from the department. Permitted vehicles under this subsection with a gross weight exceeding eighty thousand pounds shall not be allowed to travel on any portion of the interstate road system.

(3) Vehicles with indivisible loads, or manufactured or mobile homes including appurtenances, having an overall width not to exceed thirteen feet five inches and an overall length not to exceed one hundred twenty feet zero inches may be moved on highways specified by the permit-issuing authority for unlimited distances if the height of the vehicle and load does not exceed fifteen feet five inches and the total gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed one hundred fifty-six thousand pounds.

(3) (a) The vehicle owner or operator shall verify with the permit-issuing authority prior to movement of the load that highway conditions have not changed so as to prohibit movement of the vehicle.

(3) (b) Any cost to repair damage to highways or highway structures shall be borne by the owner or operator of the vehicle causing the damage.

(3) (c) Permitted vehicles under this subsection shall not be allowed to travel on any portion of the interstate highway system.

(3) (d) Vehicles with indivisible loads operating under the permit provisions of this subsection may operate under the permit provisions of subsection 1 provided the vehicle and load comply with the limitations described in subsection 1.

(4) Cranes that are being temporarily moved on highways and that have an overall width not to exceed the width authorized under section 321.454, an overall height not to exceed the height authorized under section 321.456, and an overall length not to exceed the length authorized under section 321.457 may be moved on highways specified by the permit-issuing authority if the total gross weight of the crane does not exceed eighty thousand pounds. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this subsection.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, cranes exceeding the maximum gross weight on any axle as prescribed in section 321.463 or 321E.7 and used in the construction of alternative energy facilities may be moved with approval from the permit-issuing authority.

[C31, 35, §5067-d7, -d8; C39, §5035.16; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, §321.467; C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, §321E.3, 321E.8; C81, §321E.8; 82 Acts, ch 1075, §1]88 Acts, ch 1208, §2; 91 Acts, ch 133, §1; 92 Acts, ch 1173, §1; 97 Acts, ch 100, §8; 97 Acts, ch 104, §25; 99 Acts, ch 13, §20, 29; 2001 Acts, ch 32, §26, 27; 2002 Acts, ch 1063, §36, 55; 2003 Acts, ch 44, §59; 2008 Acts, ch 1124, §11, 40; 2013 Acts, ch 49, §5; 2022 Acts, ch 1076, §4, 8; 2022 Acts, ch 1086, §1, 3; 2025 Acts, ch 149, §2