Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.717 — MI Code / Chapter 257 / Act Act-300-of-1949 / Section 257.717
Maximum permissible width of vehicle or load; extension beyond center line of highway; permit; designation of highway for operation of vehicle or vehicle combination; special permit; boat lift or trailer; snowplow blade; violation as civil infraction; charging owner.
Status: in_force

Sec. 717.

(1) The total outside width of a vehicle or the load on a vehicle shall not exceed 96 inches, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(2) A person may operate or move an implement of husbandry of any width on a highway as required, designed, and intended for farming operations, including the movement of implements of husbandry being driven or towed and not hauled on a trailer, without obtaining a special permit for an excessively wide vehicle or load under section 725. The operation or movement of the implement of husbandry shall be in a manner so as to minimize the interruption of traffic flow. A person shall not operate or move an implement of husbandry to the left of the center of the roadway from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, under the conditions specified in section 639, or at any time visibility is substantially diminished due to weather conditions. A person operating or moving an implement of husbandry shall follow all traffic regulations.

(3) The total outside width of the load of a vehicle hauling concrete pipe, ferrous pipe, agricultural products, or unprocessed logs, pulpwood, or wood bolts shall not exceed 108 inches.

(4) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (5) and this subsection, if a vehicle that is equipped with pneumatic tires is operated on a highway, the maximum width from the outside of 1 wheel and tire to the outside of the opposite wheel and tire shall not exceed 102 inches, and the outside width of the body of the vehicle or the load on the vehicle shall not exceed 96 inches. However, a truck and trailer or a tractor and semitrailer combination hauling pulpwood or unprocessed logs may be operated with a maximum width of not to exceed 108 inches in accordance with a special permit issued under section 725.

(5) The total outside body width of a school bus, a bus, a trailer coach, a trailer, a semitrailer, a truck camper, or a motor home shall not exceed 102 inches. However, an appurtenance of a school bus, a trailer coach, a truck camper, or a motor home that extends not more than 6 inches beyond the total outside body width does not violate this section.

(6) A vehicle shall not extend beyond the center line of a state trunk line highway except when authorized by law. Except as provided in subsection (2), if the width of the vehicle makes it impossible to stay away from the center line, a permit shall be obtained under section 725.

(7) The director of the state transportation department, a county road commission, or a local authority may designate a highway under the agency's jurisdiction as a highway on which a person may operate a vehicle or vehicle combination that is not more than 102 inches in width, including load, the operation of which would otherwise be prohibited by this section. The agency making the designation may require that the owner or lessee of the vehicle or of each vehicle in the vehicle combination secure a permit before operating the vehicle or vehicle combination. This subsection does not restrict the issuance of a special permit under section 725 for the operation of a vehicle or vehicle combination. This subsection does not permit the operation of a vehicle or vehicle combination described in section 722a carrying a load described in that section if the operation would otherwise result in a violation of that section.

(8) The director of the state transportation department, a county road commission, or a local authority may issue a special permit under section 725 to a person operating a vehicle or vehicle combination if all of the following are met:

(a) The vehicle or vehicle combination, including load, is not more than 106 inches in width.

(b) The vehicle or vehicle combination is used solely to move new motor vehicles or parts or components of new motor vehicles between facilities that meet all of the following:

( i ) New motor vehicles or parts or components of new motor vehicles are manufactured or assembled in the facilities.

( ii ) The facilities are located within 10 miles of each other.

( iii ) The facilities are located within the city limits of the same city and the city is located in a county that has a population of more than 400,000 and less than 500,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census.

(c) The special permit and any renewals are each issued for a term of 1 year or less.

(9) A person may move or operate a boat lift of any width or an oversized hydraulic boat trailer owned and operated by a marina or watercraft dealer in a commercial boat storage operation on a highway under a multiple trip permit issued on an annual basis as specified under section 725. The operation or movement of the boat lift or trailer shall minimize the interruption of traffic flow. It shall be used exclusively to transport a boat between a place of storage and a marina or in and around a marina. A boat lift or oversized hydraulic boat trailer may be operated, drawn, or towed on a street or highway only when transporting a vessel between a body of water and a place of storage or when traveling empty to or from transporting a vessel. A boat lift shall not be operated on limited access highways. A person moving or operating a boat lift or oversized hydraulic boat trailer shall follow all traffic regulations and shall ensure the route selected has adequate power and utility wire height clearance.

(10) A person may operate or move a truck to which a snowplow blade that is wider than 96 inches but no more than 132 inches wide is mounted without obtaining a special permit for an excessively wide vehicle or load under section 725. This subsection only applies between October 1 and May 1 of each year. A person operating a truck described in this subsection shall minimize the overwidth condition of the snowplow blade when not engaged in snow removal by angling the plow blade or any other method. This subsection does not apply to a person operating construction equipment for snow removal.

(11) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a violation of this section.

History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949; Am. 1951, Act 68, Eff. Sept. 28, 1951; Am. 1952, Act 69, Imd. Eff. Apr. 8, 1952; Am. 1953, Act 206, Imd. Eff. June 10, 1953; Am. 1954, Act 92, Eff. Aug. 13, 1954; Am. 1964, Act 222, Eff. Aug. 28, 1964; Am. 1966, Act 237, Eff. Mar. 10, 1967; Am. 1976, Act 320, Imd. Eff. Dec. 7, 1976; Am. 1978, Act 391, Eff. Jan. 15, 1979; Am. 1978, Act 510, Eff. Aug. 1, 1979; Am. 1979, Act 16, Eff. Aug. 1, 1979; Am. 1982, Act 533, Eff. Mar. 30, 1983; Am. 1987, Act 90, Imd. Eff. July 1, 1987; Am. 1992, Act 257, Imd. Eff. Dec. 7, 1992; Am. 1999, Act 63, Imd. Eff. June 17, 1999; Am. 2000, Act 7, Imd. Eff. Feb. 25, 2000; Am. 2002, Act 453, Imd. Eff. June 21, 2002; Am. 2002, Act 552, Eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Am. 2004, Act 511, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 2005; Am. 2008, Act 539, Imd. Eff. Jan. 13, 2009; Am. 2014, Act 391, Imd. Eff. Dec. 22, 2014; Am. 2018, Act 273, Eff. Sept. 27, 2018; Am. 2018, Act 342, Eff. Jan. 14, 2019