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

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
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
A. When similar multiple moves
				  occur within a specific geographic area for a set time period, the Issuing
				  Authority may, at its discretion, issue a permit listing a variety of vehicles
				  capable of performing multiple trips.