Oversize / Overweight Permits in British Columbia
British Columbia Oversize/Overweight Regulations
According to British Columbia law, any load exceeding the following weight and size limits is considered an oversized/overweight load:
Legal Size Limit:
Width:
- 8′ 6.36″ (2.6 m) (from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices)
Length:
- Single unit (straight truck) – 41′ 0.13″ (12.5 m) (from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further)
- Semitrailer – 53′ 1.80″ (16.2 m) (from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further)
- Vehicle combinations – 75′ 5.51″ (23.0 m) (from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further)
Height:
- 13′ 7.39″ (4.15 m)
Legal Weight Limit:
- Maximum GVW: 139,994 (63,500 kg)
- Steering axle: 16,535 lbs (7,500 kg)
- Single or tandem axle: 20,062 lbs (9,100 kg)
- Tridem axle: 37,479 lbs (17,000 kg)
For more details, please see:
British Columbia Single Trip Oversize/Overweight Permits
A general single-trip permit is issued for non-divisible oversized and overweight loads exceeding the legal limits. It covers one movement from point A to point B during the running times specified in the permit. You may need to request a return trip permit.
CATEGORY A:
- Maximum Overall Width: 3.2m
- Maximum Overall Height (Term): 4.3m
- Maximum Overall Height (Single Trip): 4.88m
- Maximum Overall (Loaded) Length:
- Combinations: 27.5m
- Single Vehicles: 16.0m
- Overall Height (Term or Single Trip) in Peace River Region: 5.33m
- Basic Travel Time Window: Any time, any day.
CATEGORY B:
- Maximum Overall Width: 3.8m
- Maximum Overall (Loaded) Length for Combinations: 36.0m
- Basic Travel Time Window: Any time and day except as noted on the permit.
CATEGORY C:
- Maximum Overall Width: 4.4m
- Maximum Overall (Loaded) Length for Combinations: 46.0m
- Basic Travel Time Window: Any time and day except as noted on the permit.
For more details:
https://www.alberta.ca/commercial-vehicle-weight-and-dimension-permits
British Columbia Annual Oversize/Overweight Permits
British Columbia does not provide annual OSOW permits that allow for unrestricted movement for up to 365 days.
For more details:
British Columbia Wide Load Requirements
All vehicles/loads wider than 8′ 6.36″ (2.6 m) require an oversized permit issued by the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation.
Oversize Load Flag Requirements:
For widths exceeding 2.6 m, red or orange flags must be placed on all four corners of each load or trailer. During daylight travel, a red or orange flag is necessary on any front projection over 1 m and/or rear projection over 1.2 m. The minimum size is 30 cm square.
Oversize Load Banner Requirements:
Vehicles or loads wider than 3.2 m must display wide load, D sign, or oversize load signs at the front and rear. For vehicles or loads (excluding B-Trains) longer than 25 m, long load, D sign, or oversize load signs are required at the front and rear.
Oversize Load Sign Requirements:
“Wide Load” and “Oversize Load” signs:
- Size: 1.5m x 0.3m
- Lettering: Black on yellow background
- “Wide Load” letters: 20cm high, 3cm stroke
- Border: 9.5mm black border
Front and rear sign:
- Size: 2.45m x 0.3m
- Letter: “D” centered, 20cm high, Series E
- Reflective quality
- White portions: Good reflective quality
- Red portions: Painted with transparent red paint used for stop signs.
Oversize Load Lighting Requirements:
Lights are required if the width is over 2.6m.
Night travel:
- Lights on extremities:
- Amber lamps facing forward
- Red lamps facing the rear
Daylight travel (3.21m to 3.5m):
- Option 1: One or two amber flashing or rotating beacons mounted on the truck
- Option 2: Minimum one pilot vehicle
Travel in darkness:
- White light required on front projection over 1m
- Red light required on rear projection over 1.2 m
Additional safety measures:
- Amber lamps or beacons on the towing unit or at the rear of the vehicle/load.
Oversize Pilot Cars and Escort Vehicles Requirements:
Minimum pilot car requirements by width:
For widths over 3.2 m, at least one pilot car is needed in specified areas:
- Vancouver Island: Hwy #4 (Taylor River Bridge to Tofino) and Hwy 30 (Hwy 19 to Port Alice).
- Sunshine Coast: Hwy 101 (Langdale to Earl’s Cove).
- Lower Mainland/Southern Interior: Hwy 99 (Pemberton to Lillooet).
- Kootenays: Hwy 3A/31 (Balfour-Kaslo-Galena Bay Hwy) and Hwy 33 (southbound to Westbridge Bridge).
- Peace River Region: Hwy 97 (Junction 77/97 to Yukon border).
Widths 3.2 to 3.5 m may not require a pilot car during daylight if equipped with amber flashing lights.
Length specific requirements:
- For lengths over 27.5 m to 29 m (and up to 2.6 m wide), pilot cars are necessary at selected locations, with longer lengths not permitted.
Highway classification requirements:
- Different pilot car requirements based on overall length and width for 2-lane vs. multi-lane highways.
Additional locations & conditions:
- West Kootenay/Rocky Mountain Districts: Specific highways require pilot cars for lengths over 27.5 m up to 31 m.
- Special conditions: Hwy 97 in Prince George to be treated as a 2-lane highway for pilot car requirements.
Front or rear projection:
- Minimum one pilot car for front projection beyond 3 m or rear projection beyond 6.5 m, with two pilot cars required for loads exceeding 3.8 m in width and projections beyond specified limits.
Note: Additional escort requirements can be specified on the permit.
British Columbia Wide Load Restrictions
All loads wider than 8′ 6.36″ (2.6 m) are subject to the following restrictions:
Oversize Holiday Restrictions:
Travel is not permitted on specific holidays, including New Year’s Day, Provincial Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Family Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Oversize Legal Travel Times Restrictions:
Travel is allowed at all times, provided that the dimensions do not exceed 10 feet 6 inches in width, 14 feet 6 inches in height, or 82 feet in length. If any dimension exceeds these limits, travel is restricted to daylight hours, excluding Sundays, and prohibited during the summer months (from the last Friday in June to the second Monday in September) after 2:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays until 4:00 a.m. the following day.
Oversize Road and Bridge Restrictions:
All vehicles, including driven and towed, must comply with posted bridge weight limits.
You must operate at the lowest practical speed when crossing bridges if your vehicle’s weight exceeds the legal requirements.
Driving or operating a vehicle over a bridge exceeding the posted load limit without a permit from the relevant authority is prohibited by law. This includes adherence to tridem axle load limits set by the minister responsible for transportation administration, which also applies to groups of three axles within a spread of 3.7 meters or less.
As for the oversize road restrictions, they include but are not limited to the following:
- driving through work zones that are under construction
- neglecting warning signals when driving through work zones
- not giving traffic priority to law enforcement, emergency vehicles, etc.
Oversize Seasonal Weight Restrictions:
To safeguard the road network, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has implemented a Seasonal Strength Loss Program for heavy vehicles and commercial transport trucks traveling on B.C. Highways. This initiative identifies and enforces load limitations on roads or sections of roads that have been compromised by excessive water in the road base. Load restrictions are lifted once the road’s structural integrity is confirmed.
For more details:
https://www.th.gov.bc.ca/BCHighways/loadrestrictions/loadrestrictions.htm
British Columbia Wide Load Limits
Everything wider than 8′ 6.36″ (2.6 m) requires a permit to be moved on public roads.
Maximum Load Limits Until a Trucking Permit Is Required:
Wider than 8′ 6.36″ (2.6 m) (from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices)
Axle Weight Limits:
Legal axle weight limit:
- Maximum GVW: 139,994 (63,500 kg)
- Steering axle: 16,535 lbs (7,500 kg)
- Single or tandem axle: 20,062 lbs (9,100 kg)
- Tridem axle: 37,479 lbs (17,000 kg)
Note: Limits may vary depending on the specific axle configuration and vehicle type.
The maximum permitted axle weight limit:
- Per-axle weight depends on the axle configuration and the type of permit
Oversize Tire Regulations:
Starting October 1, BC law mandates winter tires for vehicles on certain highways.
Here are the key regulations and recommendations:
- Winter tires: Legal winter tires for standard or all-wheel vehicles require a minimum tread depth of 3.5 mm.
- Commercial trucks: Commercial trucks weighing 5,000 kg to 27,000 kg GVW primarily use chains for traction, with a preference for steel link chains due to their superior traction and prevention of lateral slippage. Cable-style chains are acceptable only alongside steel link chains on drive axles, as they lack sufficient traction on banked curves.
- Tire chains: From October 1st to March 31st, all commercial trucks must carry tire chains.
- Studded tires: Studded tires are permissible on BC highways between October 1 and April 30, with stud protrusion limited to 2 mm. Usage outside of this period may incur fines.
- Overall, tires must be in normal operating condition, properly inflated, and feature the minimum legal tread depth.
British Columbia IRP Permits
Immediate issuance of Single Trip, Non-Resident permits (analog to IRP permits) is available for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight ranging from 5,000 kg to 63,500 kg. This applies to the following vehicle categories: commercial vehicles, commercial passenger vehicles (buses), industrial vehicles (x-plated), farm tractors, and farm vehicles.
British Columbia Fuel Permits
This permit is temporary and must be obtained by the owner/operator of a motive fuel-powered IFTA commercial vehicle that is not currently registered under IFTA (i.e., lacking a current IFTA license and decals) each time the vehicle enters British Columbia.
An IFTA commercial vehicle refers to a motor vehicle used for the commercial transportation of passengers or goods across provinces or internationally. It meets one of the following criteria:
- It has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 11,800 kg.
- It has three or more axles, regardless of weight.
- When combined with the trailer it’s used with, its gross vehicle weight exceeds 11,800 kg.
However, it excludes recreational vehicles.
For vehicles licensed under 11,800 kg but equipped with more than two axles, you need to contact the Provincial Permit Centre for further assistance.
British Columbia Specialty Permits
The need for special permits may arise from your load’s nature, size, and weight.
Term Oversize Permits:
This type of permit is immediately issued for specific commodities exclusively, including:
- General vehicles and loads
- General mobile homes
- Boomsticks and poles
- Round haybales
- Long logs
- Auto carriers, campers, and boats
- Intercity buses with pony trailers
Amber Light Permits:
Vehicles escorting oversized loads shall be equipped with roof-mounted amber warning lights.
Loading Zone Permits:
A loading zone permit may be issued for using commercial loading zones by non-commercial delivery vehicles.
For more information about specialty permits:
Oversize/Overweight Load Fines in British Columbia
Oversize and overweight fines in British Columbia depend on the weight exceeding the maximum legal requirements.
Every person who drives or operates an overloaded vehicle is liable to a fine of not less than $100 and, in addition, to a penalty of $10 per 100 kg, or part of it, of the gross weight in excess of that allowed by the regulations or a permit.
Oversize/Overweight Permits Costs in British Columbia
The cost of British Columbia OSOW permits varies depending on the load type, nature, and excessive weight and size.
You may also be charged an application fee for processing and handling your permit request.
Trucking Permit Service
Express Permits provides a full spectrum of trucking permit services, assisting motor carriers in obtaining the appropriate oversize and overweight permits, coordinating with authorities, and ensuring compliance with state regulations, saving valuable time, effort, and potential penalties. You can rely on us regardless of your load’s type, nature, and destination.