La. Admin. Code tit. 73 § I-303

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-303 - Types of Permits

A. Oversize Permits. These permits are for vehicles and loads which exceed the legal limitations on width, height, length, or projecting loads. The fee is $8 for a single trip if the trip lasts less than one day or $8 for a single day if the trip lasts more than one day. Oversize permits may be issued on regular permit forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), control permit forms (C-forms), or prepaid permit forms (A-forms).

B. Overweight Permits. These permits are for vehicles and loads which exceed the legal limitations on axle weight or gross vehicle weight. They may be valid for vehicles or loads which are both oversize and overweight if the dimensions are noted on the permit. These permits are valid for a single trip; the fee is based on weight and the distance to be traveled. If a vehicle and load is both oversize and overweight, only the overweight fee is charged. Overweight permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or control forms (C-forms).

C. Monthly Oversize Permits. These permits are for vehicles and loads which exceed the legal limitations on width, height, length, or projecting loads; but which do not exceed the legal weight limitations. Vehicles and loads may not be more than 12 feet wide; more than 14 feet, 4 inches high; or more than 90 feet long. Monthly oversize permits may be valid for as long as 12 months and may be issued for Monday through Friday only, Monday through Saturday only, or for every day of the week (except holidays when requested). The fee is $8 for each day that the permit is valid. These permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or control forms (C-forms).

D. Forest Product Permits. These permits are for vehicles transporting plywood bolts or pulp-wood which exceeds the legal limitations on width. The permits allow a maximum width of 9 feet when the pulpwood or plywood bolts are transported across the vehicle, rather than lengthwise. They are valid for a year, but may be used only on noninterstate highways. On interstate highways oversize permits must be obtained on a daily basis. The fee is $5 a year. Vehicles with forest product permits are not prohibited from traveling during moderate weather, on Sundays after 1 p.m., or on holidays; but they are prohibited from traveling at night. Forest product permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or control forms (C-forms).

E. Forest Management Equipment Permits. These permits are for forest management equipment which exceeds the legal limitations on width. These permits will allow a maximum width of 10 feet. General construction equipment (bulldozers, draglines, graders, etc.) is excluded from this permit; included are rubber-tired and tracktype skidders, tree shears, feller bunchers, tree planting equipment, log loaders, shredders, yarders, tractors, chippers, portable chippers, drum choppers, pre-haulers, and fire plows. These permits are valid for a year, but only on noninterstate highways. Oversize permits must be obtained for travel on interstate highways. The fee is $5 a year. Vehicles with forest management equipment permits are not prohibited from traveling on Sundays after 1 p.m., on holidays, or during moderate weather, but are prohibited from traveling at night. Forest management equipment permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or control forms (C-forms).

F. Utility Vehicle Permits. These permits are for vehicles transporting utility poles which exceed the legal limitations on length and projecting loads. These permits will allow a maximum length of 90 feet as long as the poles are at least 2 feet above the roadway. These permits may be purchased only by utility companies, but may be used by contractors working for these companies. Utility vehicle permits are valid for 24 hours from the effective date and time of day shown on the permit. The fee is $8 for 24 hours. Once they are filled out in ink, they may be used without calling the truck permit office for activation. Vehicles with valid utility vehicle permits are not prohibited from traveling at night, during severe weather, on Sundays after 1 p.m., or on holidays. Utility vehicle permits are issued on the U-form.

G. Waste Disposal Truck Permits. These permits are for waste disposal trucks which have single axles on the rear and which exceed the legal limitations for axle weight on the rear axle. A waste disposal truck permit will allow a maximum of 23,000 pounds on the rear axle. The overweight rear axle must be equipped with dual-mounted tires, and tires on the overweight axle must have a width of 10.00 or larger. These trucks must have been in actual use in Louisiana by January 1, 1977; trucks purchased after this date do not qualify and must meet the legal limitations. Waste disposal truck permits are valid only on noninterstate highways. These vehicles must be of legal weight on interstate highways. These permits are valid for a year, and the fee is $5 a year. Vehicles with waste disposal truck permits are not prohibited from traveling at night, during moderate weather, on Sundays after 1 p.m., or on holidays. Waste disposal truck permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or on control forms (C-forms).

H. Steering Axle Permits. These permits are for equipment which is primarily used off-road, which only occasionally uses the state-maintained highway system, and which exceeds the legal axle weight on the steering axle, due to its design. (Rig-up trucks may obtain a steering axle permit if their length does not exceed 45 feet and their width does not exceed 10 feet. No load may be carried by a rig-up truck with a steering axle permit, and another vehicle may not be towed by the truck). A vehicle with a steering axle permit must be equipped with tires of 10.00 width or larger. These permits are valid for a year, but only on noninterstate highways. On interstate highways overweight permits must be purchased on a single-trip basis. The fee is $15 a year. If a waste disposal truck requires both a waste disposal truck permit and a steering axle permit, only the fee for the steering axle permit shall be charged. Vehicles with valid steering axle permits are not prohibited from traveling at night, during moderate weather, on Sundays after 1 p.m., or on holidays. Steering axle permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or on control forms (C-forms).

I. Harvest Season Permits

1. These permits are for vehicles which haul farm products in their natural state and which exceed the legal limitations on gross vehicle weight or axle weight. (A 500-pound variance shall be added to the permitted axle weight as long as the permitted gross vehicle weight is not exceeded.)

2. On noninterstate highways the maximum weights are:

a. gross vehicle weight-83,400 pounds;

b. single axles-20,700 pounds (500 pounds variance = 21,200 pounds);

c. tandem axles-354,200 pounds (500 pounds variance = 35,700 pounds).

3. On interstate highways the maximum weights are:

a. gross vehicle weight-83,000 pounds;

b. single axles-19,800 pounds (500 pounds variance = 20,300 pounds);

c. tandem axles-354,200 pounds x 500 pounds variance = 35,700 pounds).

4. These permits are valid for a year, and the fee is $5 a year. Vehicles with harvest season permits are not prohibited from traveling at night, during moderate rain, on Sundays after 1 p.m., or on holidays. Harvest season permits are issued on the F-form.

J. Oil Field Equipment Permits. These permits are for lowboys which are designed to transport oil field equipment and which exceed the legal length and width limitations. These permits allow a lowboy combination to have a maximum length of 70 feet and a maximum width of 10 feet. Oil field equipment permits are valid only on noninterstate highways and only when no load is being carried. Oversize or overweight permits must be obtained when the vehicle is carrying a load or when the vehicle is traveling on interstate highways. The fee is $15 for a month. Vehicles with oil field equipment permits are not prohibited from traveling on Sundays after 1 p.m., on holidays, at night, or during moderate rain. Oil field equipment permits may be issued on regular forms (P-forms), transmitted forms (telecopies), or control forms (C-forms).

K. Vehicles Hauling Sugarcane. These permits are issued annually for vehicles hauling sugarcane at a gross weight not to exceed 100,000 pounds. The vehicle and trailer combination must meet all other Louisiana legal requirements and shall have an additional single axle on the sugarcane trailer for a total of six axles for the vehicle and trailer combination. The additional axle must be equipped with dual mounted tires lowered to the ground and functioning as a load bearing axle when hauling sugarcane. The fee for these permits is $100 per permit per year. (The legal requirements can be found in a manual entitled Louisiana Regulations for Trucks, Vehicles and Loads 2012 available on the internet at https://perba.dotd.louisiana.gov/ welcome.nsf/RegBook2012).

L. Special Permits for Transporting Hay

1. If there is a declaration of emergency or disaster in this state or another, for causes such as but not limited to severe and extended drought conditions, special permits may be issued by the secretary for those vehicles transporting hay. The permit fee shall be $10 and shall be valid for only as long as the emergency exists, not to exceed one year. In addition, the following restrictions shall apply.

a. The total length of the vehicle and trailer shall not exceed 65 feet on non-interstate routes and the load and trailer shall not exceed 59 feet 6 inches on Interstate routes. The total weight of the vehicle and trailer shall not exceed 80,000 pounds for a 5 axle rig and 83,400 pounds for a 6 axle rig which also must include a tridum. Vehicles transporting hay bales loaded side by side across trailers shall not exceed 12 feet in width and 14 feet in height.

b. Travel is limited to daylight hours beginning at sunrise and ending at sunset and is limited by all no movement requirements on certain holidays.

c. Vehicles must travel with the required signs and flags properly placed and indicating that they carry oversized loads.

d. Vehicles must be equipped with mirrors that allow drivers to have a clear view of the highway to least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle.

e. Loads must be securely bound to the transporting vehicles.

f. Carriers, owners and drivers of any vehicle being operated are responsible for verifying in advance that the actual dimensions and weights of the vehicles and loads are acceptable for all routes being traveled.

g. It is the responsibility of the carriers, owners and drivers to track the status of the declared emergencies. In the event the emergency expires prior to the one year period, the owner, carrier and driver shall be responsible for terminating use of the permit. Information regarding the status of declared emergencies may obtained by calling the department Permit Office toll free at (800) 654-1433 or (225) 343-2345 for the Baton Rouge area.

h. No vehicle shall exceed weight limits posted for bridges and similar structures, or relieve any vehicle or carrier, owner or driver of any vehicle from compliance with any restrictions other than those specified, or from any statute, rule, order or other legal requirement.

La. Admin. Code tit. 73, § I-303

Promulgated by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Highways, LR 5:36 (February 1979), amended by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Operations and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of State Police, LR 39:98 (January 2013), Amended by the Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Operations, LR 401945 (10/1/2014).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 32:2 et seq.