Oversized and overweight vehicles

Transportation of oversized and overweight cargo across the territory of Ukraine is carried out in accordance with the following regulatory legal acts:

– The Law of Ukraine “On Motor Transport”; (https://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2344-14)

– The Law of Ukraine “On Road Traffic”; (https://zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3353-12)

– The Traffic Rules approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of October 10, 2001 (as amended); (https://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1306-2001-%D0%BF)

– Resolution of the CMU No. 30 of 18.01.2001 “On the movement of oversized and overweight vehicles on public roads, streets, and railway crossings”. (https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/30-2001-%D0%BF)

– Resolution of the CMU No. 879 of 27.06.2007 “On measures for preserving public roads”. (https://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/879-2007-%D0%BF)

   An overweight or oversized vehicle is considered a vehicle whose weight and/or dimensional parameters exceed the normative axle load(s), and whose total mass or dimensions exceed at least one of the parameters specified in paragraph 22.5 of the Traffic Rules. At the same time, a vehicle shall not be considered overweight and/or oversized if its parameters do not exceed the normative limits by more than 2 percent.

   The movement of overweight and oversized vehicles on public roads, streets, and railway crossings is carried out on the basis of a permit for participation in road traffic for vehicles whose weight or dimensional parameters exceed the normative limits (hereinafter – the permit), issued to the carrier by the authorized subdivision of the National Police, or a document confirming payment for the passage of such vehicles.

   The permit is issued by the authorized subdivision of the National Police based on approval documents from the owners of the street and road network, railway crossings, bridge infrastructure, public electric transport services, power networks, electrification, and telecommunications, which define the conditions and mode of passage of such vehicles.

   A carrier intending to use an overweight and/or oversized vehicle must apply to Ukravtodor enterprises for route approval no later than three days before the intended movement. The permit for the movement of an overweight and/or oversized vehicle is issued by the relevant subdivision of the National Police after the route approval is provided.

   It is prohibited to move oversized and overweight vehicles without the appropriate permit or a document confirming payment for passage, which must be kept by the driver and presented upon the request of authorized persons.

   If at least one weight and/or dimensional parameter exceeds the normative limit by more than 2 percent, further movement of the vehicle is prohibited until payment is made for its passage on public roads (hereinafter – passage fee). The passage fee for an overweight and/or oversized vehicle that moved without an appropriate permit is charged at double the rate for the part of the route traveled within the territory of Ukraine. A certificate of weight and dimensional control and/or a weighing certificate, or a document confirming payment for passage, is valid throughout the entire route.

   The movement of overweight and/or oversized vehicles may be temporarily restricted or prohibited in case of weather and climatic conditions that may cause significant damage to public roads or negatively affect traffic safety. Seasonal restrictions may also be established for specific routes or road sections, and Ukravtodor must inform carriers in a timely manner through mass media or by posting relevant information on a designated web page.

   Restrictions or prohibition of movement during daytime when the air temperature exceeds +28°C apply to vehicles with an actual mass of more than 24 tons and an axle load of 7 tons, except for vehicles transporting hazardous goods, perishable cargo, live animals and poultry, as well as transportation related to the prevention or elimination of emergency situations.

               Payment for passage and fines

   Current legislation and other regulatory acts provide for liability for transporting cargo exceeding the permitted limits and for calculating the passage fee for public roads, which is calculated according to the following formula:

       P = (Rzm + Rnv + Rg) × V

where P – the amount of the passage fee;

     Rzm – fee for exceeding the total mass of the vehicle per 1 km of travel;

     Rnv – fee for exceeding axle load (single + double + triple) per 1 km of travel;

     Rg – fee for exceeding vehicle dimensions (height + width + length) per 1 km of travel;

     V – transportation distance, in kilometers.

   Axles are considered double or triple if the distance between adjacent axles does not exceed 2.5 meters. In case of exceeding at least one normative weight or dimension parameter:

• up to 10% – the passage fee is charged at double the rate;
• 10–40% – the passage fee is charged at triple the rate;
• more than 40% – the passage fee is charged at five times the rate.

   According to the Law of Ukraine “On Motor Transport”, the liability for traveling without the required documents for vehicles whose weight parameters exceed the normative limits is as follows:

• exceeding weight and dimension norms by 5% to 10% inclusive – a fine of 500 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens;
• exceeding norms by more than 10% but not more than 20% – a fine of 1,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens;
• exceeding norms by more than 20% – a fine of 2,000 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens.