A vehicle is said to be oversized/overweight when its axle load, its total loaded mass or one of its dimensions does not comply with the limits provided for in the Vehicle Load and Size Limits Regulation.
The Highway Safety Code (section 463) provides that no owner or operator of an oversized/overweight vehicle or a vehicle with an indivisible load may drive this vehicle on the road network, unless he or she holds a special permit issued for this purpose.
The special permit is issued in compliance with the Regulation respecting special permits.
The Regulation respecting special permits establishes the special driving conditions to be respected when a vehicle is outsized due to its manufacturing, the addition of equipment, or an indivisible load.
The Government may, by regulation, in accordance with section 621, paragraphs 19, 20 and 35 of the Highway Safety Code:
The Regulation respecting special permits applies to owners, lessees, operators and drivers of outsized vehicles or vehicles with an indivisible load, as well as shippers and transportation intermediaries.
The Regulation respecting special permits provides seven classes and two categories of special permits. Size and load limits, with which outsized vehicles and combination of vehicles (with or without indivisible load) must comply, are specified for each class of special permit classes.
There are two categories:
The general category authorizes its holder to make trips:
The specific category authorizes its holder to make a trip with a specified route, including the return trip along the same route, for no longer than 7 consecutive days.
Any vehicle used in accordance with a special permit must be driven with its headlights on and equipped with a functioning amber light with a range of 360o.
In order to ensure the safety of transportation movements and protect road infrastructures, the Regulation also provides other conditions for operation, such as warning signals (D sign, flags, signal arrow, etc.), restriction regarding travel hours and days, reduced speed, routes and the presence of escorts vehicles.
These conditions are based on dimensions, load and route.
A Guide to the Regulation respecting special permits, simplified, presented as a summary chart, describes the required warning signals as well as conditions for travel for transportation by oversized vehicle.
When applying for any permit class, it is essential to know the provisions of the Regulation respecting special permits and other rules with regard to freight transportation for compliance purposes.
The document below contains a full and detailed description of the specific characteristics of each class of special permits.
It is also possible to obtain a special permit that is simultaneously a size and a load permit by paying the highest amount payable for each class to which it belongs.
Here are the possible combinations.
The cost of a special permit varies according to permit class and category, as well as the number of months it is used.
There are additional fees of $13.20 for a new permit, and $5.35 for the replacement or correction of a permit.
C-24.2, r. 35 – Regulation respecting special permits
© Gouvernement du Québec, 2025
