Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 348 - Vehicles — size, weight and load.
348.25 - General provisions relating to permits for vehicles and loads of excessive size and weight.

348.25 General provisions relating to permits for vehicles and loads of excessive size and weight.
(1) No person shall operate a vehicle on or transport an article over a highway without first obtaining a permit therefor as provided in s. 348.26 or 348.27 if such vehicle or article exceeds the maximum limitations on size, weight or projection of load imposed by this chapter.
(2)
(a) Vehicles or articles transported under permit are exempt from the restrictions and limitations imposed by this chapter on size, weight and load to the extent stated in the permit. Except as provided in par. (b), any person who violates a condition of a permit under which that person is operating is subject to the same penalties as would be applicable if that person were operating without a permit.
(b) If an overweight permit has been obtained under s. 348.26 or 348.27, and the vehicle exceeds the weight stated in the permit, any overweight violation shall be computed on the basis of the weight authorized in the permit. The amount of the forfeiture for overweight violations determined under this paragraph shall be calculated as provided in s. 348.21 (3) to (3r). This paragraph does not apply if any other conditions of an overweight permit are violated.
(3) The department shall prescribe forms for applications for all single trip permits the granting of which is authorized by s. 348.26 (2) to (7) and for those annual, consecutive month or multiple trip permits the granting of which is authorized by s. 348.27 (2) and (4) to (15). The department shall prescribe an electronic application process for permits the granting of which is authorized by ss. 348.26 (8) and 348.27 (17). The department shall prescribe an electronic application process for permits the granting of which is authorized by s. 348.27 (16). The department shall prescribe an electronic application process for permits the granting of which is authorized by s. 348.27 (18). The department may impose such reasonable conditions prerequisite to the granting of any permit authorized by s. 348.26 or 348.27 and adopt such reasonable rules for the operation of a permittee thereunder as it deems necessary for the safety of travel and protection of the highways. The department may limit use of the highways under any permit issued to specified hours of the day or days of the week. Local officials granting permits may impose such additional reasonable conditions as they deem necessary in view of local conditions.
(4) Except as provided under s. 348.26 (4), (6), or (7) or 348.27 (3), (3m), (4m), (9), (9m), (9r), (9t), (10), (12), (15), (16), (18), or (19), permits shall be issued only for the transporting of a single article or vehicle which exceeds statutory size, weight or load limitations and which cannot reasonably be divided or reduced to comply with statutory size, weight or load limitations, except that:
(a) A permit may be issued for the transportation of property consisting of more than one article, some or all of which exceeds statutory size limitations, provided statutory gross weight limitations are not thereby exceeded and provided the additional articles transported do not cause the vehicle and load to exceed statutory size limitations in any way in which such limitations would not be exceeded by the single article.
(b) A single trip permit may be issued for the transportation of a load of implements of husbandry, consisting of not more than 2 articles, when the load does not exceed the length requirement in s. 348.07 by more than 5 feet.
(5) The officer or agency authorized by s. 348.26 or 348.27 to issue permits may require the permittee to file a bond, certificate of insurance or certified check which, to the satisfaction of such officer or agency, saves the state and any county, city, village or town through which the vehicle or article will be operated or transported harmless from any claim, loss or damage that may result from the granting of such permit or that may arise from or on account of any act done pursuant thereto and conditioned to require the permittee to pay for restoration to a condition satisfactory to the officer in charge of the maintenance of any such highway any pavement, bridge, culvert, sewer pipe or other improvement that may be injured by reason of the use of the highways by the permittee. If a permittee refuses to pay for damage caused, the officer or agency who required the filing of a bond may maintain an action upon such bond.
(6) The officer or agency authorized by s. 348.26 or 348.27 to issue permits may require the permittee to file proof satisfactory to such officer or agency that personal injury and property damage insurance in an amount considered sufficient by such officer or agency will be in force to cover any claim for bodily injury or property damage which may occur in connection with operation under the permit and for which the permittee is legally responsible.
(7) Subject to s. 348.27 (9m) (d), the officer or agency which issued a permit may, for good cause, suspend or revoke such permit or may decline to issue additional permits or may decline to authorize the use of a telephone call-in procedure for any applicant after having given the permittee or applicant reasonable opportunity for a hearing.
(8)
(a) Except as provided under par. (dm), the department shall charge the following fees for each permit issued under s. 348.26:
1. For a vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds length limitations, $15.
2. For a vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds either width limitations or height limitations, $20.
2m. For a vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds both width and height limitations, $25.
3. Except as provided in subd. 4., for a vehicle or combination of vehicles, the weight of which exceeds any of the provisions of s. 348.15 (3), 10 percent of the fee specified in par. (b) 3. for an annual permit for the comparable gross weight, rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
4. For a permit issued under s. 348.26 (8), $30.
(b) Except as provided in s. 348.27 (19) (c) 5., unless a different fee is specifically provided, the department shall charge the following fees for the first permit and each subsequent or revalidated annual or multiple trip permit issued under s. 348.27 except that no fee may be charged for the amendment of a permit under s. 348.27 (3m):
1. For a vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds length limitations, $60.
2. For a vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds width limitations or height limitations or both, $90.
3. Except as provided in subds. 4. and 4m., for a vehicle or combination of vehicles, the weight of which exceeds any of the provisions of s. 348.15 (3):
a. If the gross weight is 90,000 pounds or less, $200.
b. If the gross weight is more than 90,000 pounds but not more than 100,000 pounds, $350.
c. If the gross weight is greater than 100,000 pounds, $350 plus $100 for each 10,000-pound increment or fraction thereof by which the gross weight exceeds 100,000 pounds.
4. For a permit issued under s. 348.27 (17), $300.
4m. For a permit issued under s. 348.27 (18), $300.
(bm) Unless a different fee is specifically provided, the fee for a consecutive month permit is one-twelfth of the fee under par. (b) for an annual permit times the number of months for which the permit is desired, plus $15 for each permit issued.
(c) For the purpose of computing the fees under this subsection, if the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds width limitations or height limitations or both, no fee in addition to the fee under par. (a) 2. or 2m., (b) 2. or (bm) shall be charged if the vehicle or combination of vehicles also exceeds length limitations.
(d) For the purpose of computing the fees under this subsection, if the vehicle or combination of vehicles exceeds weight limitations, no fee in addition to the fee under par. (a) 3. or 4., (b) 3., 4., or 4m., or (bm) shall be charged if the vehicle also exceeds length, width or height limitations or any combination thereof.
(de) For the purpose of computing the fee under par. (a) for the issuance of a single trip permit for a vehicle or combination of vehicles for which an annual permit has been obtained under s. 348.27:
1. For size or weight authorized by the annual permit, the fee for a single trip permit is $5.
2. For gross weight in excess of that authorized by the annual permit, the fee is $15 for each 10,000-pound increment or fraction thereof by which the gross weight authorized by the single trip permit exceeds the gross weight authorized by the annual permit.
(dm) If the annual permit for a vehicle or combination of vehicles is suspended for the purpose of protecting the highways and a single trip permit is issued for the vehicle or combination of vehicles, the fee for the single trip permit is $5.
(e) Except as provided in s. 348.27 (19) (c) 5., the officer or agency authorized to issue a permit under s. 348.26 or 348.27 may require any applicant for a permit under s. 348.26 or 348.27 to pay the cost of any special investigation undertaken to determine whether a permit should be approved or denied.
(f) Any local officer or agency authorized to issue a permit under s. 348.26 or 348.27 may charge a permit issuance fee for each permit issued under s. 348.26 and for the first and each subsequent or revalidated permit issued under s. 348.27. This paragraph does not apply to the amendment of a permit under s. 348.27 (3m) or to a permit issued under s. 348.27 (19).
(9) If a permit under s. 348.26 or 348.27 is denied, suspended or revoked, the permit applicant or holder may petition the division of hearings and appeals for a hearing on the matter within 30 days after the denial, suspension or revocation.
(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or ss. 348.26 to 348.28, the department may enter into a reciprocal agreement with another jurisdiction for the issuance or recognition of permits for oversize or overweight vehicles or loads if that jurisdiction's laws or rules on oversize or overweight permits are substantially similar to those imposed by this chapter. Any permit recognized by this state under a reciprocal agreement shall be considered a permit issued under this section for purposes of this chapter or s. 347.26 (10).
(11) The department shall develop and implement an automated system for designating the route to be traveled by a vehicle for which a permit is issued under s. 348.26 or 348.27.
History: 1973 c. 316, 333, 336; 1975 c. 66; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1488, 1654 (8) (a); 1979 c. 34, 221; 1981 c. 20, 69, 215, 312; 1981 c. 347 s. 80 (2), 1981 c. 391; 1983 a. 78 s. 37; 1985 a. 212; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 35, 130; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 163, 348; 1999 a. 9, 80; 2001 a. 78; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 167; 2007 a. 171; 2009 a. 28, 222; 2011 a. 55, 56, 57, 58, 243; 2013 a. 165 ss. 73 to 75, 114, 115; 2013 a. 168 s. 21; 2013 a. 377; 2021 a. 244.
Discussing penalty provisions for weight and size violations. Town of East Troy v. Town & Country Waste Service, 159 Wis. 2d 694, 465 N.W.2d 510 (Ct. App. 1990).
Compliance with state rules promulgated under this section, and incorporating federal guidelines, is a condition of overweight permits under this section. Violations of overweight permits do not constitute registration violations under ch. 341. Town of East Troy v. A-1 Service Co., 196 Wis. 2d 120, 537 N.W.2d 126 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-0610.