Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 46.44 · 38 active provisions
The total outside width of any vehicle or load thereon must not exceed eight and one-half feet; except that an externally mounted rear vision mirror may extend beyond the width limits of the vehicle body to a point that allows the driver a view to the rear of the vehicle along both sides in conformance with Federal Nat…
Motor homes, travel trailers, and campers may exceed the maximum width established under RCW 46.44.010 if the excess width is attributable to appurtenances that do not extend beyond the body of the vehicle by more than four inches, or if an awning, by more than six inches. As used in this section, "appurtenance" means…
It is unlawful for any vehicle unladen or with load to exceed a height of fourteen feet above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. This height limitation does not apply to authorized emergency vehicles or repair equipment of a public utility engaged in reasonably necessary operation. The provisions of this…
(1) It is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any vehicle having an overall length, with or without load, in excess of 40 feet. This restriction does not apply to (a) a municipal transit vehicle, (b) auto stage, private carrier bus, school bus, fifth-wheel travel trailer, travel tr…
(1) The load, or any portion of any vehicle, operated alone upon the public highway of this state, or the load, or any portion of the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles, shall not extend more than three feet beyond the front wheels of such vehicle, or the front bumper, if equipped with front bumper. This subsec…
Except as provided in RCW 46.44.037, it is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any combination of vehicles consisting of more than two vehicles. For the purposes of this section a truck tractor-semitrailer or pole trailer combination will be considered as two vehicles but the addit…
Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 46.44.036 and subject to such rules and regulations governing their operation as may be adopted by the state department of transportation, operation of the following combinations is lawful:(1) A combination consisting of a truck tractor, a semitrailer, and another semitrailer or a…
No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall operate upon the public highways of this state with a gross load on any single axle in excess of twenty thousand pounds, or upon any group of axles in excess of that set forth in the following table, except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of t…
Subject to the maximum gross weights specified in RCW 46.44.041, it is unlawful to operate any vehicle upon the public highways with a gross weight, including load, upon any tire concentrated upon the surface of the highway in excess of six hundred pounds per inch width of such tire. An axle manufactured after July 31,…
The switch that controls the raising and lowering of the retractable rear booster or tag axle on a ready-mix cement truck may be located within the reach of the driver's compartment as long as the variable control, used to adjust axle loadings by regulating air pressure or by other means, is out of the reach of the dri…
A three axle truck tractor and a two axle pole trailer combination engaged in the operation of hauling logs may exceed by not more than six thousand eight hundred pounds the legal gross weight of the combination of vehicles when licensed, as permitted by law, for sixty-eight thousand pounds: PROVIDED, That the distance…
The department of transportation may make and enter into agreements with the federal government or any state or group of states or agencies thereof, or any nonprofit association, on a joint or cooperative basis, to study, analyze, or test the effects of weight on highway construction. The studies or tests may be made e…
It shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle upon public highways with a wheelbase between any two axles thereof of less than three feet, six inches when weight exceeds that allowed for one axle under RCW 46.44.042 or 46.44.041. It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle upon the public highways of this state wit…
No passenger type vehicle shall be operated on any public highway with any load carried thereon extending beyond the line of the fenders on the left side of such vehicle nor extending more than six inches beyond the line of the fenders on the right side thereof.
The drawbar or other connection between vehicles in combination shall be of sufficient strength to hold the weight of the towed vehicle on any grade where operated. No trailer shall whip, weave or oscillate or fail to follow substantially in the course of the towing vehicle. When a disabled vehicle is being towed by me…
Local authorities with respect to public highways under their jurisdiction may prohibit the operation thereon of motor trucks or other vehicles or may impose limits as to the weight thereof, or any other restrictions as may be deemed necessary, whenever any such public highway by reason of rain, snow, climatic or other…
The department of transportation, pursuant to its rules with respect to state highways, and local authorities, with respect to public highways under their jurisdiction, may, upon application in writing and good cause being shown therefor, issue a special permit in writing, or electronically, authorizing the applicant t…
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, no special permit shall be issued for movement on any state highway or route of a state highway within the limits of any city or town where the gross weight, including load, exceeds the following limits:(a) Twenty-two thousand pounds on a sing…
(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection, the department of transportation, with respect to state highways maintained within port district property, may, at the request of a port commission, make and enter into agreements with port districts and adjacent jurisdictions or agencies of the districts, fo…
Special permits may not be issued for movements on any state highway outside the limits of any city or town in excess of the following widths:On two-lane highways, fourteen feet;On multiple-lane highways where a physical barrier serving as a median divider separates opposing traffic lanes, twenty feet;On multiple-lane…
The department of transportation or the local authority is authorized to issue or withhold such special permit at its discretion, although where a mobile home is being moved, the verification of a valid license under chapter 46.70 RCW as a mobile home dealer or manufacturer, or under chapter 46.76 RCW as a transporter,…
The following fees, in addition to the regular license and tonnage fees, shall be paid for all movements under special permit made upon state highways. All funds collected, except the amount retained by authorized agents of the department as provided in RCW 46.44.096, shall be forwarded to the state treasury and shall…
When a combination of vehicles has been licensed to a total gross weight of 80,000 pounds or when a three or more axle single unit vehicle has been licensed to a total gross weight of 40,000 pounds, a temporary additional tonnage permit to haul loads in excess of these limits may be issued. This permit is valid for per…
In determining fees according to RCW 46.44.0941, mileage on state primary and secondary highways shall be determined from the planning survey records of the department of transportation, and the gross weight of the vehicle or vehicles, including load, shall be declared by the applicant. Overweight on which fees shall b…
If the congress of the United States further amends section 127, Title 23 of the United States Code, authorizing increased sizes and weights, the Washington state department of transportation may authorize the operation of vehicles and combinations of vehicles upon completed portions of the interstate highway system an…