Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-25-22. Application for excess load permit

(a) The application for an annual divisible load permit pursuant to § 31-25-21 shall specifically describe the vehicle or vehicles and load to be operated or moved, and the particular highways for which the permit to operate is requested.

(b) For divisible load permits, the specifically described vehicle must be certified originally by the manufacturer to possess the braking and carrying capacity for the weight specified on the application.

(c) Upon approval of the application or renewal of divisible load permits, the department of transportation shall provide the approved permit. The driver must possess the permit and documentation as required by the permit at all times.

(d) [Deleted by P.L. 2022, ch. 178, § 1, and P.L. 2022, ch. 179, § 1.]

(e) Divisible load permit fees for Rhode Island registered vehicles are reflected in the registration fee as enumerated in § 31-6-1(a)(2).

(f) Divisible load permit fees for out-of-state registered vehicles are as follows:

Trailers $100 flat fee

Single-unit axle trucks $50.00 per 1,000 pounds over legal limit; maximum $1,500

Maximum permittable loads for single unit trucks:

2 axle--legal weight only per § 31-25-14(b), (c).

3+ axle--76,650 lbs.

Not to exceed Manufacturer GVWR.

Tractors $50.00 per 1,000 pounds over legal limit; maximum $1,250

Tractors may acquire a permit for up to 104,800 lbs.; however the allowable gross weight depends on the total number of axles of the tractor/semi-trailer/trailer configuration being used at the time.

Gross weight limits for tractor/semi-trailer/trailer configurations are as follows:

3 axle--62,000 lbs.

4 axle--87,000 lbs.

5+ axle--104,800 lbs.

Transfer fee $10.00.

(g) For the purpose of this section, the “legal limit” is defined as the maximum weight as calculated by the Bridge Formula.

(h) Annual divisible load permits are issued for overweight only and not over-dimensional.

(i) If the annual divisible load permit is used in conjunction with an annual construction equipment blanket permit, the limits and requirements of the blanket construction equipment permit shall supersede the requirements of the divisible load permit. The driver must possess both permits and all required documentation. This shall only apply when divisible load and trailered construction equipment are carried simultaneously.

(j) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-25-16.