Wisconsin Code § 348.25

General provisions relating to permits for vehicles and loads of excessive size and weight
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(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), (19), (20), or (21), 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:
(4m), (9), (9m), (9r), (9t), (10), (12), (15), (16), (18), (19), or (20), 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 differ-

ent 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.
4r. For a permit issued under s. 348.27 (21), $325.
(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.

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