(A) (1) The municipality, with respect to highways under their jurisdiction, upon application in writing, shall issue a special regional heavy hauling permit authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle or combination of vehicles as follows:
(a) At a size or weight of vehicle or load exceeding the maximum specified in R.C. §§ 5577.01 to 5577.09, or otherwise not in conformity with R.C. §§ 4513.01 to 4513.37.
(b) Upon any highway under the jurisdiction of municipality except those highways with a condition insufficient to bear the weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles as stated in the application.
(c) Issuance of a special regional heavy hauling permit is subject to the payment of a fee established by the municipality in accordance with this section.
(2) In circumstances where a person is not eligible to receive a permit under division (A)(1) of this section, the municipality, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, upon application in writing and for good cause shown, may issue a special permit in writing authorizing the applicant to operate or move a vehicle or combination of vehicles of a size or weight of vehicle or load exceeding the maximum specified in R.C. §§ 5577.01 through 5577.09, or otherwise not in conformity with R.C. §§ 4513.01 through 4513.37, upon any highway under its jurisdiction.
(B) (1) Notwithstanding R.C. §§ 715.22 and 723.01, the holder of a permit issued by the Ohio Director of Transportation under R.C. § 4513.34 may move the vehicle or combination of vehicles described in the permit on any highway that is a part of the state highway system when the movement is partly within and partly without the corporate limits of the municipality. No local authority shall require any other permit or license or charge any license fee or other charge against the holder of a permit for the movement of a vehicle or combination of vehicles on any highway which is a part of the state highway system. The Ohio Director of Transportation shall not require the holder of a permit issued by the municipality to obtain a special permit for the movement of vehicles or combination of vehicles on highways within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
(2) Except as provided in R.C. § 4513.34(B)(3), permits may be issued for any period of time not to exceed one year, as the local authority in its discretion determines advisable or for the duration of any public construction project.
(C) (1) The application for a permit issued under this section shall be in the form that the municipality prescribes. The municipality may prescribe a permit fee to be imposed and collected when any permit described in this section is issued. The permit fee may be in an amount sufficient to reimburse the municipality for the administrative costs incurred in issuing the permit, and also to cover the cost of normal and expected damage caused to the roadway or a street or highway structure as the result of the operation of the nonconforming vehicle or combination of vehicles.
(2) For the purposes of this section and of rules adopted by the Director under R.C. § 4513.34, milk transported in bulk by vehicle is deemed a nondivisible load.
(3) For purposes of this section and of rules adopted by the Director under R.C. § 4513.34, three or fewer aluminum coils, transported by a vehicle, are deemed a nondivisible load. The Director shall adopt rules establishing requirements for an aluminum coil permit that are substantially similar to the requirements for a steel coil permit under O.A.C. Chapter 5501:2-1.
(D) The municipality shall issue a special regional heavy hauling permit under division (A)(1) of this section upon application and payment of the applicable fee. However, the municipality may issue or withhold a special permit specified in division (A)(2) of this section. If a permit is to be issued, the municipality may limit or prescribe conditions of operation for the vehicle and may require the posting of a bond or other security conditioned upon the sufficiency of the permit fee to compensate for damage caused to the roadway or a street or highway structure. In addition, the municipality, as a condition of issuance of an overweight permit, may require the applicant to develop and enter into a mutual agreement with the municipality to compensate for or to repair excess damage caused to the roadway by travel under the permit.
(E) Every permit issued under this section shall be carried in the vehicle or combination of vehicles to which it refers and shall be open to inspection by any police officer or authorized agent of any authority granting the permit. No person shall violate any of the terms of a permit.
(F) The Director of Transportation may debar an applicant from applying for a special permit under this section upon a finding based on a reasonable belief that the applicant has done any of the actions specified in R.C. § 4513.34(F).
(G) Notice and procedures for debarment shall be as provided in R.C. § 4513.34(G).
(H) (1) No person shall violate the terms of a permit issued under this section that relate to gross load limits.
(2) No person shall violate the terms of a permit issued under this section that relate to axle load by more than 2,000 pounds per axle or group of axles.
(3) No person shall violate the terms of a permit issued under this section that relate to an approved route except upon order of a law enforcement officer or authorized agent of the issuing authority.
(I) A permit issued by the municipality under this section for the operation of a vehicle or combination of vehicles is valid for the purposes of the vehicle operation in accordance with the conditions and limitations specified on the permit. Such a permit is voidable by law enforcement only for operation of a vehicle or combination of vehicles in violation of the weight, dimension, or route provisions of the permit. However, a permit is not voidable for operation in violation of a route provision of a permit if the operation is upon the order of a law enforcement officer.
(R.C. § 4513.34) (Rev. 2024)
(J) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(R.C. § 4513.99) (Rev. 2013)
Statutory reference:
Overweight or oversized vehicles, state permit regulations, see O.A.C. Chapter 5501:2-1