Oversize permit country guide
Oversize load permit in Austria (2026): authority, thresholds, fees
This page summarises what the official sources listed below say about oversize (abnormal) load permits in Austria. Numbers link to their source. Values the sources do not confirm are marked “Not confirmed”.
Key facts
| Issuing authority | Office of the Provincial Government (Landeshauptmann) of the competent federal state — 9 offices Amt der Landesregierung (Landeshauptmann / Landeshauptfrau) — Burgenland, Kärnten, Niederösterreich, Oberösterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien [Z3] |
|---|---|
| Level | Regional |
| Application channel | www.sondertransporte.gv.at [Z2] |
| Online application | Yes |
| Applicant from abroad may apply | Yes |
| Application language(s) | de (other language versions not confirmed) |
| Data status | Partly confirmed (gaps marked on the page) |
Issuing authority
Vehicles with foreign registration: application to the federal state in which the vehicles enter Austria or in which the journey with the oversize/overweight vehicle begins; with Austrian registration: the state of the permanent base, start or entry; the destination is not decisive (Z3). The decision is always issued by the competent Landeshauptmann; ASFINAG issues an opinion for its network (Z7). In the SOTRA XSD the authority is selected from the list L1–L9 (Kärnten: L2/1 Abt. 7, L2/2 Abt. 8) (Z6). Addresses of the offices: Z4. [Z3]
Application channel
SOTRA — E-Government-Portal für Sondertransporte (online form on the Land OÖ portal) + SOAP web service for applicants [Z2]
Login / access: Online form: user registration before the first application, login with ID and password (an account from „Ausnahmegenehmigungen zum Wochenendfahrverbot” can be used) (Z2). Web service: testing with the „portaluser” parameter from the Amt der OÖ. Landesregierung ([email protected]); production via a paid provider in the Portalverbund of Austrian authorities with a certificate, under an agreement with Land OÖ (Z6). SOTRA does not charge fees for the web service (Z2).
Thresholds above which a permit is needed
Values for a typical combination: tractor unit with semi-trailer or rigid vehicle with trailer, 5 axles, standard width.
| Width | 2.55 m [Z5] |
|---|---|
| Height | 4.00 m [Z5] |
| Length, tractor unit + semi-trailer | 16.50 m [Z5] |
| Length, rigid vehicle + trailer | 18.75 m [Z5] |
| Gross combination weight (5 axles) | 40.00 t [Z5] |
| Single axle load | Not confirmed |
| Drive axle load | Not confirmed |
Values from the official SOTRA portal (KFG page and FAQ) above which an Ausnahmebewilligung is required: Kraftfahrzeug/Anhänger 12.00 × 2.55 × 4.00 m; Sattelkraftfahrzeug 16.50 m; Kraftwagenzug 18.75 m; weights: 2 axles 18 t, 3 axles 26 t (vehicle) / 24 t (trailer), vehicle with > 3 axles 32 t, Kraftwagen with trailer / Sattelkraftfahrzeug 40 t (Z5, Z3). The portal states that the list is incomplete and serves as a guideline; the binding text is KFG 1967 (RIS link in Z5) — axle loads are therefore not confirmed. Statutory exceptions include Vor- und Nachlaufverkehr, roundwood from the forest, suction/pressure vehicles and tankers, snow ploughs (width) and agricultural vehicles (Z5). The portal does not distinguish between domestic and international traffic. [Z5]
Permit types
| Permit | Scope | Validity | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-journey permit Sondertransportbewilligung — anzahlFahrten „Eine” |
Single trip | period from–to stated in the application (the „von” date not earlier than the submission of the application) (XSD Regel 8) | Type of journey selected from a list: Fahrt, FahrtMitLeerfahrt, FahrtMitRückfahrt, FahrtMitRückfahrtUndLeerfahrt (XSD artfahrt) [Z6] |
| Multiple-journey permit Sondertransportbewilligung — anzahlFahrten „Mehrere” |
Multiple trips | period from–to stated in the application (XSD Regel 8) | With a load: description, dimensions, weight and overhangs of the load are mandatory (XSD Regel 19) [Z6] |
| Permanent permit Dauerbewilligung |
Periodic (time-limited) | Not confirmed | 2-, 3- or 4-axle tractor units falling within § 4 KFG may be used interchangeably — in that case without vehicle data in the application (Z3; XSD kfg4, Regel 12); the application must be accompanied by the pages of the type-approval documents with technical data and conditions, also for extensions (Z3) [Z6] |
Processing time
No fixed time limit — depends on the size of the transport and any investigation procedure in the federal states and with the road authorities along the route. A complete application must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the start; applications outside SOTRA (e-mail, fax, post, in person) are re-entered manually and significantly delay the case (Z3). [Z3]
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Federal fees (Bundesabgaben, fixed): min. 21.00 EUR per application (Eingabe) | 21 EUR [Z3] |
| Federal fees (Bundesabgaben): 6.00 EUR per attachment (Beilage) | 6 EUR [Z3] |
| Administrative fees (Verwaltungsabgaben) — depending on the number of journeys, the number of federal states, vehicles and the type of transport | 21.80–652 EUR [Z3] |
Escort
Private escort vehicle
Not confirmed in the sources. [Z7]
Some details are not confirmed in the official sources read.
Police escort
Not confirmed in the sources. [Z7]
Some details are not confirmed in the official sources read.
Required documents
- Application in SOTRA (online form or XML compliant with atGvOoeSotAntrag.xsd v2 via the web service); the declaration keineTransportalternative = true is mandatory (XSD) [Z6]
- Power of attorney (Vollmacht) — when the application is submitted by a representative; separately for each authority issuing a decision, unless a valid one is already held (Z3) [Z3]
- Dauerbewilligung: pages of the type-approval documents (Genehmigungsdokumente) with technical data and conditions — also on extension (Z3) [Z3]
- Danube corridor (weight > 160 t or height > 4.5 m or width > 5.6 m, and crossing the border at Suben/Passau, Walserberg, Nickelsdorf or Kittsee, and route on A1, A4, A6, A7, A8, A21, A22, A23, A25, S1, S2, S5, S33, and ≥ 200 km in AT): min. 3 offers from shipping operators on the list + comparison of total costs, or confirmation that no offers were received within 5 working days, or confirmation of disproportionate effort with justification (SOTRA-Gesamterlass point 9) (Z1) [Z1]
- Loading sketch for over-width transports — ASFINAG recommendation (Z7) [Z7]
Traffic restrictions
On the ASFINAG network (motorways and expressways): closed periods (Sperrzeiten) — including rush hours, the start of school holidays, major events; journeys with width > 3.50 m and/or height > 4.30 m must be notified to all competent Autobahnmeistereien and regional traffic management centres; usually for width > 5.00 m and/or weight > 100 t also a central notification (start, longer stops, end) — notification portal https://sotra.asfinag.at/ (Z7). Detailed conditions and the route are set out in the Bescheid; bridge opinions according to the Brückenauflagenkatalog (Z1). General time bans for the network outside ASFINAG — not confirmed. [Z7]
Some details are not confirmed in the official sources read.
Official sources
- [Z1] E-Government-Portal für Sondertransporte der Republik Österreich (SOTRA, Land Oberösterreich) — home page: online application, registration, Danube evidence obligation (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/ - [Z2] SOTRA — Anträge: online form or web service, user registration, web service costs (Portal-Dienstleister) (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/antraege - [Z3] SOTRA — FAQ: competent authority (including vehicles with foreign registration), fees, processing time, Vollmacht, delivery of decisions, KFG limit values (indicative) (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/faq - [Z4] SOTRA — Kontakt: offices of the 9 federal states (Amt der Landesregierung) competent for applications (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/kontakt - [Z5] SOTRA — KFG: limit values above which an Ausnahmebewilligung is required (according to the portal: incomplete list, „nur als Richtlinie”, the text of KFG 1967 is binding) (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/kfg - [Z6] Paket „Antragstellung mit Webservice”: atGvOoeSotAntrag.xsd (Version 2), .wsdl, Schnittstelle_Antragsteller.doc (2012/2022), SOTRA WS Fehlermeldungen.xls, sample XML (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.sondertransporte.gv.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/Antragstellung_mit_Webservice__1_.zip - [Z7] ASFINAG — Sondertransporte: the decision is issued by the Landeshauptmann, ASFINAG opinion for its network, closed periods (Sperrzeiten), mandatory journey notifications (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
https://www.asfinag.at/verkehr-sicherheit/lkw-bus/sondertransporte/
Rules and fees change. Check the official source before you file an application.