Oversize load permit in Portugal (2026): authority, thresholds, fees

Key facts

Issuing authority

The application is submitted at the IMT branch competent for the applicant's registered office/residence; an applicant without a registered office in Portugal — at any branch (Art. 24 para. 1 RAET). IMT may make the issue conditional on opinions of the road managers (Art. 25 para. 2). With an occasional or short-term permit, before the journey the holder sends a copy of the permit with the date and time to the national road manager (in RAET: EP — Estradas de Portugal, E.P.E.; the current recipient has not been verified). Exceptional cases in the public interest are approved by the president of IMT (Art. 23). [Z1]

Application channel

Written application on IMT form Modelo 17 with attachments 17A/17B, submitted at an IMT branch. No official description of online submission (IMT Online) was found. [Z4]

Login / access: Not confirmed — paper/PDF form with a signature matching the identity document; the form requires the applicant's NIF

Some details are not confirmed in the official sources read.

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.

A permit (autorização especial de trânsito) is needed when a vehicle/combination exceeds the limits of the weights and dimensions regulation or carries an indivisible load projecting beyond the body or higher than 4 m (Art. 2–3 RAET). Limits according to DL 132/2017: width 2.55 m (2.60 m for refrigerated/insulated vehicles); height 4.00 m (4.60 m for car transporters and ISO containers up to 45 feet); tractor unit + semi-trailer with 3+ axles 16.50 m; combination with trailer 18.75 m; weight of tractor unit + semi-trailer and of combination with trailer with ≥ 5 axles 44 t; single non-drive axle 10 t, drive axle 12 t, front axle 7.5 t. Without a permit, among others: indivisible load on the body projecting ≤ 1 m at the front/rear and ≤ 0.30 m to the side; ISO containers ≤ 45 feet up to 4.60 m; car transporters with extension ≤ +1.80 m and ≤ 4.60 m (Art. 13 RAET). The regulations do not differentiate thresholds for domestic and international traffic. Whether DL 132/2017 has been amended after 2017 has not been checked. [Z3]

Permit types

Processing time

The official sources read (RAET, IMT forms) do not state a processing time. [Z1]

Some details are not confirmed in the official sources read.

Fees

Fees are not confirmed in the official sources read.

Escort

Private escort vehicle

A pilot vehicle (carro-piloto) is mandatory for length > 25.25 m or width > 3 m; one pilot vehicle drives in front (on motorways at the rear, where it may then accompany 2 vehicles). Two pilot vehicles (front and rear) for length > 30 m or width > 4 m, outside motorways. Pilot vehicle: yellow warning lights on the roof, red-and-white reflective stripes (class C, UNECE Regulation 104), recommended colour yellow RAL 1003/1004/1023 (Art. 17–18 RAET). Road assistance vehicles are exempt. [Z1]

Police escort

Pilot vehicle and police escort (batedores GNR or PSP) for length > 32.50 m (on motorways > 50 m), width > 4.50 m or height > 5 m (Art. 19 RAET). [Z1]

Required documents

• Application IMT Modelo 17 (type of permit, applicant details with NIF, description of the load, dimensions, route) [Z4]
• Copies of the vehicle registration certificate and title of ownership [Z1]
• Owner's declaration on the actual dimensions of the body (where applicable) and declaration of responsibility for the conditions of carriage of the load (Modelo 17A, point 2) [Z1]
• Occasional/short-term permit: dimensioned drawing of the vehicle or combination with the load at an appropriate scale, and a route description (memória descritiva) — entries to and exits from each road, junctions, km or coordinates, with a diagram on a map (Art. 24 para. 3; Modelo 17A) [Z1]
• With several tractor units and semi-trailers (max. 15 + 15): owner's declaration of compatibility of the tractor units with the trailers/semi-trailers (Art. 24 para. 4, Art. 25 para. 3) [Z1]
• Machines: Anexo II (Modelo 17B) with the characteristics of the machine; for unregistered machines, a catalogue and proof of ownership [Z4]
• Other documents requested by IMT for assessing road safety (Art. 24 para. 6) [Z1]

Traffic restrictions

Driving ban for vehicles with an autorização especial de trânsito: Fridays and Sundays 16–22; public holidays and the days before them 16–22; 24 December 8–12 and 16–22; 26 December 8–12; Easter Monday 8–22. Applies to motorways, expressways, IP and IC roads and listed sections of national roads (including the Tagus bridge and the Vasco da Gama bridge, EN 1 Vila Franca de Xira–Gaia, EN 125 Lagos–VRSA) (Art. 20 RAET). On motorways, a ban for width > 4 m (Art. 22). The permit holder must comply with the conditions stated in the permit (Art. 25). [Z1]

Official sources

1. [Z1] Portaria n.º 472/2007 (Diário da República, 2.ª série, n.º 119, 22.06.2007) — Regulamento de Autorizações Especiais de Trânsito (RAET): permit types, limits, pilot vehicle, police escort, time restrictions, procedure (Art. 24–25) (Legal act, read 2026-10-04)
   http://dre.pt/pdf2sdip/2007/06/119000000/1763617641.pdf
2. [Z2] Portaria n.º 787/2009 of 28.07.2009 — amendment of RAET: carrier's obligations with an occasional permit (date, registration numbers, signature), repeal of Art. 10 para. 1 letter d (Legal act, read 2026-10-04)
   http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/2009/07/14400/0480504806.pdf
3. [Z3] Decreto-Lei n.º 132/2017 (DR 1.ª série n.º 196, 11.10.2017) — Regulamento que fixa os pesos e as dimensões máximas autorizadas (dimensions Art. 3, weights Art. 10, axle loads Art. 14) (Legal act, read 2026-10-04)
   https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2017/10/19600/0563805647.pdf
4. [Z4] IMT — forms: Modelo 17 'Pedido de Autorização Especial de Trânsito', Modelo 17A (Anexo I — memória descritiva + declarations of responsibility), Modelo 17B (Anexo II — machines) (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
   https://www.imt-ip.pt/formularios/
5. [Z5] IMT — notice on the amendment of RAET (Portaria 787/2009) confirming the legal basis Portaria 472/2007 (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
   https://www.imt-ip.pt/noticias/regulamento-de-autorizacoes-especiais-de-transito-raet-alteracao/
6. [Z6] DGT (Spain) — FAQ: ES–PT agreement on mutual recognition of ACC genéricas, with the Portuguese limits 20 × 3 × 4 m and 40 t (Official website, read 2026-10-04)
   https://www.dgt.es/nuestros-servicios/autorizaciones-obras-y-usos-excepcionales-de-la-via/autorizaciones-especiales-de-circulacion/autorizaciones-complementarias-de-circulacion-para-vertes/solicitud-autorizacion-complementaria-de-circulacion/

Rules and fees change. Check the official source before you file an application.