§ 1434. Operation in excess of weight, height, or width limits; penalties

(a) General limits. The operation of a vehicle on a public highway in excess of the legal height, width, or length limits as prescribed in section 1431 or 1432 of this subchapter without first obtaining a permit to operate the vehicle, whether or not a permit is available, shall be a traffic violation, as defined in section 2302 of this title, and punishable by a civil penalty of $300.00 for a first offense, $600.00 for a second offense within a two-year period, and $800.00 for a third or subsequent offense within a two-year period.

(b) Permit limits. The operation of a vehicle on a public highway in excess of the legal height, width, or length limits as prescribed in section 1431 or 1432 of this subchapter in violation of the terms of a permit issued in conformance with section 1400 of this subchapter shall be a traffic violation, as defined in section 2302 of this title, and punishable by a civil penalty of $300.00 for a first offense, $600.00 for a second offense within a two-year period, and $800.00 for a third or subsequent offense within a two- year period.

(c) Covered bridges. The operation of a vehicle in excess of the legal limits designated for a covered bridge under section 1397a of this subchapter or applicable under subdivisions 1392(1) and (2) of this subchapter shall be a traffic violation, as defined in section 2302 of this title, and punishable by a civil penalty of $1,000.00 or, if the violation results in substantially impeding the flow of traffic, $2,000.00. For a second or subsequent conviction within a three-year period, the applicable penalty shall be doubled.

(d) Refusal to issue a permit. In the case of a violation under subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner may refuse to issue a permit to the violator under section 1400 of this subchapter for a period not to exceed three months, if the owner or lessee commits four or more violations within a two-year period. If the holder of a permit commits four or more violations under subsection (b) of this section within a two-year period, the Commissioner may suspend, for a period not to exceed three months, any permit issued to the violator under section 1400 of this subchapter. For the purposes of this section, the owner or lessee of the vehicle shall be considered the holder of, or applicant for, the permit. (Added 1995, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. April 25, 1996; amended 1997, No. 46, § 5; 1997, No. 120 (Adj. Sess.), § 9e; 2015, No. 47, § 34; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 205; 2021, No. 184 (Adj. Sess.), § 49, eff. July 1, 2022.)