In Türkiye, under Article 128 of the Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği), the legal limits on the road are 2.55 m width, 4.00 m height, a length of 16.50 m for an articulated vehicle and 18.75 m for a truck with trailer, and a total weight of 40 tonnes for a combination with five or more axles. A single axle is limited to 10 tonnes and a single drive axle to 11.5 tonnes.
Which vehicles do the legal limits apply to, and when?
The limits apply to the vehicle both laden and unladen. In other words, it is not only the body that is measured; the outermost point counts, including the trailer platform, the load on it, crates and lashing equipment. The regulation also states that these values apply regardless of the vehicle's date of manufacture. When a 2.60-metre machine is placed on a 2.55-metre-wide trailer, the vehicle is no longer within the legal dimensions.
Limit values under Article 128 of the Highway Traffic Regulation
| Parameter | Vehicle / case | Maximum value |
|---|---|---|
| Width | All vehicles | 2.55 m (2.60 m for refrigerated bodies) |
| Height | All vehicles | 4.00 m |
| Length | Truck (motor vehicle other than a bus), trailer | 12.00 m |
| Length | Tractor + semi-trailer | 16.50 m |
| Length | Truck with trailer | 18.75 m |
| Length | Combination with two trailers | 22.00 m |
| Axle weight | Non-driven / driven single axle | 10 tonnes / 11.5 tonnes |
| Axle group | Tandem group on a semi-trailer (spacing 1.3–1.8 m) | 18 tonnes |
| Axle group | Tri-axle group (spacing 1.3–1.4 m) | 24 tonnes |
| Total weight | Combination with five or more axles | 40 tonnes |
| Total weight | Three-axle tractor + semi-trailer carrying a 40 ft ISO container | 44 tonnes |
There are two separate weight limits, and both must be met at the same time. Even if the total weight stays below 40 tonnes, the vehicle breaks the rule if the load on a single axle exceeds 11.5 tonnes. How the distribution is calculated is explained with an example in the axle load calculation entry.
How do the rules differ from those of the European Union?
The basic values in Türkiye largely match EU Directive 96/53/EC. In international traffic the Directive is based on a width of 2.55 m, a height of 4.00 m, a length of 16.50 m for articulated vehicles and 18.75 m for road trains, and a total weight of 40 tonnes. In combined transport, the limit for a five- or six-axle vehicle carrying a 40 ft ISO container is 44 tonnes.
- Common baseline: The width, length and basic weight limits are the same on both sides; on an international trip the vehicle stays legal under both systems.
- National flexibility: The EU allows member states to permit longer and heavier combinations only in their own domestic traffic. This is why the long combinations used in the Scandinavian countries are no longer legal once they cross the border.
- Permit regime: For loads exceeding the limits, each EU country issues its own permit; there is no single European permit. Country thresholds are compared in the out-of-gauge load limits in Europe entry.
What happens when a limit is exceeded?
An indivisible load that exceeds at least one of the dimensions can only be transported with a Special Load Transport Permit (Özel Yük Taşıma İzin Belgesi) issued by the General Directorate of Highways (Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü, KGM). A vehicle that exceeds the limits even when unladen also needs a separate Special Permit Certificate (Özel İzin Belgesi). The application steps are described in the KGM special permit entry, and the information on the form in the out-of-gauge load declaration entry.
The penalty for transport without a permit is set out in Article 65 of Highway Traffic Law No. 2918 (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu). After the amendment made by Law No. 7574 of 12 February 2026, the administrative fine for carrying a load subject to a permit without one, or in breach of the permit conditions, is TRY 60,000. For out-of-gauge loading, a fine of TRY 10,000 is imposed on the operator and TRY 20,000 on the consignor; the vehicle cannot continue its journey until the conditions are met.
Common mistakes
- Giving the catalogue dimensions of the machine without accounting for packaging, skids and blocks.
- Calculating the height from the load's own height alone; the platform of a standard trailer is about 1.2–1.4 m above the ground.
- Assuming that the 44-tonne exception for 40 ft containers applies to any load.
- Checking only the Turkish limits on an international trip and overlooking the rules of transit countries.
How does Voltim Global support this?
In out-of-gauge and heavy cargo transport, Voltim Global assesses the packed dimensions of the load together with the vehicle combination. If a limit is exceeded, it prepares the KGM application. On one out-of-gauge shipment from Voronezh to Mersin, the KGM special permit was obtained in one day.