Exceptional load transport

Exceptional load vehicles are divided into five categories (which are outside the normal total mass/weights, dimensions and axle loads usually allowed).

One-off permit is issued for each single exceptional load transport of vehicles in Categories I, II, III or IV, and is valid for 30 days after the date of issuance.

Depending on characteristics of a vehicle and the load, the permit may be issued for exceptional load movement in a convoy of vehicles including a maximum of 3 vehicles or 3 groups of vehicles.

Likewise, the permit may be issued for a vehicle procession by vehicle categories II and III, given the advance route, loads and number of each single transport within an exceptional transport procession.

Annual permit is issued to a haulier for exceptional transports in categories I, IV and V, if those transports exceed dimensions, overall weight/mass and axle loads determined for Category I of exceptional load transport. 

Annual permit will remain valid for 365 days and shall provide vehicle registration plates of the vehicles used to carry out the exceptional load transport.

In compliance with the Road Transport Act, the application for issuance of exceptional load transport permit has to be submitted by a road transport agent. The authority addressed shall be a road operator or a concessionaire, depending on the public road included in the intended route of such transport.

If a transport route includes public roads operated by several operators/road authorities (including annual permit) or if the permit needs to be issued to a haulier from the EU or any foreign country, the exceptional load transport permit will be issued by Hrvatske ceste d.o.o.

The application and supporting documents must be written in Croatian. The application for permit issuance may be submitted via APPLICATION, as of 30 March 2021.

Within the procedure of issuance of exceptional load transport permit it is required to obtain approvals and requirements from operators of public roads or concessionaires who operate public roads that will be included in the planned route for such transport. If exceptional load transport may cause interaction on other infrastructure or assets, in the procedure of obtaining the permit it will be necessary to obtain also approvals and requirements from operators of such infrastructure or assets.

Hrvatske ceste d.o.o. or the agent in the permit issuance procedure must, through the IPR system, obtain the approvals and conditions of Hrvatske autoceste d.o.o., the county road administrations, or the concessionaires managing the roads on which the exceptional load transport is to be carried out.

The approvals and conditions of Hrvatske autoceste d.o.o., the county road administrations, or the concessionaires managing the roads on which the exceptional load transport is to be carried out may also be obtained independently by the agent prior to initiating the permit issuance procedure through the IPR system.

Exceptional load transport applications are made through a NEW APPLICATION based on the issued IPR license.

Note: The application for issuance of exceptional load transport permit has to be submitted by the Head of exceptional load transport. Only the person (or persons) listed on the permit as the Head of IPR has the right to apply transport under an individual permit.

Additionally, it is obligatory to log in/activate all users or heads of exceptional load transport and assign them at least minimum rights (template) of the Head of exceptional load transport in order to be able to use their profile to apply exceptional load transport.

A properly and fully completed exceptional load transport application is a mandatory attachment to any exceptional load transport permit (the permit is not valid without it).

The manager of the exceptional load transport is obliged, when reporting the commencement of the Exceptional load transport in the IPR system, to enter the following data:

• the registration number of the towing vehicle
• the date and time of the commencement of the exceptional load transport
• details of the appointed responsible manager of the exceptional load transport, including contact information

The authorised person is obliged, upon completion of the transport, to mark in the application that the transport has been completed.

• Vehicle signage
• List of roads serving as priority routes for exceptional transport
• Escort vehicle signage
• Template Form on compliance to special conditions for escort vehicles
• Template Statement on haulier’s competence for exceptional transport
• Template shipping certificate
• Template Decision on appointment of an attendant for exceptional transport
• Template Statement of responsibility of the applicant

Escorting requirements, the type and number of escort vehicles, and requirements for traffic police are determined on a case-by-case basis, in order to arrange safe movement of exceptional loads.

The escort of exceptional transport is required only for the route segment strictly identified in the permit, and is conducted by at least one escort vehicle positioned to the front of the exceptional load, or to the rear of the exceptional load vehicle if it moves along a motorway.

When escort is provided by two or more vehicles, one vehicle shall be positioned in front of the transport and the others behind it. If the escort includes a special escort vehicle, it shall be positioned in front of the exceptional load during transport, and on motorways it shall be positioned behind the exceptional load.

Escort vehicle signage

Minimum requirements for escorting exceptional load transport on motorways and police participation:

*For transports exceeding 4.70 m in width, the permit-issuing authority shall be required to obtain the approval of the competent Police Administration regarding the participation of traffic police.

Minimum requirements for escorting exceptional load transport outside motorways and police participation:

Minimum requirements for escorting exceptional load transport in convoy on motorways and police participation:

*For transports exceeding 4.70 m in width, the permit-issuing authority shall be required to obtain the approval of the competent Police Administration regarding the participation of traffic police.

Minimum requirements for escorting exceptional load transport in convoy outside motorways and police participation:

If the driver of the heavy goods vehicle performing an exceptional transport does not have a command of the Croatian language, both spoken and written, and is not familiar with the regulations and traffic operating conditions applicable in the Republic of Croatia, the participation of at least one standard escort vehicle or one special escort vehicle shall be ensured.

For transports exceeding a width of 4.70 m, the permit-issuing authority shall be required to request an opinion from the competent Police Administration regarding the participation of traffic police in escorting the exceptional transport.

The Police Administration shall provide a written opinion specifying the scope and manner of participation of the traffic police within five days of receiving the request. If no opinion is provided or no response is received within this period, it shall be deemed that police escort is not required.

No vehicles other than transport combinations, escort vehicles and police vehicles may form part of the convoy. Exceptionally, another vehicle from which a trailer vehicle is controlled may be included in the convoy; however, such vehicle shall not direct traffic, activate warning signals, or be considered an escort vehicle.

Exceptionally, taking into account the characteristics of the exceptional transport and the transport route, where the transport is of a specific nature, where it is carried out in the opposite direction of traffic, or where the closure of part of the road is required, a more extensive escort arrangement and the participation of traffic police may be prescribed regardless of the category of the exceptional transport.

The participation of police officers in establishing temporary traffic regulation shall not be considered an escort and shall not exclude the participation of escort vehicles prescribed under Article 9 of the Regulation on Exceptional Transport.

Vehicle route (itinerary) must include the following information:

• exceptional load transport itinerary with identification of public roads included in the route and all parking and other road surfaces along the planned route that may serve as stopping points, with a corresponding map included
• timeline/schedule of the planned transport with a list of vehicle stops on parking and other road surfaces along the route
• the description, the location and scheduled time of special manoeuvring of a vehicle or handling of vehicle loads
• description of special measures to be taken during the transport (partial or total closure of a public road because of exceptional transport with scheduled time of transit; planned accommodation of devices and utility lines within the area above the pavement and similar actions required to prepare the route ahead)
• traffic management plan in cases of alternate traffic flows controlled by traffic lights and similar, diversion of traffic to detour roads and similar.

LIMITATIONS OF ABNORMAL LOAD TRANSPORT – INTERRACTIVE MAP

The permit may be issued only if the following costs have been paid prior to issuance:

• the costs of technical processing of the application
• the charge for exceptional load transport
• other costs related to the permit issuance.

The administrative fee for issuing a decision on the application for exceptional loads permit in international road traffic is paid in revenue stamps in the amount of HRK 85.00 / EUR 11.28, and, according to the same decision, an additional HRK 35.00 / EUR 4.65 per tariff code 17 of the Regulation on the Administrative Fee Tariff (OG 92/2021) for each additional towing vehicle or trailer. The fee can also be paid through payment order and is attached to the Conclusion on the collection of administrative costs and exceptional loads fees.

Payment information

• State Budget – IBAN: HR12 1001 0051 8630 00160 
• Model: HR64 
• Reference number: 5002-38108 – OIB (personal identification number) of the administrative fee payee
• Remittance information: enter the Conclusion number from the application

The criteria for calculation of charges for exceptional load transport and costs of technical processing of the application for individual category of exceptional load transport are shown in the following table:

The overall cost of the exceptional load transport and all the components in the cost will be shown in the Decision.

If all conditions for issuance of the permit have been met, the permit will be issued within 30 days after the receipt of the application and shall be delivered through the application. 

The manager of exceptional load transport must register the transport after it has been formed, or immediately prior to its departure, for Category II and Category III of exceptional load transport, via the information system of Hrvatske ceste d.o.o.

The manager of the exceptional load transport shall register the commencement of the exceptional load transport in the IPR system immediately prior to its departure:

• the registration number of the towing/tractor vehicle;
• the date and time of commencement of the exceptional load transport;
• the details of the appointed manager of the exceptional load tansport, including contact information
• the authorized person is required to mark the transport as completed in the application after the transport has been finished.

In case incorrect information is entered in the application, the transport application will be considered invalid.

In case it is determined through control that the exceptional transport is carried out with incorrect data entered, that shall be deemed exceptional load transport without a permit.

The determined irregularity shall be considered the performance of exceptional transport without a permit.

When, in exceptional circumstances, it is necessary to extend the validity period of the transport notification, the permit issuer, the road authorities responsible for the roads on the itinerary, the traffic inspection authority (e-mail: uprava-ceste@mmpi.hr), and the competent police administration must be notified by e-mail and a detailed explanation must be provided as to why the exceptional load transport cannot be carried out as originally planned.

If a particular road is closed, a change of route is permitted only with the approval of the permit issuer or the road authority responsible for the road forming the alternative route.

The transport of 2 trucks, if it does not lead to an additional increase in the legally permitted masses and dimensions, can be carried out on one transport assembly without obtaining a permit, as it does not constitute exceptional transport.

The transport that, due to the location of the trucks being transported, does not comply with the permitted weight and dimensions (it is too high), cannot be considered exceptional transport, since it includes 2 pieces of load (it is not indivisible load).

When creating an itinerary that crosses the border of the Republic of Croatia and returns to the Republic of Croatia, it is not necessary to obtain two permits, but it is necessary to enter two routes.

Example of an itinirary with BIH border crossing at Neum:

Route 1: Ston – Zaton Doli border crossing

Route 2: Klek border crossing – Opatija

• For the first (initial) route, enter the starting point Ston, and for the ending point Zaton Doli border crossing
• Create new route with ''+new route''

• On the second route, enter the starting point – Klek border crossing, and the ending point – Opatija

Once the Application has been submitted, it is not possible to cancel it. By submitting the Application, the Permit is considered consumed. Before the final submission, the system always generates a working version of the Application that can be prepared at any time and edited an unlimited number of times before the final submission.

The application for exceptional road transport is entered into the system when it is determined that all elements of exceptional road transport, especially the transport assembly (vehicle with cargo), escort vehicles and professional staff, are ready for the start of exceptional road transport in accordance with the issued permit and road conditions.

It is recommended to make an application for exceptional road transport immediately before the start of the transport in order to avoid unforeseen situations such as changes in the route's passability (weather conditions), vehicle breakdowns, etc., and the costs of issuing a new permit.

The label with the text "exceptional road transport" is placed outside the vehicle cabin, and not behind the glass, because it creates a glare and reduces the necessary visibility. The correctness of the label also depends on several factors such as age, type and quality of the foil, storage and maintenance. A visual inspection can determine visibility of the label in daytime, i.e. it should have clear contrasts and a completely preserved foil (no scratches). As for proper visibility at night, experienced persons can recognize reduced reflection while accurate reflection can be measured with a retro reflection measuring device.