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Aug 22, 2023

Maximum length of vehicles used in Great Britain

Published 12 October 2017 © Crown copyright 2017 This publication is

Published 12 October 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximum-length-of-vehicles-used-in-great-britain/maximum-length-of-vehicles-used-in-great-britain

This guidance provides a brief guide and advice on the legal requirements in Great Britain relating to the maximum length of vehicles that may be used on public roads. The requirements are set out in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (as amended), referred to in this document as the Construction and Use Regulations. This guidance takes account of amendments to the regulations that came into force on 1 October 2017.

The tables below are a summary of the maximum overall lengths permitted for vehicles and vehicle combinations as set out in regulation 7 of the Construction and Use Regulations. The tables highlight the principal criteria that must be met but other criteria or exemptions may be applicable, including those in the rules referred to in the rest of this document. For full details the regulations should be consulted.

There are detailed rules which need to be considered when determining the overall length of a vehicle. Regulation 3 of the Construction and Use Regulations provides a definition of overall vehicle length - setting out the parts of the vehicle that must be included and excluded in determining the overall length. This is a summary of the relevant parts of Regulation 3.

Overall length is, in relation to a vehicle, the distance between transverse planes passing through the extreme forward and rearward projecting points of the vehicle inclusive of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of a permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to, the vehicle except—

(i) for all purposes -

(a) any driving mirror;

(b) any expanding or extensible contrivance forming part of a turntable fire escape fixed to avehicle;

(c) any snow-plough fixed in front of a vehicle;

(d) any receptacle specially designed to hold and keep secure a seal issued for the purposes ofcustoms clearance;

(e) any tailboard which is let down while the vehicle is stationary in order to facilitate its loading orunloading;

(f) any tailboard which is let down in order to facilitate the carriage of, but which is not essential forthe support of, loads which are in themselves so long as to extend at least as far as the tailboardwhen upright;

(g) any fitting attached to a part of, or to a receptacle on, a vehicle which does not increase thecarrying capacity of the part or receptacle but which enables it to be

(h) any plate, whether rigid or movable, fitted to a trailer constructed for the purpose of carrying other vehicles and designed to bridge the gap between that trailer and a motor vehicle constructed for that purpose and to which the trailer is attached so that, while the trailer is attached to the motor vehicle, vehicles which are to be carried by the motor vehicle may be moved from the trailer to the motor vehicle before a journey begins, and vehicles which have been carried on the motor vehicle may be moved from it to the trailer after a journey ends;

(i) any sheeting or other readily flexible means of covering or securing a load;

(k) any empty receptacle which itself forms a load;

(l) any receptacle which contains an indivisible load of exceptional length;

(m) any receptacle manufactured before 30 October 1985, not being a maritime container (namely a container designed primarily for carriage on sea transport without an accompanying road vehicle);

(n) any special appliance or apparatus as described in regulation 81(c) which does not itself increase the carrying capacity of the vehicle; or

(o) any rearward projecting buffer made of rubber or other resilient material.

(ii) for the purposes of regulations 7, 13A, 13B and 13C -

(a) any part of a trailer (not being in the case of an agricultural trailed appliance a drawbar or other thing with which it is equipped for the purpose of being towed) designed primarily for use as a means of attaching it to another vehicle and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part;

(b) the thickness of any front or rear wall on a semi-trailer and of any part forward of such front wall or rearward of such rear wall which does not increase the vehicle's load-carrying space.

As set out in the table above under item (n), items that meet the definition of special appliance or apparatus are not included when determining the overall length of a vehicle.

The overall length of a vehicle is measured from the extreme front to the extreme rear (usually the front bumper to the rear of the loadbearing surface or chassis) - see the section on overall length above. Any special appliance or apparatus (such as a crane jib) projecting beyond what would otherwise be the extreme front or rear of the vehicle can be ignored when determining the vehicle's overall length.

Therefore the requirements in Regulation 3 that allow any "special appliance…" to be ignored when determining the overall length of a vehicle are solely in relation to any special appliance or apparatus that projects beyond the front or rear (or both) extremities of the vehicle. This exception will not be relevant therefore to a crane/other appliance or apparatus which does not project beyond the front or rear of the vehicle, as that does not affect which points are considered the front and rear extremities of the vehicle.

In relation to any special appliance or apparatus that projects beyond the foremost or rearmost point of the vehicle, Regulation 81(d) iii states that such parts should be treated as if they were a load projecting from the front or rear of the vehicle.

Therefore, these projecting parts are subject to the same requirements (additional signs, attendants, police notification etc) that would apply to loads that project beyond the front or rear of the vehicle (or vehicle combination). Please see the paragraph of this sheet that provides guidance on projecting loads for further information.

The illustrations below provide some examples. The image below shows a ‘wheeled motor vehicle’ of maximum permitted length with parts of a special appliance or apparatus of ‘X’ length projecting beyond the front and rear. These parts of length ‘X’ are not included when determining the overall length of the vehicle.

If a vehicle should be constructed in such a way that a ‘special appliance or apparatus’ is located on the vehicle (for example, a crane mounted in the centre section of the vehicle as in the illustration below), the exception in Regulation 3 will not be relevant (given that the special appliance or apparatus does not project beyond the front or rear of the vehicle).

In this case, the maximum overall length including the crane is 12m (maximum overall length of a wheeled motor vehicle, other than a bus). If this motor vehicle is coupled to a semi-trailer of overall length ‘TL’ [footnote 1] to form thearticulated combination shown below, the maximum overall combination length ‘CL’ is restricted to 16.5m[footnote 2].

Exceptions from the maximum permitted trailer length limits are provided for trailers that are used to carry indivisible loads of exceptional length[footnote 3]. These exceptions are set out in paragraphs (3) and (3A) of regulation 7 of the Construction and Use Regulations (see annex A).

No maximum length for such trailers is specified in Regulation 7. However, Regulation 82 of the Construction and Use Regulations (restrictions on the use of vehicles carrying wide or long loads or having fixed appliances or apparatus) states that the maximum overall length of a trailer carrying a load of exceptional length, together with any forward or rearward projections, shall not exceed 27.4m.

Where a trailer is exempt from maximum permitted trailer length limits by virtue of the fact that it is used for the carriage of indivisible loads of exceptional length, Regulation 7 also provides an exemption from the maximum permitted vehicle combination lengths (see paragraph 3 of Regulation 7).

It should be noted that the use of trailers that are constructed to carry indivisible loads of exceptional length is restricted to only carrying such long loads.

An example of such a scenario is shown in the illustration below; a semi-trailer being used to carry a load of exceptional length. In relation to that example, the Construction and Use Regulations limit dimension ‘Y’ (the indivisible load length) to a maximum of 27.4m but no limit is specified for dimension ‘X’. Therefore, where such a trailer is being drawn to carry loads of exceptional length, the absence of a combination length limit allows the use of a ‘longer’ motor vehicle to draw such trailers. For articulated vehicle combinations, this means the tractor unit could for example be longer than a ‘standard’ length tractor unit to incorporate additional equipment such as a crane.

Please note that the requirements applying to carrying loads of exceptional length are detailed and therefore, the regulations themselves should always be consulted to determine those applying in any particular case.

The number of trailers that road vehicles are permitted to draw is set out in Regulation 83 of the Construction and Use Regulations. Certain categories of vehicle are permitted to draw more than one trailer and where this is the case the length of the drawing vehicle and each individual trailer that is drawn may be restricted. Guidance on the number of trailers that may be drawn is set out in the DfT information sheet on Maximum number of trailers.

In certain circumstances loads may overhang the front, rear or sides of the vehicle or combination of vehicles carrying a load. The restrictions and requirements that apply to such loads are set out in regulations 81 and 82 of the Construction and Use Regulations. Guidance on the action that must be taken when overhanging loads are carried can be found in a separate DfT information sheet about Overhanging loads on vehicles.

Whilst loads may project beyond the front, rear or sides of a vehicle or combination of vehicles, the Construction and Use Regulations do not provide exceptions from the maximum overall dimensions to support such loads. When determining the maximum overall width or length of a vehicle, only those items set out in Regulation 3 of the Construction and Use Regulations are not to be included. The following diagrams provide examples of items that must be included when determining the overall length of a vehicle / vehicle combination.

A device extending from the rear of a vehicle to support a load overhanging the rear must be included when determining the overall length of the vehicle. In the example shown above, such a device is not therefore permitted as the maximum permitted overall vehicle length limit of 12m would be exceeded.

The regulations do not exempt any device that may be used to support a motor vehicle that is being transported (shown in blue in the example above). In the example above, dimensions ‘X’ and ‘Y’ must be included and therefore, the maximum permitted overall vehicle length limit of 12m would be exceeded.

The Regulations do not exempt devices that extend the load platform when determining the maximum overall vehicle length. In the example above, dimensions ‘X’ and ‘Y’ must be included and therefore, the maximum permitted overall vehicle length limit of 12m would be exceeded.

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (6), the overall length of a vehicle or combination of vehicles of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum length specified in that item in column 3 of the Table, the overall length in the case of a combination of vehicles being calculated in accordance with regulation 81(g) and (h).

2 In the case of a motor vehicle drawing one trailer where—

(a) the motor vehicle is a showman's vehicle as defined in paragraph 7 of schedule 3 to the 1971 Act; and

(b) the trailer is used primarily as living accommodation by one or more persons and is not also used for the carriage of goods or burden which are not needed for the purpose of such residence in the vehicle, item 1 in the table applies with the substitution of 22m for 18m and item 1A in the table does not apply.

3 Items 1, 1A, 3, 3A and 3B of the table do not apply to—

(a) a vehicle combination which includes a trailer which is constructed and normally used for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length, or

(b) a vehicle combination consisting of a broken down vehicle (including an articulated vehicle) being drawn by a motor vehicle in consequence of a breakdown, or

(c) an articulated vehicle, the semi-trailer of which is a low loader manufactured before 1 April 1991.

3A Items 6, 7, 7A, 8 and 9 of the table do not apply to—

(a) a trailer which is constructed and normally used for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length,

(b) a broken down vehicle (including an articulated vehicle) which is being drawn by a motor vehicle in consequence of a breakdown, or

(c) a trailer being a drying or mixing plant designed for the production of asphalt or of bituminous or tar macadam and used mainly for the construction, repair or maintenance of roads, or a road planing machine so used.

3B Furthermore item 7 does not apply to—

(a) a semi-trailer which is a car transporter,

(b) a semi-trailer which is normally used on international journeys any part of which takes place outside the United Kingdom.

3C Item 1A and the words "(other than a motor vehicle such as is mentioned in item 1A)" in item 1 of the table shall cease to have effect after 31 December 2006.

(4) Where a motor vehicle is drawing—

(a) two trailers, then only one of those trailers may exceed an overall length of 7m;

(b) three trailers, then none of those trailers shall exceed an overall length of 7m.

(5) Where a motor vehicle is drawing—

(a) two or more trailers; or

(b) one trailer constructed and normally used for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length — then—

(i) the overall length of that motor vehicle shall not exceed 9.2m; and

(ii) the overall length of the combination of vehicles, calculated in accordance with regulation 81(g) and (h), shall not exceed 25.9m, unless the conditions specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12 have been complied with.

5XA A motor vehicle drawing a trailer which is not a semi-trailer shall (unless it is a vehicle such as is mentioned in item 1A of the Table in paragraph (1)) comply with the requirements of paragraph (5A). The words in parenthesis in this paragraph shall cease to have effect after 31 December 2006.

5A The requirements of this paragraph, in relation to a combination of vehicles, are that at least one of the vehicles in the combination is not a goods vehicle or, if both vehicles in the combination are goods vehicles that—

(a) the maximum distance measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the combination of vehicles from the foremost point of the loading area behind the driver's cab to the rear of the trailer, less the distance between the rear of the motor vehicle and the front of the trailer, does not exceed 15.65m; and

(b) the maximum distance measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the combination of vehicles from the foremost point of the loading area behind the driver's cab to the rear of the trailer does not exceed [16.4 m]; but sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply if both vehicles in the combination are car transporters

6 The requirements of this paragraph, in relation to a semi-trailer, are that—

(a) the longitudinal distance from the axis of the kingpin to the rear of the semi trailer does not exceed—

(i) 12.5m in the case of a car transporter,

(ia) 12.15m when carrying one or more containers or swap bodies up to a total maximum length of 45 feet as part of an intermodal transport operation, or

(ii) 12m in any other case; and

(b) no point in the semi-trailer forward of the transverse plane passing through the axis of the king pin is more than—

(i) 4.19m from the axis of the king pin, in the case of a car transporter, or

(ii) 2.04m from the axis of the king pin, in any other case.

6A For the purposes of paragraph (5A)—

(a) where the forward end of the loading area of a motor vehicle is bounded by a wall, the thickness of the wall shall be regarded as part of the loading area; and

(b) any part of a vehicle designed primarily for use as a means of attaching another vehicle to it and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part shall be disregarded in determining the distance between the rear of a motor vehicle and the front of a trailer being drawn by it.

7 For the purpose of paragraph (6) the longitudinal distance from the axis of the king pin to the rear of a semi-trailer is the distance between a transverse plane passing through the axis of the king pin and the rear of the semi-trailer.

7A Where a semi-trailer has more than one king-pin or is constructed so that it can be used with a king-pin in different positions, references in this regulation to a distance from the king-pin shall be construed

(a) in relation to a vehicle which was manufactured after [1 January 1999], as a reference to the foremost king-pin or, as the case may be, the foremost king-pin position; and

(b) in relation to any other vehicle, as a reference to the rearmost king-pin or, as the case may be, the rearmost king-pin position.

7B For the purposes of paragraphs (5A), (6) and (7)—

(a) a reference to the front of a vehicle is a reference to the transverse plane passing through the extreme forward projecting points of the vehicle; and

(b) a reference to the rear of a vehicle is a reference to the transverse plane passing through the extreme rearward projecting points of the vehicle, inclusive (in each case) of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of a permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to the vehicle but exclusive of—

(i) the things set out in sub-paragraph (i) of the definition of "overall length" in the table in regulation 3(2), and

(ii) in the case of a semi-trailer, the things set out in sub-paragraph (ii)(a) of that definition.

8 Where a broken down articulated vehicle is being towed by a motor vehicle in consequence of a breakdown—

(a) paragraph (5) shall have effect in relation to the combination of vehicles as if sub-paragraph (b) were omitted, and

(b) for the purposes of paragraph (4) and of paragraph (5) as so modified, the articulated vehicle shall be regarded as a single trailer.

9 No person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road, a trailer with an overall length exceeding 18.65m unless the requirements of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12 are complied with.

For the purposes of this regulation, regulation 82 and Schedule 12—

(a) "lateral projection", in relation to a load carried by a vehicle, means that part of the load which extends beyond a side of the vehicle;

(b) the width of any lateral projection shall be measured between longitudinal planes passing through the extreme projecting point of the vehicle on that side on which the projection lies and that part of the projection furthest from that point;

(c) references to a special appliance or apparatus, in relation to a vehicle, are references to any crane or other special appliance or apparatus fitted to the vehicle which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture;

(d) "forward projection" and "rearward projection"—

(i) in relation to a load carried in such a manner that its weight [is borne by] only one vehicle, mean respectively that part of the load which extends beyond the foremost point of the vehicle and that part which extends beyond the rearmost point of the vehicle;

(ii) in relation to a load carried in such a manner that part of its weight [is borne by] more than one vehicle, mean respectively that part of the load which extends beyond the foremost point of the foremost vehicle by which the load is carried except where the context otherwise requires and that part of the load which extends beyond the rearmost point of the rearmost vehicle by which the load is carried; and

(iii) in relation to any special appliance or apparatus, mean respectively that part of the appliance or apparatus which, if it were deemed to be a load carried by the vehicle, would be a part of a load extending beyond the foremost point of the vehicle and that part which would be a part of a load extending beyond the rearmost point of the vehicle, and references in regulation 82 and schedule 12 to a forward projection or to a rearward projection in relation to a vehicle shall be construed accordingly;

(e) the length of any forward projection or of any rearward projection shall be measured between transverse planes passing—

(i) in the case of a forward projection, through the foremost point of the vehicle and that part of the projection furthest from that point; and

(ii) in the case of a rearward projection, through the rearmost point of the vehicle and that part of the projection furthest from that point. In this and the foregoing sub-paragraph "vehicle" does not include any special appliance or apparatus or any part thereof which is a forward projection or a rearward projection;

(f) references to the distance between vehicles, in relation to vehicles carrying a load, are references to the distance between the nearest points of any 2 adjacent vehicles by which the load is carried, measured when the longitudinal axis of each vehicle lies in the same vertical plane. For the purposes of this sub-paragraph, in determining the nearest point of 2 vehicles any part of either vehicle designed primarily for use as a means of attaching the one vehicle to the other and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part shall be disregarded;

(g) references to a combination of vehicles, in relation to a motor vehicle which is drawing one or more trailers, are references to the motor vehicle and the trailer or trailers drawn thereby, including any other motor vehicle which is used for the purpose of assisting in the propulsion of the trailer or the trailers on the road;

(h) the overall length of a combination of vehicles shall be taken as the distance between the foremost point of the drawing vehicle comprised in the combination and the rearmost point of the rearmost vehicle comprised therein, measured when the longitudinal axis of each vehicle comprised in the combination lies in the same vertical plane;

(i) the extreme projecting point of a vehicle is the point from which the overall width of the vehicle is calculated in accordance with the definition of overall width contained in regulation 3(2);

(j) without prejudice to sub-paragraph (e) the foremost or, as the case may be, the rearmost point of a vehicle is the foremost or rearmost point from which the overall length of the vehicle is calculated in accordance with the definition of overall length contained in regulation 3(2); and

(k) an agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement rigidly but not permanently mounted on an agricultural motor vehicle, agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance, whether or not part of its weight is supported by one or more of its own wheels, shall not be treated as a load, or special appliance, on that vehicle.

Web versions of the documents referred to in this Information Sheet may be available from the National Archives http://www.legislation.gov.uk/. Alternatively, if you would like to purchase printed copies, Statutory Instruments are available to purchase from TSO:

The Stationery Office TSO Orders/Post Cash Dept PO Box 29NorwichNR3 1GN

Tel: 0870 600 5522Online ordering: www.tsoshop.co.uk

It should be noted, however, that the Construction and Use Regulations have been amended several times, and are likely to be again in the future, which may make it difficult to ensure that the printed version you hold contains the latest form of the regulations. Consolidated versions of the regulations are also available; such as The Encyclopaedia of Road Traffic Law and Practice that is published by Sweet and Maxwell. Such publications are continually updated and are available in most city reference libraries.

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In most cases this will be a maximum of 13.6m (12m maximum from kingpin to the rear of the trailer and no point of the trailer being more than 2.04m in front of the king pin). However, there are exceptions to this rule — please refer to the regulations — Regulation 7 (1) of the Construction and Use Regulations. ↩

Limited exceptions apply — please refer to the regulations — Regulation 7 (1) of the Construction and Use Regulations. ↩

The Construction and Use Regulations allow the carriage of indivisible loads that are long (up to 27.4m long) but not heavy (not exceeding the weight limits set out in part IV of the Construction and Use Regulations. Provisions allowing the carriage of indivisible loads that cannot be carried on vehicles that comply with the Construction and Use Regulations are contained in the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003 ↩