Reference
Dimension limits: Ukraine versus the EU
Oversized is not a property of the cargo but a property of the route. The Ukrainian limits (clause 22.5 of the road rules) and the European ones (Directive 96/53/EC) do not match, so the same combination can be legal in Ukraine and oversized in Poland. The common market mistake is to take one number off the internet and treat it as universal.
Exceeding even one parameter makes the shipment oversized — and from there a permit is required in each country of the route separately. Ukrainian sources routinely confuse these two columns: 2.55 m in width is the EU norm, not the Ukrainian one, and 4.3–4.5 m in height is not a norm anywhere. For agricultural machinery outside built-up areas in Ukraine the width is 3.75 m; the weight tolerance is 2%.
FAQ
Which cargo is considered oversized in Ukraine?
Under clause 22.5 of the road rules, cargo is oversized if it is wider than 2.6 m, higher than 4.0 m, longer than 12 m for a truck or over 22 m for a road train, or overhangs the rear by more than 2 m. For container carriers on designated routes the height limit is 4.35 m; for agricultural machinery outside built-up areas the width is 3.75 m.
How do Ukrainian dimension limits differ from the European ones?
Width: 2.6 m in Ukraine against 2.55 m in the EU (2.60 m in the EU is allowed only for conditioned bodies). Road train length: 22 m in Ukraine against 18.75 m in the EU, with an articulated vehicle at 16.5 m. Height is the same — 4.0 m. So a combination that is legal on a Ukrainian road already needs a permit on the Polish or German leg — and the other way round. The gauge is checked against the norm of the country whose road you are on right now, not the country of destination.
Is a permit needed only in the country of entry, or in every transit country?
In every one. There is no single European oversized permit — each country of the route issues its own, with its own procedure, its own processing time and its own limit values. For a typical “EU port → Ukraine” leg that is a chain: the port country, every transit country, Ukraine. That is why we agree the route before booking, not after the vessel arrives: the longest processing time in the chain sets the departure date.
When is a pilot car required, and when is a police escort?
A pilot car — at a width over 3.5 m or a length over 24 m (clause 27). A police escort — at a width over 3.75 m, a length over 30 m, or when the route requires driving into the oncoming lane (clause 28).
What is the hidden cost item in oversized shipping?
Weight above 60 t. At that weight the road owner may require surveys and reinforcement of engineering structures — bridges and overpasses — at the expense of the party ordering the transport. That amount has to be budgeted before the contract is signed, not after.
How long is a permit valid?
For Ukraine: a single permit covers one trip, and for a recurring route with the same vehicle it is issued for up to 3 months. In EU countries the terms are their own — from a single trip to annual permits for defined corridors, and each one is counted separately.
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