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Rules of circulation in Quebec

340 facts, each with the passage it comes from, quoted from 9 official sources.

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Open a question to read the facts on file that bear on it.

General

77 topics

Sunday and holiday travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether a vehicle or combination of vehicles is permitted to travel on Sundays and legal holidays under the applicable permit or exemption.

Yesin 4 casesNoin 1 case

  • All vehicles travelling under a special permit of any class
  • Cranes
  • Cranes
  • SCHEDULE 3, General, condition 5

Night travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether a vehicle or combination of vehicles is permitted to travel at night under the applicable permit or exemption.

Yesin 5 cases

  • Cranes
  • Cranes
  • SCHEDULE 3, General, condition 3
  • SCHEDULE 3; condition 3

Advance notice to road authority (Measures)

The minimum number of hours before departure that the road or bridge authority must be notified of the movement of an oversize or overweight vehicle.

  • 48 hSCHEDULE 3, General, condition 12
  • 48 hSCHEDULE 3; condition 12; road or bridge authority mentioned in the permit

Escort vehicle required (Yes or no)

Whether one or more escort vehicles are required to accompany the over-dimensional vehicle or combination, including load and equipment, under the applicable conditions.

Yesin 4 cases

  • Condition 1
  • Width > 3.75 m on a road with more than one lane in the direction; length > 17 m (single-unit vehicle), 21 m (crane), 27.50 m (combination of 2 vehicles), 30 m (combination of 3 vehicles or combination covered by a class 2 permit); rear overhang exceeding the limits of section 2, sub. 1 d)
  • Width > 3.75 m on a road with only one lane in the direction; width > 3.10 m without exceeding 3.75 m at night on a road with only one lane (except a snow removal vehicle within the specified limits); height > 4.50 m; front overhang exceeding the limits of section 2, sub. 1 d)
  • Width > 4.40 m on a road with only one lane in the direction; or vehicle covered by both a condition requiring a rear escort and a condition requiring a front escort

Escort vehicle minimum distance (Measures)

Minimum distance, in metres, to be maintained between the escort vehicle and the escorted vehicle or convoy, as specified by the applicable permit condition or signalling annex.

100 m328′ 1″

In general

  • 30 m98′ 5″Condition 16, between over-dimensional vehicles listed on the permit
  • 500 m1640′ 5″Schedule 10, condition O, two escort vehicles side by side
  • 500 m1640′ 5″Schedule 11, condition Q, single escort vehicle

Warning signals required (Choices)

Which warning signals the region requires for a special-permit move.

  • All vehicles operating under a special permit

    • Amber light with 360-degree range

  • All vehicles operating under a special permit of any class

    • Amber light with 360-degree range

Permit holder responsible for route authorization (Yes or no)

Whether the permit holder is responsible for ensuring that travel on the road network is authorized for the load and size of the vehicle (true if the region places this responsibility on the permit holder).

Yes

Convoy travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether vehicles or combinations of vehicles whose registration numbers are listed on the permit may travel in convoy.

Yesin 4 cases

  • Maximum of 2 oversize vehicles; Class 7 permit where convoy travel must be expressly authorized
  • Maximum of 2 oversize vehicles; Class 7 permit: expressly authorized
  • SCHEDULE 3, General, condition 17; vehicles whose registration number is mentioned in the permit
  • SCHEDULE 3; condition 17; vehicles whose registration number is mentioned in the permit

Warning lights, signs and flags

15 topics Open Warning lights, signs and flags

Warning sign required (Yes or no)

Whether the vehicle or combination must display warning signs or rigid surfaces meeting the prescribed standards when its dimensions exceed the specified thresholds, or when required by a permit condition.

Yes

Width > 3.04 m, length > 25 m or height > 4.30 m; vehicle assigned to snow removal: width > 3.75 m or equipment exceeding the left side by more than 60 cm or the right side by more than 130 cm

Warning light required (Yes or no)

Whether the vehicle or combination must be equipped with a yellow warning light meeting the prescribed visibility, flash frequency and lens dimensions.

Yes

Flag required (Yes or no)

Whether the vehicle or combination must display warning flags meeting the prescribed dimensions and placement when its dimensions exceed the specified thresholds, or when required by a permit condition.

Yes

Load exceeding the side of the vehicle by more than 30 cm

Travel hours and calendar restrictions

6 topics Open Travel hours and calendar restrictions

Sunday and holiday travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether the permit authorizes circulation on Sundays and the named public holidays, for the vehicle or combination, including load and equipment.

Yesin 1 caseNoin 2 cases

  • In general
  • All vehicles operating under a special permit of any class
  • Condition 5

Night travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether the permit authorizes circulation at night, defined as the period between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise, for the vehicle or combination, including load and equipment, under the applicable conditions.

Yesin 2 cases

  • Condition 3
  • Condition 4

Departure time police approval required (Yes or no)

Whether the departure time must be determined with a person in authority of the police force.

Yes

Condition 2

Spring thaw travel restrictions

7 topics Open Spring thaw travel restrictions

Thaw period travel allowed (Yes or no)

Whether circulation is authorized during the spring thaw period, during which permitted axle and gross vehicle loads are reduced on all public roads.

Yesin 1 caseNoin 1 case

  • Condition 6
  • Condition 6

Thaw period start date (Dates)

Calendar date on which the spring thaw load-restriction period begins in the zone concerned, as published annually by the road authority.

  • March 16, 2026Zone 1
  • April 13, 2026Zone 2
  • April 20, 2026Zone 3

Thaw period end date (Dates)

Calendar date on which the spring thaw load-restriction period ends in the zone concerned, as published annually by the road authority.

  • May 15, 2026Zone 1
  • May 22, 2026Zone 2
  • May 29, 2026Zone 3

Bridge and ferry crossings

6 topics Open Bridge and ferry crossings

Required bridge crossing position (Choices)

Required position of the vehicle or combination when crossing a bridge, including the precise bridge centre, a central lane, or straddling lanes.

  • Class 6 permit on the highway network in Schedule 4, bridge comprising more than 2 lanes of traffic in the same direction

    • Central lane

  • Condition C, bridges with a single lane in the direction of travel

    • Precise centre of bridge

  • Condition D; rightmost two lanes on a bridge with more than 2 lanes in the direction of travel

    • Straddle two lanes
    • Straddle the two rightmost lanes

  • Condition F, roads with more than 2 lanes in the same direction

    • Central lane

Maximum speed on bridges (Measures)

Maximum speed, in kilometres per hour, at which the vehicle or combination may travel on bridges under the applicable permit condition.

  • 10 km/h6.2 mphCondition G
  • 25 km/h15.5 mphCondition H
  • 40 km/h24.9 mphCondition I
  • 25 km/h15.5 mphCondition J, bridges where signage prohibits circulation of over-dimensional vehicles

Bridge crossing alone required (Yes or no)

Whether the vehicle or combination must cross the bridge alone, without other traffic, under the applicable permit condition.

Yes

Condition B

Road network access

1 topic Open Road network access

Authorized road network (Choices)

The road network on which circulation is authorized, such as all public roads or the listed highway network.

  • Condition T

    • All public roads

  • Condition U

    • Listed highway network

Where these facts come from

  7. Période de dégel — Dates officielles(opens in a new tab)

    www.transports.gouv.qc.ca, web page, 16 facts