H.B. 210

1

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE - LENGTH AND
2 WIDTH AMENDMENTS
3 2002 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Don E. Bush
6 This act modifies the Transportation Code to amend length and width requirements for
7 vehicles. The act provides that attached shade awnings are excluded when measuring length
8 and width of recreational vehicles.
9 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
10 AMENDS:
11 72-7-402, as last amended by Chapter 21, Laws of Utah 1999
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
13 Section 1. Section 72-7-402 is amended to read:
14 72-7-402. Limitations as to vehicle width, height, length, and load extensions.
15 (1) (a) Except as provided by statute, all state or federally approved safety devices and any
16 other lawful appurtenant devices, including refrigeration units, hitches, air line connections, and
17 load securing devices related to the safe operation of a vehicle are excluded for purposes of
18 measuring the width and length of a vehicle under the provisions of this part, if the devices are not
19 designed or used for carrying cargo.
20 (b) Load-induced tire bulge is excluded for purposes of measuring the width of vehicles
21 under the provisions of this part.
22 (c) Awnings attached to the sides or rear of a recreational vehicle that is not a commercial
23 motor vehicle are excluded for purposes of measuring the width and length of the recreational
24 vehicle if the additional width or length does not exceed six inches.
25 (2) A vehicle unladen or with a load may not exceed a width of 8-1/2 feet.
26 (3) A vehicle unladen or with a load may not exceed a height of 14 feet.
27 (4) (a) (i) A single-unit vehicle, unladen or with a load, may not exceed a length of 45 feet

28 including front and rear bumpers.
29 (ii) In this section, a truck tractor coupled to one or more semitrailers or trailers is not
30 considered a single-unit vehicle.
31 (b) (i) Except as provided under Subsection (4)(b)(iii), a semitrailer, unladen or with a
32 load, may not exceed a length of 48 feet excluding refrigeration units, hitches, air line connections,
33 and safety appurtenances.
34 (ii) There is no overall length limitation on a truck tractor and semitrailer combination
35 when the semitrailer length is 48 feet or less.
36 (iii) A semitrailer that exceeds a length of 48 feet but does not exceed a length of 53 feet
37 may operate on a route designated by the department or within one mile of that route.
38 (c) (i) Two trailers coupled together, unladen or with a load, may not exceed an overall
39 length of 61 feet, measured from the front of the first trailer to the rear of the second trailer.
40 (ii) There is no overall length limitation on a truck tractor and double trailer combination
41 when the trailers coupled together measure 61 feet or less.
42 (d) All other combinations of vehicles, unladen or with a load, when coupled together, may
43 not exceed a total length of 65 feet, except the length limitations do not apply to combinations of
44 vehicles operated at night by a public utility when required for emergency repair of public service
45 facilities or properties, or when operated under a permit under Section 72-7-406 .
46 (5) (a) Subject to Subsection (4), a vehicle or combination of vehicles may not carry any
47 load extending more than three feet beyond the front of the body of the vehicle or more than six
48 feet beyond the rear of the bed or body of the vehicle.
49 (b) A passenger vehicle may not carry any load extending beyond the line of the fenders
50 on the left side of the vehicle nor extending more than six inches beyond the line of the fenders on
51 the right side of the vehicle.
52 (6) Any exception to this section must be authorized by a permit as provided under
53 Section 72-7-406 .
54 (7) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
55 department shall make rules designating routes where a semitrailer that exceeds a length of 48 feet
56 but that does not exceed a length of 53 feet may operate as provided under Subsection (4)(b)(iii).
57 (8) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

Legislative Review Note
as of 12-13-01 8:26 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel