Truck width, height, and weight: European legislation 2025
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Home / Truck width, height, and weight: European legislation 2025
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Knowing the regulations regarding the weight, width, and height of the truck is essential for smooth transport across Europe. The rules still differ in certain aspects by country. For example, in some countries, longer and heavier trucks are allowed, also known as LHVs, EuroCombi, or Gigaliner.
In this blog, you will read:
What the EU standards are regarding the length, height, and weight of trucks.
National exceptions in various European countries.
What the expectations are for the future.
What is the maximum width of a truck?
The maximum width of trucks in Europe is 2.55 meters, except for refrigerated trucks, which are allowed a width of 2.60 meters.
Refrigerated trucks may be 2.60 meters wide due to the extra insulation needed to maintain the temperature of the cargo. This compensates for the loss of cargo space due to the thicker walls.
So the load counts for the width of your truck but not every part counts. Think about the mirrors of the truck. These do not count when looking at the maximum width of a truck of 2 metres and 55 centimetres. Besides the mirrors, there are more parts that are not taken into consideration. These parts are:
Tire pressure gauges
Snow chains
Mudflaps
Retractable steps
Turn signals, city lights, reflectors, and marker lights
Components used for the fixing of tarpaulins
The maximum width of a truck including mirrors
The width of trucks is measured without the side mirrors. However, these mirrors can add an extra 20-30 cm on each side, bringing the total width including mirrors to approximately 2.95 to 3.05 meters.
TRALERT® is a specialist in vehicle lighting for the Truck & Trailer industry. Our mission is to contribute to safe road transport.
What is the maximum length of a truck?
The maximum length of a standard truck in the EU is 12 meters.
For truck with trailer (truck combination), the maximum length may be 16.50 meters.
A truck with trailer may be a maximum of 18.75 meters long.
For LHVs (Long Heavy Vehicles), the maximum allowed length is 18.75 meters.
In some countries, such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden, exceptions are allowed where EMS trucks (European Modular System) can be up to 25.25 meters long.
What is the maximum height of a truck?
The maximum height allowed across the EU is 4.00 meters, applicable to all types of trucks, including rigid and articulated combinations. While loading docks and facilities are typically designed for this height, it is important to ensure that the infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, provides sufficient clearance.
Maximum weight of a truck
The standard weight limit for trucks in the EU is 40 tons, but under specific circumstances (such as intermodal transport, where the truck switches between road and rail), this can be extended to 44 tons. Many countries also allow heavier trucks for domestic operations with special permits, as seen in our country-specific breakdown.
Nationale uitzonderingen op vrachtwagenafmetingen en gewicht
Although the EU standard sets clear rules for truck dimensions, some European countries have introduced national exceptions to allow mega-trucks or European Modular Systems (EMS), enabling the more efficient transport of goods. Below, we provide an overview of the most notable exceptions for various countries in Europe.
Country
Maximum length (meters)
Maximum weight (tons)
Special conditions
Germany
Up to 25.25 meters (LHV)
44 tons (in combined transport)
LHVs allowed on designated routes. Special permits required.
Netherlands
Up to 25.25 meters (LHV)
60 tons
Extensive network for EMS vehicles. Special routes and permits required.
Italy
18,75 meter
44 tons
No LHVs or mega-trucks allowed. Italy strictly adheres to EU standards.
France
18,75 meter
44 tons
Mega-trucks are not allowed. France strictly follows EU regulations.
United Kingdom
Tot 18,75 meter
44 tons (6-axle vehicles)
44-ton limit for most trucks. Strict axle load limits.
Spain
Tot 25,25 meter (EMS)
60 tons
EMS trucks allowed on toll roads and highways. Permits required.
Finland
Tot 34,5 meter
76 tons
Largest trucks in the EU. Trials with trucks up to 88 tons.
Sweden
Tot 34,5 meter
74 tons
Leader in the use of EMS. Frequent use on domestic routes.
Germany
Germany is a leader in allowing the European Modular System (Longer Heavier Vehicles). These trucks can be 25.25 meters long and carry up to 44 tons (in combined transport).
Did you know that LHVs can reduce CO2 emissions by 25% per ton of cargo? That’s why they are becoming increasingly popular in Germany as part of the country’s efforts to meet sustainability targets.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is also heavily investing in EMS trucks, which can be up to 25.25 meters long and carry 60 tons. These trucks operate on an extensive network of routes, and operators must obtain special permits to use them. The Netherlands is a key driver behind longer trucks in Europe, arguing that they help reduce the number of trips needed, leading to less emissions and less traffic congestion.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, 44-ton trucks are the standard for heavy freight transport. Articulated trailers can be up to 16.5 meters long, while LHV combinations can go up to 18.75 meters. The UK places a strong emphasis on weight distribution over axles, with a strict limit of 10.5 tons per axle. Although longer trucks are less common than in the Netherlands or Germany, they are allowed in specific cases.
Italy
Italy strictly adheres to EU standards, with a maximum length of 18.75 meters and a weight limit of 44 tons for LHV combinations. Italy does not allow LHVs or EMS trucks on its roads, prioritizing the protection of infrastructure and environmental issues.
Interesting: Despite the restrictions, Italy allows certain intermodal transport exceptions, where trucks can switch between road and rail transport with a weight of up to 44 tons.
France
France also closely follows EU regulations, limiting truck length to 18.75 meters and weight to 44 tons. The French government is hesitant to allow mega-trucks (LHVs), citing concerns about road safety and the strain on infrastructure.
Sweden
Sweden was one of the first countries in Europe to introduce EMS trucks, allowing vehicles to be up to 34.5 meters long and 74 tons heavy. These trucks are a key part of Sweden's strategy to reduce the environmental impact of road transport. The country has invested in infrastructure improvements to support these vehicles and is now experimenting with even heavier trucks, aiming for 88 tons in the near future.
Finland
Finland also allows trucks up to 34.5 meters long and 76 tons heavy. The country has a similar approach to Sweden, with trials underway to permit even heavier vehicles. The Finnish forestry and industrial sectors benefit significantly from these mega-trucks, as they can transport large quantities of goods in fewer trips.
Future of freight transport in Europe
Europe is moving towards longer and heavier trucks, but this shift is not uniform across all countries. Some countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries, are leading with LHVs and EMS trucks, while other countries like Italy and France are more hesitant.
In the coming years, more countries may transition to mega-trucks as Europe works on reducing CO2 emissions and improving the efficiency of freight transport.
Stay updated on the latest regulations
It is crucial to stay informed about transport regulations to avoid fines and ensure your operations run smoothly. Whether you are driving through Germany or planning to operate in Spain, knowing the rules for truck dimensions and weight can save you a lot of time and effort.
Truck cargo space dimensions
The width of a truck's cargo space can vary. The most common dimensions for a trailer's cargo space are 10.5 meters long and 2.46 meters wide.
To illuminate the cargo space, there are many options. Consider loading space lighting with motion sensors. This lighting is specifically designed for use in the interior. TRALERT® offers a wide range of LED interior lighting.
Width lighting
For traffic safety, it is of great importance that other road users can easily estimate the width of your vehicle. To make this easier, various lights are available. Think, for example, of width lights. As the name suggests, width lights are intended to clearly indicate the width of the vehicle. This is important when a fellow road user approaches your vehicle in the dark. They are also crucial when approaching or overtaking. Serious accidents can happen if a road user cannot properly estimate the width of a large vehicle. Meer over de regels en wetgeving van vrachtwagenverlichting.
The choice of TRALERT®
Below you can see a selection of our width lights:
It is allowed for the load of a truck to protrude, provided it stays within the limits of the maximum length, width, and height of the truck. It is important to distinguish between two types of cargo: divisible and indivisible cargo. Divisible cargo can be split into multiple parts, such as packages or disassemblable items. Indivisible cargo, on the other hand, cannot be divided and must be transported as a single unit.
Divisible load
Divisible cargo may not extend at the front of the truck. At the rear, divisible cargo may extend up to a maximum of 1 meter. If the cargo extends more than 1 meter, it is mandatory to use marking boards or lights to make the cargo clearly visible to other road users.
Indivisible load
Divisible cargo may not extend at the front of the truck. At the rear, divisible cargo may extend up to a maximum of 1 meter. If the cargo extends more than 1 meter, it is mandatory to use marking boards or lights to make the cargo clearly visible to other road users.
At TRALERT®, we make every effort to keep the information in this article as accurate and up-to-date as possible, including regulations regarding vehicle lighting. However, legislation can change frequently, and while we strive to implement these updates promptly, certain updates or adjustments may not yet be reflected in this article. Therefore, we advise our readers always to check the current legislation with their local government agencies or regulatory bodies, especially concerning exceptions or specific national regulations. TRALERT
Always contact the competent authority in case of doubt to ensure that your vehicle complies with all legal requirements.
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Kevin VM
Lighting expert at TRALERT® - Kevin tests lighting and researches everything related to regulations. He can tell you all about it.
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