To protect the public's health, safety and welfare, a moving and hauling permit is required for oversized vehicles to drive on Virginia Beach roadways.

Operating authority is found in both City and state code, which is administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation. 

A permit is required when the maximum single axle weight is over 20,000 pounds. or when the maximum tandem weight is over 34,000 pounds and when the items being moved are over the following dimensions:

• Gross weight: refer to Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Transportation Moving & Hauling Manual
• Height: 13 feet 6 inches
• Length:​​ 40-foot vehicle alone or 60-foot combination of vehicles
• Width: ​all vehicles over 8 feet 6 inches 

The Virginia Department of Transportation/Department of Motor Vehicles has jurisdiction only on VDOT roads. The City of Virginia Beach has jurisdiction on all streets within the city, except for Interstate 64 and Interstate 264. The state permit issued by VDOT/DMV is valid on I-64 and I-264. Any travel on roads within the City of Virginia Beach would require a permit from this locality.

Fees

• Blanket permit (cranes, etc.): $300
• Super load (over 115,000 pounds): $75
• Single trip permit: $75
• Technology fee: $10

Required Information

The following is required to obtain a moving and hauling permit: 

• ​Description of equipment and/or materials to be moved.
• Overall dimensions and gross weight of vehicle and load.
• Truck and/or trailer license number and state where licensed (only necessary for single trip permits).
• Vehicle identification number (VIN).
• Origin and destination of movement within the City of Virginia Beach.
• Proposed roadway routes over which movement is requested.
• Requests for overweight vehicles must include maximum weight, distance between steering axle and rear most axle, and the number of axles on vehicle/vehicle combination.
• Copy of the Virginia Department of Transportation moving and hauling permit for vehicle, if applicable.
• Copy of a valid certificate of automobile liability insurance in the amount of $500,000.
• Certificate of Insurance naming City of Virginia Beach as additional insured.
• State permit and certificate of insurance needs to be uploaded to permit.

In addition, the permittee must comply with all travel regulations and operational provisions printed on the moving and hauling permit or that is contained in the City of Virginia Beach's manual.

The permittee also assumes all responsibility for any injury to persons or damage to public or private property caused directly or indirectly by the transportation of vehicles and loads under a permit. Furthermore, the permittee agrees to hold the City of Virginia Beach harmless from all suits, claims, damages or proceedings of any kind, as a direct or indirect result of the transportation of the vehicle and/or load.

Issuance & Inspection

Permits will be issued to the person or firm doing the hauling. Most permits will be processed within two working days of application. Extremely over dimensional/overweight moves may take up to 30 days to process if an engineer review is needed.

Single trip permits are valid for one to seven working days. In some cases, permits may be extended not to exceed a total of 30 days. Return trips will be covered under the same permit if requested on the application. 

Blanket permits will be valid for up to one year.

A permit will not be issued for any vehicle or load that can be reduced to legal limitations of size and weight. Field verification may be required to determine whether an item can be reasonably reduced. The size and/or weight may be reduced as required by the Permit Office and loaded so that it conforms to legal limits. Items can't be loaded side-by-side to create over width condition; end-to-end to create over length conditions; or stacked to create over height condition.

VDOT hauling guidelines must be followed when transporting construction equipment. When hauling more than one item at a time, gross weight and axle weights must be in accordance with VDOT regulations. The Permit Office will determine what items need to be removed for the transport to be conducted in a safe and efficient manner. A permit will not be issued when it's determined that the move may cause undue harm to public infrastructure or pose a risk to the safety and welfare of residents.

A hauling permit may be revoked if the permittee is found in violation of the terms of the permit. Repeated violations may result in a permanent denial of the right to use City roadways for transportation of overweight and oversized vehicle configurations. A permit may also be revoked for misrepresentation of the information on the application, fraudulently obtaining a permit, alteration of a permit or unauthorized use of a permit.

Permits will be invalid if a law enforcement officer finds the vehicle or vehicle combination to be operating in violation of permit conditions regarding route, time of movement licensing, number of axles or any special conditions contained within the permit.