Truck Size Limits on Pakistan's Motorways and Highways: 2.55 m Wide, 4.30 m High
Truck size limits on Pakistan motorways and highways under NHMP rules: 2.55 m wide, 4.30 m high, 12 m rigid, 17.40 m articulated, plus the abnormal load permit.
A normal goods truck on a Pakistani motorway or national highway may be up to 2.55 metres wide and 4.30 metres high, and a two-axle or three-axle rigid truck up to 12 metres long. A three- to six-axle articulated truck may be 17.40 metres long. Anything bigger needs a one-time permit from the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) at Rs 30 a kilometre.
These truck size limits come from the dimension rules that NHMP posts on its website. We read the Gazette text on 14 October 2026. The rules were notified on 20 February 2018, and we did not find a later amendment.
The rules cover every goods vehicle on national highways and motorways
The National Highways and Motorways (Dimensions of Goods Transport Vehicles) Rules, 2017 apply to all goods vehicles on national highways and motorways. A vehicle that breaks the size limits is not allowed on them. Petroleum tankers also follow OGRA's own transport rules.
The rules were made under section 40 of the National Highways Safety Ordinance, 2000. Length, width and height count the load, not just the truck. Width leaves out tyre bulge, mirrors and indicators. A front bumper made of safe material is left out of length, but nothing else may stick out in front of it.
The measurement is of the vehicle with its load, not of the empty truck.
General limits: 2.55 m wide, 4.30 m high, 12 m rigid, 17.40 m articulated
For general access trucks the First Schedule sets the maximums by type. A two- or three-axle rigid truck is limited to 12.00 m long, 2.55 m wide and 4.30 m high. An articulated truck, a prime mover with a semi-trailer, may be 17.40 m long.
| Vehicle type | Length (max) | Width (max) | Height (max) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup (G1) | 3.50 m | 2.50 m | 3.00 m |
| Mini truck (G2) | 5.30 m | 2.50 m | 3.50 m |
| Two- or three-axle rigid truck | 12.00 m | 2.55 m | 4.30 m |
| Three- or four-axle articulated truck | 17.40 m | 2.55 m | 4.30 m |
| Five- or six-axle articulated truck | 17.40 m | 2.55 m | 4.35 m |
| Articulated car carrier | 19.81 m | 2.55 m | 4.87 m |
The schedule adds more limits for each type, such as rear overhang and the distance from the kingpin, the pin that joins the trailer to the prime mover. A rigid truck's rear overhang is capped at 2.80 m for a three-axle truck, and an articulated truck's depends on its axle layout. Check your own vehicle's type in the schedule.
Tankers have a narrower limit and a cap on tank height
Liquid and gas tankers are limited to 2.50 m wide, not 2.55 m, and each type caps tank height. A mini tanker may be 6.00 m long. An articulated tanker may be 17.40 m long with a tank up to 3.80 m high.
A two-axle rigid tanker is capped at 10.00 m long and 3.50 m high, with a tank height of 3.40 m. A three-axle rigid tanker may be 12.00 m long and 4.00 m high, with a tank height of 3.80 m. For petroleum products the rules point to OGRA's own transport standards, which we did not read.
Wide-bed trucks can get conditional access up to 3.05 m
The Second Schedule lets two kinds of wide-bed truck use motorways under conditions, up to 3.05 m wide and 4.87 m high. They may carry only construction machinery, one piece at a time, and never divisible goods or loaded containers.
The conditions in rule 4 are strict: the truck may not travel unloaded from dusk to dawn or in poor visibility, and it must carry lights on its extremities at night and red flags by day. If the load sticks out of the vehicle, the owner needs NHMP permission and a lead vehicle and a rear vehicle.
Abnormal loads need a one-time NHMP permit at Rs 30 a kilometre
An abnormal load is a single indivisible piece over 65.5 tons, or over 19.8 m long, 2.9 m wide or 4.9 m high. The owner applies to NHMP on Form A and pays Rs 30 per kilometre of the journey, as the rules state.
- Fill in Form A with the load, route, weight, height, width and number of axles.
- Deposit the fee, Rs 30 per kilometre, in the National Consolidated Fund and attach the original bank slip.
- Wait for NHMP's decision, taken on a report from the National Highway Authority (NHA). Permission is for one journey.
- Tell the NHMP office of the area before the vehicle joins the road.
- Move only in daytime and park at a safe place between dusk and dawn.
- Run with an extra prime mover, a lead car, a rear vehicle and a mobile workshop, all with amber revolving lights and "ABNORMAL LOAD" painted in red reflective colour.
Red flags and amber lights go on the outer edges of the load. The driver must follow NHMP's instructions on the road. Always confirm the fee with NHMP before you deposit it, because the rules are from 2018 and we could not confirm the present rate.
Owners must sign an affidavit and cannot alter a truck on their own
When registering a goods vehicle, or applying for or renewing its fitness certificate, the owner must submit an attested affidavit on Rs 30 stamp paper saying the vehicle meets the First Schedule. Nobody may fabricate or alter a goods vehicle unless its maker authorises it.
Any alteration or fabrication must be recorded on the registration certificate. That includes building a semi-trailer or trailer for a prime mover. Fines and tolls follow their own rules: see how to check and pay an NHMP motorway challan and the national highway toll rates.
For speed limits on the same roads, see motorway speed limits in Pakistan. To reach NHMP about a stopped load or a road problem, use the NHMP helpline 130.
Common questions about truck size on motorways
What is the maximum width of a truck on a Pakistani motorway?
It is 2.55 m for general access trucks and 2.50 m for tankers. Wide-bed construction machinery carriers may reach 3.05 m under conditions.
How tall can a loaded truck be?
A rigid truck may be 4.30 m high with its load. Five- and six-axle articulated trucks may reach 4.35 m.
What counts as an abnormal load?
A single indivisible piece over 65.5 tons laden weight, or over 19.8 m long, 2.9 m wide or 4.9 m high.
How much is the abnormal load permit fee?
The rules say Rs 30 per kilometre of journey on the motorway or highway. Confirm with NHMP, as the rules date from 2018.
Can an abnormal load move at night?
No. The rules allow movement only in daytime, and the vehicle must park at a safe place from dusk to dawn.
Do the rules apply on city roads?
No. They apply to national highways and motorways. City and provincial roads have their own rules.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 14 October 2026. Every figure comes from the Dimensions of Goods Transport Vehicles Rules, 2017 that NHMP posts on its traffic rules page, published in the Gazette of 8 March 2018. We did not find later amendments, did not read OGRA's tanker standards and did not test any permit application. Ask NHMP for the current fee and form before you plan a journey.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
