"The maximum allowable vehicular weight on posted sections of State Highways is 30,000 pound gross weight, or the cumulative width in inches of all tires contacting the road surface multiplied by 300, whichever is less."
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | UNKNOWN The NHDOT policy page confirms the program rules and weight limit formula but does not include a real-time active/inactive declaration for the current season. Parse confidence is low. Verify live posting status at newengland511.org before dispatch. |
| Status Timestamp | 2026-05-19 at 16:02 UTC |
| Coverage | Posted sections of State Highways only. Local and municipally maintained roads are not covered by this program. Only segments listed at newengland511.org under Trucking > New Hampshire > Seasonal Posting are confirmed posted. |
| Effective Dates | Not specified no start or end date is published on the NHDOT policy page. Monitor newengland511.org continuously throughout spring thaw season. |
| Weight Limits | On posted State Highway sections: 30,000 lb gross weight, or the cumulative width in inches of all tires contacting the road surface multiplied by 300 whichever is less. |
| Key Roads | Specific posted segments are not listed on the NHDOT policy page. Current posted roads must be checked at newengland511.org under the top banner "Trucking- New Hampshire- Seasonal Posting." |
| Exemptions | Under RSA Section 236:3-a, the following are exempted from seasonal bans with approval of NHDOT District Engineers: Trucks carrying home heating oil Trucks carrying processed milk products Trucks carrying maple sap Septic pumper trucks Exemption approval must be obtained from the applicable NHDOT District Engineer before operating on posted sections. |
| Penalties | Not specified on the NHDOT policy page. Contact the applicable NHDOT District Engineer for enforcement guidance. |
| Contact | NHDOT District Engineers (for exemption approvals and enforcement guidance). Live posted road list: newengland511.org Trucking > New Hampshire > Seasonal Posting. |
| Primary Status Source URL | https://www.dot.nh.gov/services/weight-restrictions-spring-postings |
Weight Limit Formula Posted State Highway Sections
When seasonal postings are in effect on a State Highway section, the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight is determined by the following formula published by NHDOT:
- 30,000 lb gross weight, OR
- Cumulative width in inches of all tires contacting the road surface 300
- Whichever is less applies.
This limit applies to posted sections of State Highways only. Segments currently posted are not listed on the NHDOT policy page use newengland511.org under Trucking > New Hampshire > Seasonal Posting for the live segment list.
Exemptions Under RSA Section 236:3-a
State law exempts the following vehicle and commodity types from seasonal posting bans. Exemption approval from NHDOT District Engineers is required in all cases before operating on posted sections.
- Trucks carrying home heating oil
- Trucks carrying processed milk products
- Trucks carrying maple sap
- Septic pumper trucks
Do not assume an exemption applies without obtaining prior approval from the applicable NHDOT District Engineer. Contact information for District Engineers is available through the NHDOT Spring Postings page.
How to Find Currently Posted Roads
The NHDOT policy page does not list specific posted road segments. The live segment list is maintained at a separate resource:
- Go to newengland511.org
- Select the top banner: "Trucking- New Hampshire- Seasonal Posting"
- The listing reflects currently posted State Highway sections statewide.
- Check this resource before every dispatch during spring thaw season postings can change without advance notice on the policy page.
Operational Notes for Dispatch
- Status cannot be confirmed from the policy page alone. The NHDOT dot.nh.gov page is a standing informational page without a real-time active/inactive indicator. Do not assume restrictions are inactive based on the absence of a status declaration on this page.
- State Highways only not local roads. This program covers posted sections of State Highways. Local and municipally maintained roads are not covered.
- Weight limit formula applies to all posted sections. The 30,000 lb / tire-width 300 formula is the governing limit on any posted segment whichever value is less controls.
- Exemptions require prior District Engineer approval. Qualifying commodity and vehicle types are not automatically exempt contact the applicable NHDOT District Engineer before routing exempt loads over posted sections.
- No penalties published. Penalty information is not included on the NHDOT policy page. Contact the applicable NHDOT District Engineer for enforcement guidance.
- No effective dates published. No season start or end date appears on the policy page. Monitor the live segment list at newengland511.org throughout spring thaw season.
- Verify every route individually. Only segments specifically listed at newengland511.org under Trucking > New Hampshire > Seasonal Posting are confirmed posted. Do not extrapolate from named routes restrictions apply only to listed segments.
Source Attribution
Weight limit formula, exemption rules, road classification scope, and special conditions were retrieved from the NHDOT Spring Weight Restrictions and Spring Postings page, last retrieved 2026-05-19 at 16:02 UTC. Supporting quotes were retrieved from this source on 2025-01-31. Parse confidence is low for restriction status due to the absence of a real-time active/inactive declaration and current-season effective dates on the policy page. Weight limit, exemption, road classification, and special condition data carry high confidence. The live posted segment list is maintained separately at newengland511.org under Trucking > New Hampshire > Seasonal Posting. Exemption authority is RSA Section 236:3-a.
