Width limitNetherlands
Traffic rules
Netherlands
1. Width limit
A width limit prohibits vehicles or vehicle combinations whose total width exceeds the value shown from entering or passing a road section, bridge, tunnel, gateway or other narrow passage. The width includes the vehicle’s load and any equipment or objects extending from its sides.
Drivers must know the maximum travelling width of their vehicle and load, observe advance warnings and use an alternative route when necessary. They should never enter when sufficient lateral clearance is uncertain.
What does a posted vehicle-width restriction mean in Netherlands?
A width restriction limits entry to a passage that cannot legally accommodate vehicles above the indicated width. Look for the local sign near older canal bridges, tunnels and village streets and read any advance warning or exception plate. Measurements are generally given in metres.
🔗 government.nl • Dutch Government, road rules and signs — RVV articles 62; Annex 1 C17–C21
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
Vehicles wider than indicated prohibited.
English • Traffic sign C18 • No vehicles wider than indicated, including their load.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord C18 • Gesloten voor voertuigen die, met inbegrip van de lading, breder zijn dan op het bord is aangegeven.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990, bijlage 1
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
SVG version by Bouwe Brouwer • Public domain • Source revision 2007-08-31. Wikimedia original unmodified.
How should you check the width of a loaded vehicle in Netherlands?
Check the vehicle and any projecting load or equipment. The legal measurement may exclude particular fittings such as mirrors, depending on local rules, but those fittings still need physical space to pass safely. Never assume the statutory measurement guarantees sufficient real-world clearance.
🔗 government.nl • Dutch Government, road rules and signs — RVV articles 62; Annex 1 C17–C21
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
Can a driver ignore a width restriction if the road looks wide enough in Netherlands?
No. A regulatory width limit must be obeyed unless an applicable exemption or authorised arrangement permits entry. Check your route before driving a wide van, trailer or load through a narrow town, bridge or roadworks section.
🔗 government.nl • Dutch Government, road rules and signs — RVV articles 62; Annex 1 C17–C21
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
