Width limitPortugal
Traffic rules
Portugal
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 Portugal?
A width restriction limits entry to a passage that cannot legally accommodate vehicles above the indicated width. Look for the local sign near historic town centres and narrow bridges and read any advance warning or exception plate. Measurements are generally given in metres.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 7, 24; RST C3f, C5–C9
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Vehicles wider than indicated prohibited.
English • Traffic sign C8 • No vehicles wider than ... m. Access is prohibited to vehicles wider than the value shown.
Português • C8 • Trânsito proibido a veículos de largura superior a ... m. Indicação de acesso interdito a veículos cuja largura seja superior à indicada no sinal.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (Gigillo83 • CC BY-SA 4.0)
🔗 Diariodarepublica.pt • Regulamento de Sinalização do Trânsito • artigo 24.º • C8
🔗 Ansr.pt • Republicação oficial retificada • C8 • página 14
Replacement SVG: Commons.wikimedia.org • Wikimedia Commons original • Author not stated on source page • Public domain • Original revision 2013-10-08. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Artwork verified against Ansr.pt • official published diagram C8.
How should you check the width of a loaded vehicle in Portugal?
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.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 7, 24; RST C3f, C5–C9
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Can a driver ignore a width restriction if the road looks wide enough in Portugal?
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.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 7, 24; RST C3f, C5–C9
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
