You must get permission before taking an oversized load over railway tracks, such as if you are moving a house, boat or crane. We work closely with the Heavy Haulage Association and the Land Transport New Zealand (now part of the New Zealand Transport Agency).
Each level crossing is different and some sections of track have height, weight or width restrictions, such as those with overhead wires.
The permit system helps us keep the rail network safe.
Height, weight and width restrictions
If your load meets any of the following criteria please contact us before crossing rail tracks:
Length — over 20m
Width — over 6m
Weight — over 44
Height:
- electrified areas in Wellington - 4.5m
- electrified areas out of Wellington - 5.2m
- Palmerston North to Hamilton - 5.24m
Permits for oversized loads
Level crossings are designed for normal sized vehicles, to give safe sight lines and train warnings. Oversized vehicles need additional safety measures, which we manage with a permit system.
We carefully review each application and work out what processes are required to keep your journey safe.
Your permit will include:
- the point and time where you can cross
- required protection measures, such as temporarily moving barrier arms or raising wires or traction required
- communication with our train control team to ensure safe timing and so we know you have crossed safely
Maximum sizes allowed for track crossings
Our tolerance chart shows maximum height, width and weight measurements allowed for oversized load crossings. 
Download the Tolerance chart (PDF)
How to get a permit Permit fees and conditions depend on where you want to cross the tracks. You can apply for a permit on line.