Based on the 2024 Forest Condition Report, the exemption under Section 70 of the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) will be extended into 2025 in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, and potentially in Lower Saxony.
This means that timber transport vehicles may continue operating with a permissible gross vehicle weight of up to 44 tonnes in 2025, provided they are carrying salvage timber from damaged forests.
The maximum permitted vehicle length remains 23 metres.
The letter from the Federal Environment Agency can be viewed here: 44-Tonne Exemption
