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Flagpole Guides
Portugal

Transporting a flagpole

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This page is an English translation of the Portuguese original. Where the two versions differ, the Portuguese text is the original.

A ground-mounted flagpole is often 6, 8 or more metres long, and therefore longer than any car. Transport is a part of the cost and logistics that is often forgotten. This guide summarises what the Road Code says about loads and the usual delivery options.

What article 56 of the Road Code says

Article 56 of the Road Code governs the transport of loads. Under that article, the arrangement of the load ensures that:

RuleContent
BalanceThe vehicle’s balance is secured, stationary or moving
Falling and swayingThe load cannot fall onto the road or sway in a dangerous or inconvenient way
VisibilityThe load does not reduce the driver’s visibility
Road surfaceThe load does not drag on the road
HeightThe load does not exceed 4 metres in height from the ground
Passenger vehiclesThe load does not obscure the lights, signals and number plate and does not extend beyond the vehicle’s outline, except in exceptional conditions laid down in regulations
Goods vehiclesThe load stays within the length and width of the load body, except in exceptional conditions laid down in regulations
Indivisible loadsRetaining straps or a similar device are used on open platforms

The Code defines the vehicle’s outline as the vertical planes passing through its outermost points. A pole sticking out at the front or back of a car therefore extends beyond that outline.

Fines

Under article 56, breaching the rules on the arrangement of loads is punished with a fine of 120 to 600 euros, if no more serious penalty applies, and the vehicle can be immobilised or moved to a suitable place until the situation is put right. Breaches of the general rules on loading and unloading are punished with a fine of 60 to 300 euros.

Transport options

  • Delivery by the supplier: Many suppliers deliver poles with vehicles suited to their length, and transport appears as a separate item in the price.
  • Carrier: Long poles are carried as bulky freight, and the cost depends on length and distance.
  • Sectional pole: Some poles come in two or more sections that fit together on site, and fit in an ordinary vehicle.
  • Collection from the warehouse: With a trailer or an open van, the pole is subject to the rules of article 56.

Transport to the Azores and Madeira is by sea or air, and the length of the pole affects the cost.

Online purchase and delivery

For online purchases, the 14-day withdrawal period under Decreto-Lei n.º 24/2014 runs from the day the consumer takes physical possession of the goods. For a return, the cost of sending back a long pole can be high. The price of a flagpole is described in the guide to buying a flagpole.

On arrival

A long pole is unloaded and carried to the site of the foundation. Near power lines, E-REDES recommends in work with cranes and loads a distance of 3 metres from the conductors of lines up to 60 kV and 5 metres from higher-voltage lines. Installation is described in the guide to flagpole installation.

Frequently asked questions

Can a flagpole stick out of the car in Portugal?

Article 56 of the Road Code provides that, on passenger vehicles, the load does not extend beyond the vehicle’s outline, and that, on goods vehicles, it stays within the length and width of the load body, except in exceptional conditions laid down in regulations.

What general rules apply to loads?

Under article 56 of the Road Code, the load may not upset the vehicle’s balance, fall or sway, reduce the driver’s visibility, drag on the road or exceed a height of 4 metres from the ground. Indivisible loads on open platforms are secured with retaining straps.

What fine does the law set for a badly arranged load?

Article 56 of the Road Code provides for a fine of 120 to 600 euros for breaching the rules on the arrangement of loads, and the vehicle can be immobilised until the situation is put right.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Portuguese:

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