This guide has been developed to provide general information and clarification for the laws that apply to farm equipment and select provisions that apply to farm trucks. Representatives from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and its partners have provided input into the development of the guide to ensure that questions from the farming community have been addressed.

This guide is intended to help the farming community better understand their legal obligations under the law. Enforcement officers may also use this guide as a reference. Although some of the rules of the road and component standards that apply to cars, trucks and trailers do not apply to farm equipment, it is important to remember that under Section 84 (1) of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA): “No person shall drive or operate or permit the driving or operation upon a highway of a vehicle, a street car or vehicles that in combination are in such a dangerous or unsafe condition as to endanger any person.” This includes the operation of farm equipment. The owners of heavy farm equipment are potentially liable if an overweight vehicle causes damage to a highway or bridge.

The following terms are used in this document for the purposes of clarity. The terms
focus on farm equipment use, within the farm section of this document. For complete
and official definitions refer to the HTA.
Farm Equipment
Is a collective term used in this document for tractor, SPIH, and towed implement(s),
whether operated singularly or in combination.
Implement
Means an implement of husbandry and includes balers, wagons, ploughs, cultivators,
wheeled corn dryers, tobacco dryers, elevators, etc.
Road
Includes a highway, side road, gravel road, street, avenue, etc., whether operated by
the province, region, county, municipality or township. Road includes the area between
the lateral property lines (fence to fence).
Shoulder of a road
The shoulder of a road, whether paved or not, is not part of the travelled portion of the
road.
SPIH
Means a self-propelled implement of husbandry (SPIH) that was manufactured,
designed, redesigned, converted or reconstructed for a specific use in farming.