Theory Mastery

Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

What the exam asks here: Most learners hunt for one fixed number — '1 metre, right?' The CBR exam designer counts on that and places a second load beside it that looks exactly the same but has a different answer.

14 minutes · 7 sections · 9 questions

The trap

Many learners think: Load may NEVER stick out in front of the car.

The rule is: Indivisible load may protrude up to 1 m at the front; only divisible load may not protrude at the front at all.

Challenge

Most learners hunt for one fixed number — '1 metre, right?' The CBR exam designer counts on that and places a second load beside it that looks exactly the same but has a different answer. Because the front does not start with a number, but with one question: can you make the load smaller? If not (indivisible), it gets room in front. If you can (divisible), it may protrude nothing in front.

Read this section on its own page: Challenge: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

The model

Indivisible load may protrude up to 1 m in front of the car; divisible load nothing (0 cm) in front (Book p.227-229). For both types it also applies: up to 20 cm to the side and up to 1 m at the rear. And a hard ceiling regardless of type: car plus load never higher than 4 m, no wider than 2.55 m, no longer than 12 m.

Read this section on its own page: The model: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Core

Always classify first. Indivisible is load you cannot split without damaging it — a ladder, a pole, a boat. It may protrude up to 1 m in front. Divisible is load you can easily make smaller or rearrange — sand, loose planks, boxes. It may protrude 0 cm in front; you must shorten or reposition it. At the side there is no difference: on a car both types may protrude at most 20 cm per side (Book p.227-229). Note: 10 cm is NOT the car's side limit — that is only the marker-board threshold for a trailer. At the rear both types may protrude up to 1 m. And regardless of type the outer box applies: car plus load never higher than 4 m, no wider than 2.55 m, no longer than 12 m.

Read this section on its own page: Core: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Why it matters

Load in front of the car sits in your blind spot and, in an emergency stop, hits the pedestrian you did not see. Loose load at the rear falls onto the motorcyclist behind you. That is why divisible load in front is fully forbidden — you can remove the risk by shortening it.

Read this section on its own page: Why it matters: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Active recall

It is nearly dark and the street lights are just coming on. On your roof rack lie loose planks (divisible) sticking out 30 cm in front of the car, neatly lashed down. Allowed?

Read this section on its own page: Active recall: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Teach back

Explain in your own words: why may indivisible load protrude 1 m in front of the car, but divisible load nothing?

Read this section on its own page: Teach back: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Memory hook

Indivisible: 1 m front. Divisible: 0 front. Both: 20 side, 1 m rear, ≤4 m high, ≤2.55 m wide.

Read this section on its own page: Memory hook: Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?

Source: WVW 1994 art. 5 · checked 2026-10-22

The picture

The size box: how far may your load protrude?Indivisible (ladder)Divisible (planks)Frontmax 1 m✗ 0 cm — nothingSidemax 20 cmmax 20 cmRearmax 1 mmax 1 mAlways (car + load)≤ 4 m high · ≤ 2.55 m wide≤ 4 m high · ≤ 2.55 m wide
What to look at: Car with protruding load and dimension arrows.

Signs and law

Test yourself

Friday afternoon at the Intratuin in Zwolle you load a 4 m aluminium ladder onto the roof rack. It is too long and sticks out. Guess first: how far may that ladder protrude in front of the car?

Show the answer

Indivisible load may protrude up to 1 m in front of the car; divisible load nothing (0 cm) in front (Book p.227-229). For both types it also applies: up to 20 cm to the side and up to 1 m at the rear. And a hard ceiling regardless of type: car plus load never higher than 4 m, no wider than 2.55 m, no longer than 12 m.

Exam questions on this topic

It is nearly dark and the street lights are just coming on. On your roof rack lie loose planks (divisible) sticking out 30 cm in front of the car, neatly lashed down. Allowed?

  1. Yes, it is under 1 m
  2. No — divisible load may not protrude in front at all, not even lashed down
Show the answer

Correct answer: No — divisible load may not protrude in front at all, not even lashed down

Indivisible: 1 m front · divisible: 0 front

Why learners get this wrong: Divisible load may also reach 1 m in front, just like indivisible.

Open this question

About Protruding load: divisible or indivisible?: which statement is WRONG?

  1. Securing it does not change the limit: divisible front = 0, indivisible front = max 1 m.
  2. Indivisible load may protrude up to 1 m at the front; only divisible load may not protrude at the front at all.
  3. The 1 m at the front applies ONLY to indivisible load; divisible may protrude 0 cm at the front.
  4. Load may stick out only 10 cm per side.
Show the answer

Correct answer: Load may stick out only 10 cm per side.

For a passenger car's side the limit is 20 cm; 10 cm is only the marking-board threshold for a trailer.

Why learners get this wrong: A small 30 cm front overhang is always fine if well secured.

Open this question

Load may stick out only 10 cm per side.

  1. False
  2. True
Show the answer

Correct answer: False

For a passenger car's side the limit is 20 cm; 10 cm is only the marking-board threshold for a trailer.

Why learners get this wrong: Load may stick out only 10 cm per side.

Open this question

Saturday morning at the Karwei in Deventer, in light drizzle, you lay garden timber panels crosswise on your car's roof rack. How many cm may load on a car protrude at most on each side? Set the slider to your estimate.

Show the answer

Correct answer: 20 cm

Correct: 20.0 cm.

Open this question

At the marina of Lemmer you tie a 4 m aluminium mast (indivisible) to the roof rack of your car. It is lashed tight and sticks out 90 cm in front of the car. May you drive off like this?

  1. No, load may not stick out at the front of the car
  2. No, at the front only a small piece of at most 30 cm may stick out
  3. Yes, indivisible load may stick out up to 1 m in front of the car
Show the answer

Correct answer: Yes, indivisible load may stick out up to 1 m in front of the car

False — 30 cm is not a limit from the rules. At the front: divisible load 0 cm, indivisible load up to 1 m; lashing it well does not change those limits.

Why learners get this wrong: Load may NEVER stick out in front of the car.

Open this question

On a quiet Sunday you load a stack of loose planks onto the roof of your car at the DIY store. They are firmly lashed down, but stick out 40 cm in front of the car. Nothing sticks out at the back.

  1. Leave like this; they are firmly secured, so it is allowed
  2. Do not leave like this; reposition or shorten the planks
  3. Leave like this; a load may stick out up to 1 m in front
Show the answer

Correct answer: Do not leave like this; reposition or shorten the planks

False — You apply the 1 m for indivisible loads to loose planks. Only an indivisible load may stick out up to 1 m in front; a divisible load, such as loose planks, may not stick out in front at all.

Why learners get this wrong: A small 30 cm front overhang is always fine if well secured.

Open this question

On the N50 towards Kampen, in a strong crosswind, you notice your roof-box load protrudes 25 cm to the side. Is that allowed on a car?

  1. No — the side limit is 20 cm
  2. Yes, as long as it is well secured
  3. Yes — up to 10 cm is allowed at the side
Show the answer

Correct answer: No — the side limit is 20 cm

Why learners get this wrong: A small 30 cm front overhang is always fine if well secured.

Open this question

On the provincial N34, far from any hardware store, you recall the size box. Statement: indivisible load, such as a long pole, may protrude up to 1 m in front of the car.

  1. True
  2. False
Show the answer

Correct answer: True

Why learners get this wrong: Load may NEVER stick out in front of the car.

Open this question

At the Welkoop you put a bundle of loose slats in your car. They just do not fit: they stick out 30 cm in front of the car. You can have the slats sawn through on the spot.

  1. Hang a marker board on the slats and set off
  2. Leave it like this; a load may stick out up to a metre in front
  3. Have the slats sawn so that nothing sticks out in front
Show the answer

Correct answer: Have the slats sawn so that nothing sticks out in front

False — You think a board solves a forbidden overhang. A board only marks; loose slats are a divisible load and may not stick out in front at all, so shorten or reposition them.

Why learners get this wrong: With a marker board attached, a forbidden overhang becomes allowed.

Open this question

Frequently asked questions

‘Load may NEVER stick out in front of the car’ – is that true?

No. Indivisible load may protrude up to 1 m at the front; only divisible load may not protrude at the front at all.

‘A small 30 cm front overhang is always fine if well secured’ – is that true?

No. Securing it does not change the limit: divisible front = 0, indivisible front = max 1 m.

‘Load may stick out only 10 cm per side’ – is that true?

No. For a passenger car's side the limit is 20 cm; 10 cm is only the marking-board threshold for a trailer.

‘Divisible load may also reach 1 m in front, just like indivisible’ – is that true?

No. The 1 m at the front applies ONLY to indivisible load; divisible may protrude 0 cm at the front.

‘With a marker board attached, a forbidden overhang becomes allowed’ – is that true?

No. A board only marks; it does not make a prohibited overhang (like divisible at the front) legal.

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