The Commissioner, upon application made by the owner or operator of vehicles used exclusively to transport seed cotton modules, shall issue a permit authorizing the operation on the highway of such vehicles, from September 1 through December 31 of each year, at tandem axle weights in excess of that authorized in § 46.2-1125. The Commissioner may promulgate regulations governing such permits. Such permits shall allow the vehicles to have tandem axle weights of no more than 44,000 pounds. No permit issued under this section shall authorize a single axle weight in excess of that authorized in § 46.2-1124 or a gross weight in excess of 56,000 pounds. The fee for a permit issued under this section shall be $45, to be allocated as follows: (i) $40 to the Highway Maintenance and Operating Fund established pursuant to § 33.2-1530, with a portion equal to the percentage of the Commonwealth’s total lane miles represented by the lane miles eligible for maintenance payments pursuant to §§ 33.2-319 and 33.2-366 being redistributed on the basis of lane miles to the applicable localities pursuant to §§ 33.2-319 and 33.2-366, to be used to assist in funding needed highway pavement and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation and (ii) a $5 administrative fee to the Department.