Rules and compliance
Oversize load permits: when you need one, what it costs, and escort rules by state
Updated October 2026By FlatbedDispatch Dispatch Desk4 min read
Quick answer
You need oversize load permits when the truck and load go over 8 ft 6 in wide, over the state's legal height (13 ft 6 in in most states) or over its length limits. Each state on the route issues its own permit. Base single-trip fees run from about $6 to $60, and most states first require an escort at 12 to 14 ft wide.
General information, not legal advice. Permit rules change; the conditions printed on your permit always control. Check each state's page before every move.
Key finding: across the 41 contiguous states that publish a flat base fee, a single-trip permit for a dimension-only load costs a median of $20 (range $6 to $60). Of the 30 states with a clear width rule, 18 first require an escort at 12 ft to 12 ft 6 in wide. Fees are rarely the expensive part of an oversize move; escorts, routing and travel-time limits are.
Oversize load permits come up on flatbeds and step decks more than any other freight: a wide machine, a tall tank, a long beam. This guide covers the federal limits, when a permit is needed, how the process works, and a table of all 48 contiguous states with each state's base fee and first escort trigger, linked to the state's own pages. We checked every row on October 26, 2026 and re-check yearly.
Download CSVThe full state table as a spreadsheet, with every source link.
Legal size limits: when a load becomes oversize
Federal rules set the floor for the National Network of highways; states set the rest.
| Dimension | Legal limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in (102 in), not counting approved safety devices | 23 CFR 658.15 |
| Semitrailer length | States must allow at least 48 ft; many allow 53 ft | 23 CFR 658.13 |
| Height | Set by each state, commonly 13 ft 6 in, some 14 ft or more | State law |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb on the Interstate, plus axle limits and the bridge formula | 23 CFR 658.17 |
Go over any of these and you need a permit from every state on the route. For flatbeds, height is the one that sneaks up on people: freight over about 8 ft 6 in tall on a 5 ft deck is over 13 ft 6 in. Our flatbed trailer dimensions guide has deck heights by trailer type and the payload math.
Permits are for non-divisible loads, meaning freight that cannot be split into smaller loads without real cost or damage: a machine, a beam, a tank. A deck of lumber stacked too wide is not a permit load. It is a load that has to be restacked.
How a single-trip permit works
- Get exact dimensions and weight from the shipper: width at the widest point, height from the deck, length, overhang front and rear, and weight by axle group.
- Plan the route on state-approved roads, checking height clearances and bridge limits. Many state systems route the load for you.
- Apply to each state through its online system or a permit service. You will need your USDOT number, truck and trailer details, and the load description.
- Read the conditions. Travel hours, escort count and placement, signs, flags, lights and restricted roads are printed on the permit. They override anything general, including this table.
- Arrange escorts when the permit calls for them. Most states require certified escort drivers; a few use state police for the widest loads.
- Carry the permit in the truck, run the exact route, and stay inside the permitted dimensions.
Most single-trip permits are valid for 3 to 10 days. Wide loads usually run daylight only, with weekend and holiday limits. Under federal rules, a load that sticks out past the sides, or 4 ft or more past the rear, needs warning flags at the extremes (49 CFR 393.87); "OVERSIZE LOAD" signs and amber lights come from state rules and your permit.
Oversize load permits by state
- 12 ft to 12 ft 6 in
- 18 states
- 13 ft
- 4 states
- 14 ft to 14 ft 6 in
- 6 states
- 16 ft
- 2 states
Source: FlatbedDispatch state permit table, checked Oct 26, 2026. Many states also require escorts for length, height or overhang.
| State | Single-trip fee (dimensions only) | First escort trigger (width) | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $20 | Over 12 ft: one escort (front on two-lane, rear on multilane); over 14 ft front and rear | fee · escort |
| Arizona | $15 | See state page | fee |
| Arkansas | $17 | Over 12 ft: one front escort on two-lane roads; over 14 ft two (one rear on 4-lane divided) | fee · escort |
| California | $16 | See state page | fee |
| Colorado | $15 plus a surcharge equal to the permit fee | See state page | fee |
| Connecticut | $30 plus $12 electronic transmittal fee | Over 12 ft (by road type; State Police escort decided at issuance) | fee · escort |
| Delaware | $30 minimum | Over 13 ft: one escort; over 14 ft two | fee · escort |
| Florida | See state page | See state page | |
| Georgia | $30 | Over 12 ft: front and rear on two-lane, rear only on four-lane | fee · escort |
| Idaho | See state page | See state page | |
| Illinois | See state page | Over 14 ft 6 in: one escort | fee · escort |
| Indiana | $20 up to 12 ft 4 in wide; $30 up to 16 ft | Over 12 ft 4 in | fee · escort |
| Iowa | $35 one way, $70 round trip | See state page | fee |
| Kansas | $40 | Over 14 ft: one front and one rear | fee · escort |
| Kentucky | $60 | Over 12 ft: front and rear on two-lane, rear on multilane | fee · escort |
| Louisiana | $10 per day or per trip | Over 12 ft (or 90 ft long): certified escort | fee · escort |
| Maine | See state page | Over 12 ft: pilot vehicle; 16 ft or more: police escort | fee · escort |
| Maryland | $30 base | Over 13 ft: one escort; 14 ft two; 16 ft police | fee · escort |
| Massachusetts | $40 per trip | See state page | fee |
| Michigan | $15 | See state page | fee |
| Minnesota | $15 | See state page | fee |
| Mississippi | $10 | 13 ft or wider: front escort on two-lane roads | fee · escort |
| Missouri | $15 | See state page | fee |
| Montana | $10 | Over 12 ft 6 in: front pilot off the interstate; interstate over 16 ft 6 in | fee · escort |
| Nebraska | $15 | See state page | fee |
| Nevada | $25 (five-day permit) | Over 12 ft: front pilot on two- and three-lane roads | fee · escort |
| New Hampshire | $6 | 12 ft or wider: one escort | fee · escort |
| New Jersey | $10 plus $1 per foot over the limits | See state page | fee |
| New Mexico | See state page | 14 ft or wider (narrower on some routes) | escort |
| New York | $40 | See state page | fee |
| North Carolina | $12 per over-legal dimension | Over 12 ft: front on two-lane, rear on multilane | fee · escort |
| North Dakota | $20 plus $8 routing fee | Over 14 ft 6 in | fee · escort |
| Ohio | $20 processing charge plus any surcharges | Over 13 ft: one lead escort (rear on multilane) | fee · escort |
| Oklahoma | $40 | Over 12 ft: front on two-lane, rear on multilane | fee · escort |
| Oregon | $8 state administrative fee | See state page | fee |
| Pennsylvania | $46 under 14 ft wide; $97 wider | See state page | fee |
| Rhode Island | $20 | 12 ft to 14 ft 6 in: one escort; wider: two | fee · escort |
| South Carolina | $30 | Over 12 ft: front on two-lane; over 14 ft front and rear | fee · escort |
| South Dakota | $25 | Over 16 ft on Interstate; over 20 ft on state highways | fee · escort |
| Tennessee | $20 up to 14 ft wide | 12 ft 6 in to 13 ft 6 in: one escort (front on two-lane, rear on 4-lane) | fee · escort |
| Texas | $60 | Over 14 ft: front on two-lane, rear on multilane | fee · escort |
| Utah | See state page | See state page | |
| Vermont | $48 | 12 ft or wider | fee · escort |
| Virginia | $20 | Over 12 ft: front and rear off the interstate, rear on the interstate | fee · escort |
| Washington | $10 | See state page | fee |
| West Virginia | $20 base | See state page | fee |
| Wisconsin | $20 overwidth or overheight | Over 16 ft (lower on designated escort highways) | fee · escort |
| Wyoming | See state page | 14 ft on two-lane (front and rear); 15 ft on interstate (rear) | escort |
Checked Oct 26, 2026 on each state's own DOT, DMV, patrol or rule pages; the state name links to its permit office. "See state page" means the fee depends on miles or weight, the state's documents disagree, or escorts are set by a route map. Next full re-check: October 2027.
How to read it: the fee is the base single-trip fee for a load that is over size but within legal weight, as the state words it. Overweight, mileage, routing and superload fees are extra. The escort trigger is the first width at which the state's rules call for an escort on at least some roads; most states add escorts for length, height and overhang, and the count rises with width. Alaska and Hawaii are not listed.
Free to use on your site or in training material with the credit link included.
Escort vehicles and pilot cars
Escort rules follow a common pattern even though the numbers differ:
- Two-lane roads usually get a front escort first, because oncoming traffic is the danger.
- Multilane and divided highways usually get a rear escort first.
- Wider loads add a second escort, then police escorts at the top end (often around 16 ft).
- Height over about 15 to 16 ft often needs a front escort with a height pole.
- Certification of escort drivers is required in many states, and some only accept their own state's certificate.
Escort costs are set by the escort company or, for police escorts, by the state, and they often cost more than all the permits on the trip. Get the escort quote before you agree to a rate.
What this means when you book an oversize load
A load that is a few inches over in width or height pays more than a legal one for a reason: permits, route limits, daylight-only travel and sometimes escorts. Before you say yes, check:
- Who buys the permits and escorts. Often the broker or shipper arranges them; sometimes the carrier does and bills back. Get it on the rate con.
- Travel-time limits. Daylight-only and weekend restrictions can turn a two-day run into four.
- Securement. Wide and tall freight is usually machinery, steel or tanks with their own securement rules. Our flatbed load securement guide covers them.
- Your trailer. A step deck can make a tall load legal height and skip the permit entirely.
Superloads that need engineering studies are handled case by case. For the freight we book every day, see flatbed loads, and find more guides on the guides page.
FAQ
Common questions
How much does an oversize load permit cost?
Each state sets its own fee. In our October 2026 check, base single-trip fees for dimension-only loads ran from $6 (New Hampshire) to $60 (Kentucky and Texas), with a median of $20 across the 41 states that publish a flat figure. Overweight, extra miles, superloads and escorts cost more.
Do I need a permit in every state I drive through?
Yes. Permits are issued state by state for the route you will run in that state. A load that crosses four states needs four permits, and local roads off the state system can need city or county permission too.
At what width do I need an escort?
It depends on the state and the road. Of the 30 states in our table with a clear width rule, 18 first require an escort at 12 ft to 12 ft 6 in, and the rest between 13 and 16 ft. Two-lane roads usually need a front escort, multilane highways a rear one.
How long does it take to get an oversize permit?
Routine single-trip permits are often issued online the same day, and some states let you self-issue within set limits. Loads that need a route survey, bridge review or police escort take longer, so ask for the permits as soon as the load is booked.
Can I drive an oversize load at night or on weekends?
Usually not, unless the permit says so. Most states limit oversize moves to daylight hours and restrict weekends and holidays, especially for wider loads. The permit lists the hours you may travel.
Sources
- 23 CFR 658.15, width (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 23 CFR 658.13, length (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 23 CFR 658.17, weight (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- 49 CFR 393.87, warning flags on projecting loads (eCFR) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- FHWA, Truck Size and Weight program (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- Texas DMV, escort and equipment requirements (one of the 48 state sources linked row by row in the table) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
FlatbedDispatch Dispatch Desk
Written by the dispatchers who book open-deck loads every day, checked against the official sources above. See our editorial policy for how we research and correct guides.