When do you need an oversize or overweight permit?
You need a permit from each state you drive through when your load exceeds that state's legal width, height, length or weight limits. Permits are generally only issued for non-divisible loads, and they come with route, time-of-day and sometimes escort requirements. Each state sets its own rules, so check with every state's permit office on your route.
Oversize and overweight permits let you legally move a load that is wider, taller, longer or heavier than normal limits. Every state on your route issues its own permit with its own conditions, which is why OS/OW freight pays more and demands more planning. Here is how it works for an owner-operator.
Know the legal limits first
Before you can tell if a load needs a permit, you need the baseline. Commonly cited limits:
| Dimension | Typical legal limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) | Federal standard on the National Network. |
| Height | Often 13 ft 6 in, some states 14 ft or more | Set by each state; no single federal height limit. |
| Length | Varies | States set trailer and overall length rules; overhang rules vary. |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs on the Interstate system | Without a permit or state exception. |
| Single axle | 20,000 lbs | Federal Interstate limit. |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lbs | Federal Interstate limit. |
The federal bridge formula also limits weight based on the number of axles and the distance between them. That is why a truck can be under 80,000 lbs and still be overweight on an axle group.
These numbers are a starting point. Confirm the current limits in every state you will drive through, because state roads and local roads can be stricter.
Quick height math
On a standard flatbed with a deck height around 5 ft, a 13 ft 6 in limit leaves about 8 ft 6 in for freight. A step deck with a lower deck around 3 ft 6 in leaves about 10 ft. Measure your own equipment; deck heights vary.
Divisible vs non-divisible loads
States generally issue OS/OW permits only for non-divisible loads: items that cannot be broken down without ruining them or taking unreasonable effort. A bulldozer or a 14-ft-wide tank qualifies. Fifty pallets that add up to 95,000 lbs do not; the answer there is a lighter load, not a permit.
Some states have exceptions for specific divisible commodities on specific routes (for example certain agricultural products or sealed containers near ports). These are state-specific; check before you count on them.
How state permits work
Each state has a permit office, usually in its department of transportation or motor vehicles. In Texas, for example, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles issues OS/OW permits. Common types:
- Single-trip permits for one move on a set route, valid for a few days.
- Annual or period permits for repeated loads within set dimensions.
- Superload permits for very large or heavy moves, often requiring an engineering review of bridges and a route survey.
What a permit application usually asks for:
- Carrier name, USDOT number and insurance information
- Truck and trailer details: plate, VIN, axle count and axle spacing
- Load description and whether it is non-divisible
- Overall dimensions: width, height, length, front and rear overhang
- Gross weight and weight per axle or axle group
- Origin, destination and requested route
- Travel dates
The state may change your route to avoid low bridges or weight-restricted structures. Follow the permitted route exactly. A detour can void the permit.
Conditions that come with the permit
Every permit has conditions printed on it. Common ones:
- Travel time: many states allow oversize movement only from sunrise to sunset, and some restrict weekends, holidays and rush hours in big cities.
- Signs, flags and lights: "OVERSIZE LOAD" banners on the front and rear, red or orange flags at the corners and extremities, and lights for night or limited-visibility rules where allowed.
- Escorts (pilot cars): required above certain widths, heights or lengths, which differ by state. Some states require a height pole on the lead car for tall loads, or police escorts for very large moves.
- Weather: many states prohibit movement in poor visibility, high winds or icy roads.- Carry the permit: keep it in the cab, paper or electronic depending on the state.
Equipment for OS/OW work
The right trailer often decides whether a load needs a permit at all:
- Step deck for taller freight that would be over height on a flatbed.
- Removable gooseneck (RGN) or lowboy for heavy machinery and very tall items.
- Stretch or extendable trailers for long items like beams.
- Extra axles to spread weight and stay within axle limits.
Plus the gear: banners, flags, lights, and chains and binders rated for the load. Securement for heavy machinery has its own rules; see our flatbed cargo securement guide.
How to price an OS/OW load
Oversize loads take more time, more cost and more risk. Price all of it in. A hypothetical example for a 700-mile move through three states:
| Cost item | Hypothetical amount |
|---|---|
| Permits (three states) | $300 |
| Escort for part of the route | $600 |
| Extra time from daylight-only travel (one extra day) | $400 |
| Fuel at lower speeds and on the permitted route | $650 |
| Total extra cost vs a legal load | $1,950 |
If a legal flatbed load on the same lane paid $2,800, the oversize load would need to pay at least $4,750 just to match it, before you count the extra risk. Run your own figures in the load profitability calculator and check your cost per mile.
Also ask the broker before you accept: who orders and pays for permits and escorts? Who pays if the route survey forces a longer route? Get it written on the rate confirmation. Our guide on how to read a rate confirmation shows what to look for.
Pre-move checklist
- Measure the loaded height, width and length yourself
- Scale the loaded truck and check each axle group
- Permits for every state on the route, with correct dates
- Route reviewed for bridges, construction and curfews
- Escorts booked and briefed
- Banners, flags and lights installed and working
- Securement checked again within the first miles
Permit rules, legal limits and fees are set by each state and change often. Confirm with every state's permit office, FMCSA and your insurance agent before you move an oversize or overweight load.
How Texas Solutions can help
Texas Solutions is a dispatch service, not a broker or a motor carrier. Our dispatchers find and negotiate loads that fit your equipment, handle broker packets and paperwork 24/7, and you approve every load. See our dispatch services or talk to a dispatcher.
Frequently asked questions
What is a non-divisible load?
It is a load that cannot reasonably be broken into smaller pieces without destroying its value or taking excessive time, like a large transformer or an excavator. Divisible loads, such as pallets of product, generally have to be split or reduced rather than permitted.
Can a permit service handle this for me?
Yes. Permit services order permits in multiple states for a fee. You are still responsible for following every condition printed on each permit, so read them before you roll.
Do I need a special license for oversize loads?
There is no separate federal license, but your CDL class must fit the vehicle, and some states require certified pilot or escort drivers. Your insurance and equipment also need to match the work.
How long does it take to get a permit?
Routine single-trip permits are often issued quickly through state online systems. Superloads that need engineering or route surveys can take much longer, so plan ahead for anything very large or heavy.
