How to read a Delaware oversize permit

DelDOT permits come from its online OSOW Permit System, where the hauler types the route as one 'route string' of road numbers and names joined by hyphens; it prints under 'ROUTING INFORMATION' on page 1. Road numbers print bare, with no I, US or SR in front, so 'PA/DE LINE - 495 - 95 - DE/MD LINE' means: enter from Pennsylvania on I-495, then take I-95 to the Maryland line.

How to read the route

Find 'ROUTING INFORMATION' near the bottom of page 1. The route is one line of roads in driving order, joined by ' - ', like 'PA/DE LINE - 495 - 95 - DE/MD LINE'. Road numbers carry no I, US, SR or DE in front, and named roads use short forms like RD, HWY and BLVD, as in 'BRICK STORE LANDING RD - PADDOCK RD - 13 - 1 - 273 - 7'. A trip that crosses the state line starts or ends with a state-line entry, and the letter order shows your direction: 'PA/DE LINE' means coming in from Pennsylvania, 'DE/MD LINE' means leaving into Maryland. City streets are listed only in downtown Wilmington.

What's on each page

Page 1: Headed 'STATE OF DELAWARE PERMIT, OVERSIZE/OVERWEIGHT NONDIVISIBLE LOADS'. Shows applicant, load description, load code, overall length, width, height and overhangs, truck and trailer plates, axle weights and spacings, certification text and fees. Then come the effective and expiration dates and permit number, 'Specific address of trip origin' and 'Specific address of trip destination', the 'ROUTING INFORMATION' line, and toll notes at the bottom.

Road names on Delaware permits

On the permit	Means
95	Interstate 95. Route strings drop the 'I'.
495	Interstate 495
13	U.S. Route 13. Route strings drop the 'US'.
1	State Route 1. Route strings drop the 'SR'.
PA/DE LINE	The Pennsylvania-Delaware state line, entering Delaware from Pennsylvania
JCT BRICK STORE LANDING RD / PADDOCK RD	The junction of two roads, used as a start or end point when there is no street address

Where the route starts and ends

Page 1 has 'Specific address of trip origin' and 'Specific address of trip destination'. A trip that starts or ends in Delaware uses a street address, or a road junction written 'JCT road / road'. A trip entering or leaving the state uses a fixed state-line point, like 'PA/DE LINE I 495' or 'I 95 DE/MD LINE'. In DelDOT's example, the city on the far side of the line prints under it (Philadelphia PA, Baltimore MD).

Conditions to watch for

Travel time

Oversize (Load Code 1) and overweight (Load Code 2) loads move any day of the week, Monday through Sunday, from sunrise to sunset, during the permit's effective dates. Single-trip permits for these loads last 5 days. Source

“Monday through Sunday sunrise to sunset”

Night moves

Loads up to 75 feet long, 12 feet wide, 14'6" high and 120,000 pounds may move 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday, only with prior approval. The approval shows in the permit's Special Provisions. Source

“will be allowed to move from 9pm to 5am Monday through Friday with prior approval”

Holidays

No oversize or overweight movement on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, or Christmas. DelDOT posts the exact days and times under Holiday Restrictions in the permit system. Source

“Prohibited holidays include New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas.”

Escorts

Over 13 up to 14 feet wide: one escort, behind on a multilane highway or in front on a 2-lane road. Over 14 feet wide: front and rear, plus State Police over 15 feet. Length: rear escort over 90 feet, front and rear at 100 feet, plus State Police at 120 feet. Height: front and rear at 15 feet, plus State Police at 17'6". Over 120,000 pounds: front and rear. Source

“One escort vehicle is required for vehicles and loads more than 13 feet in width but not exceeding 14 feet.”

Signs and flags

Wide or long loads show two 'OVERSIZE LOAD' signs, one on the front and one on the rear, at least 7 feet by 18 inches, black on yellow. Flags are red or orange fluorescent, at least 18 inches square, at the corners of wide loads and the end of long loads or rear overhangs over 4 feet. Source

“Load hauling vehicle warning signs shall be at least 7 feet long and 18 inches high.”

Stay on the route

Drive only the roads on the permit, on the pavement, not the shoulder. A single-trip permit allows no stops along the way and no round trips. Source

“Deviation from the route specified on the permit is not permitted and is cause for revocation of the permit.”

Easy to miss

Bare numbers in the route line can be Interstate, U.S. or state routes: '95' is I-95, '13' is U.S. 13, '1' is State Route 1. Match each one to the signs.
The permit covers state-maintained roads only. DelDOT keeps lists of permanently and temporarily restricted routes, and the hauler must make sure the route avoids them.
Page 1 ends with toll notes. In DelDOT's example, loads through the I-95 or SR 1 toll plazas with E-ZPass may use the high-speed lanes or the far-right wide-load lane.

Questions

How do I read the route on a Delaware oversize permit?

Look at 'ROUTING INFORMATION' at the bottom of page 1. It's one line of road numbers and names joined by dashes, in driving order, with no I, US or SR in front of the numbers. 'PA/DE LINE' or 'DE/MD LINE' at either end marks where you cross the state line.

Can oversize loads move at night in Delaware?

Only with prior approval, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday, for loads up to 75 feet long, 12 feet wide, 14'6" high and 120,000 pounds. The approval appears in the permit's Special Provisions.

When do I need an escort in Delaware?

Over 13 feet wide (one escort), over 14 feet wide (two), over 90 feet long, 15 feet high or more, over 120,000 pounds, or a rear overhang of 15 feet or more. State Police escorts are added over 15 feet wide, at 120 feet long and at 17'6" high.

Sources

Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Rules change; check DelDOT's site before you move.Last checked October 2026.