Oversize load escort and pilot car rules by state
When an oversize load needs escort vehicles or pilot cars, state by state. Each state's own words, with where they came from.
Your permit comes first. Its own conditions can be stricter than these, and rules change. Last checked October 2026.
Alaska
From DOT&PF's published rules. How to read an Alaska permit
Pilot cars
By width: one pilot car over 10'6" up to 12', two over 12' up to 14', three over 14' up to 18', four over 18'. By length: one over 85' up to 100', two over 100' up to 150', three over 150'. Over 17' high on any route, you need one pilot car with a height pole (over 16'6" on the Glenn Highway, MP 0 to 27). The permit sets the final number. Source
Arizona
From ADOT's published rules. How to read an Arizona permit
Escorts
ADOT decides on each permit how many escorts you need, based on the road, the load's size, frequent stops, public safety and time of travel. Escort cars carry an 'OVERSIZE LOAD' sign with a flag on each side, and stay in two-way radio contact with the truck. Source
California
From a real California permit we read. How to read a California permit
Pilot car
No pilot car is required on this permit: the No box is ticked.
Colorado
From CDOT's published rules. How to read a Colorado permit
Pilot cars by map color
In daylight, the pilot cars you need depend on the color of the highway on CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map. For example, on a blue highway: over 8'6" up to 11' wide needs one front pilot car; over 11' up to 13' needs front and rear; over 13' needs a Chapter 6 Special permit. Over 16 feet high needs a front pilot car with a height pole. Source
Connecticut
From CTDOT's published rules. How to read a Connecticut permit
Escorts
Escort needs depend on width, height and length, and on whether the highway is divided. CTDOT's table lists civilian and State Police escorts. A front pole car is required for loads 14'6" high or more, and CTDOT can add escorts for construction, tight spots or time of day. Source
Escort car signs and lights
Escort cars need a top-mounted flashing or rotating amber light that runs at all times and two-way radio with the load. They also need an 'OVERSIZE LOAD' sign at least 5 feet long and 12 inches high, black on yellow, with the bottom 48 inches above the road. Source
Delaware
From DelDOT's published rules. How to read a Delaware permit
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
Georgia
From a real Georgia permit we read. How to read a Georgia permit
Escorts
The permit does not spell out escorts. It points to GDOT Rule 672-2-.06 for escorts and Rule 672-2-.03(i) for reporting accidents.
Hawaii
From HDOT's published rules. How to read a Hawaii permit
Escorts
Loads over 12 feet wide need an escort vehicle, and an escort may be required over 10 feet wide on two-lane mountain or winding coastal roads. Loads 14 feet or wider need an escort, flagman or police, at 25 mph top speed. Projections over 4 feet also need an escort. Source
Idaho
From ITD's published rules. How to read an Idaho permit
Pilot cars
On a single-trip permit, you need a pilot car whenever the permit's escort or restriction section says so; ITRPS lists these by route segment. Loads over 16 feet high need a front pilot car with a non-metallic height pole. Source
Illinois
From a real Illinois permit we read. How to read an Illinois permit
Night moves: escort
Night moves need at least one civilian escort vehicle, more if the permit has provision 4, up to three.
Indiana
From a real Indiana permit we read. How to read an Indiana permit
Escorts
Escorts are needed only over 12 ft 4 in wide, 110 ft long or 14 ft 6 in high. This load is under all three.
Iowa
From Iowa DOT's published rules. How to read an Iowa permit
Escorts
Width over 12' up to 18': rear escort on 4-lane roads and front escort on 2-lane roads. Up to 14'6" wide, amber lights on the truck and the rear of the load can replace either escort; over 14'6" up to 16'6", only the 4-lane rear escort. Length over 120 feet: a rear escort. Height over 14'6" up to 20 feet: a front escort with a height pole that measures every clearance. Source
Kansas
From KDOT's published rules. How to read a Kansas permit
Escorts
Superloads, large structures, and loads over 14 feet wide need escort vehicles, and escort drivers must be registered with KDOT. Source
Kentucky
From KYTC's published rules. How to read a Kentucky permit
Escorts
On a two-lane road you need a front escort over 75 feet long, and front and rear escorts over 85 feet long or over 12 feet wide. On a four-lane road you need a rear escort over 12 feet wide or over 110 feet long, front and rear over 14 feet wide, and two front and two rear over 16 feet wide. Over 14 feet 11 inches high needs a height pole. Source
Louisiana
From DOTD's published rules. How to read a Louisiana permit
Escorts
Private escorts are needed over 12 feet up to 16 feet wide, or over 90 feet up to 125 feet long. State Police escorts are needed over 16 feet wide or over 125 feet long. Loads over 15 feet 10 inches high need a pole truck in front, except on interstate-only moves. Source
Maine
From BMV's published rules. How to read a Maine permit
Pilot cars
On a Maine-only permit, one pilot car is needed over 12 feet wide (under 16 feet) or over 80 feet long (under 125 feet). The pilot leads on regular roads and follows on divided highways. Source
Police escorts
A police escort is needed at 125 feet or more long, 16 feet or more wide, or over 15 feet of rear overhang. Book it yourself and give the State Police at least three working days' notice. Only the State Police escort on the interstate. Source
Maryland
From MDOT SHA's published rules. How to read a Maryland permit
Escorts
One escort over 13 feet wide, over 85 feet long, over 60 tons, or 14 feet 6 inches high (pole car). Two escorts at 14 feet wide or 140 feet long. Police escort at 16 feet wide or 75 tons. Source
Minnesota
From MnDOT's published rules. How to read a Minnesota permit
Escorts
On divided multi-lane roads, one certified rear escort over 15 feet wide at the bottom, 16 feet at the top, or 110 feet long; front and rear over 150 feet long. On undivided roads, front and rear escorts at those same width and length marks. Escort drivers must be certified. Source
Montana
From MDT's published rules. How to read a Montana permit
Pilot cars
Off the Interstate you need one front pilot over 12 feet 6 inches wide, and front and rear pilots over 16 feet 6 inches. On the Interstate you need one rear pilot over 16 feet 6 inches wide. Over 17 feet high, you need a front pilot with a height pole. Source
Nevada
From NDOT's published rules. How to read a Nevada permit
Pilot cars
You need a front pilot car over 16 feet wide, over 15 feet 6 inches high (with a clearance pole), or over 12 feet wide on a two- or three-lane highway or at night or during holiday hours. You need a rear pilot car over 14 feet wide or over 110 feet long (120 feet with mechanically steered rear axles). Source
New Hampshire
From NHDOT's published rules. How to read a New Hampshire permit
Escorts
No escort is needed under 12 feet wide, under 90 feet long, with under 15 feet of rear overhang, as long as flags are shown. You need one escort from 12 to under 14 feet wide, at 90 feet long or more, over 14 feet high, or with 15 feet or more of overhang. State Police escorts: one at 100 feet long (unless they waive it), two over 14 feet wide. Source
New Jersey
From NJDOT's published rules. How to read a New Jersey permit
Escorts
One escort over 14 feet wide or 100 feet long; two escorts over 16 feet wide or 120 feet long. A single escort leads on roads with fewer than four lanes and follows on roads with four or more. Source
New Mexico
From a real New Mexico permit we read. How to read a New Mexico permit
City escorts
This route lists a front escort in Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, Alamogordo, Las Cruces and Deming when your width is over the limit on NMDOT's Escort Vehicle Map.
New York
From NYSDOT's published rules. How to read a New York permit
Certified escorts
NYSDOT generally puts a certified escort on permits for loads over 12 feet wide, 80 feet or longer, 14 feet or higher, or with 10 feet or more of overhang. Source
North Carolina
From NCDOT's published rules. How to read a North Carolina permit
Escorts
Over 12 feet wide, you need a front escort on two-lane roads and a rear escort on multi-lane roads. Over 14 feet wide on two-lane roads, you need front and rear escorts. Rear escort over 110 feet long, front and rear at 150 feet or longer. Front escort with a height pole over 14 feet 5 inches high, and a front escort over 149,999 pounds. Source
Oregon
From ODOT's published rules. How to read an Oregon permit
Pilot vehicles
How many pilot vehicles you need depends on width and route. It's set by Attachment 82A and by the route colors (green, purple, red) on Route Map 2. Pilots normally run 300 to 500 feet from the load. Source
Pennsylvania
From PennDOT's published rules. How to read a Pennsylvania permit
Pilot cars
Over 90 feet long, or with more than 15 feet of load past the rear, one pilot car follows. Over 13 feet wide, a pilot follows on roads with two or more lanes your way and leads on roads with one lane your way. Over 14 feet 6 inches high, a pilot with a height pole leads 1,000 to 3,000 feet ahead. Source
Rhode Island
From RIDOT's published rules. How to read a Rhode Island permit
Escorts
Escorts are required when the load is 12 ft wide or more, 85 ft long or more, over 13 ft 6 in high, or has an overhang of 15 ft or more. A permit reviewer can also require them. Source
South Carolina
From SCDOT's published rules. How to read a South Carolina permit
Escorts
Over 12 to 14 ft wide: one front escort on two-lane roads. Over 14 to 16 ft: front and rear on all roads. Over 16 ft: front and rear civilian escorts plus front and rear police. 16 ft high or more: front escort with a height measuring device. 125 to 150 ft long: one rear escort; over 150 ft: front and rear. Source
South Dakota
From SDHP's published rules. How to read a South Dakota permit
Escorts
Escorts are required over 16 ft wide on interstates and over 20 ft wide on other state highways, and when the route or traffic calls for it. The escort runs in front on undivided highways and behind on divided highways. Source
Utah
From UDOT's published rules. How to read a Utah permit
Extra escorts on some highways
Some secondary highways have their own rules. On State Route 12 between State Routes 89 and 24, for example, over 10 ft wide needs one certified pilot/escort, over 12 ft needs two, and over 14 ft adds two police escorts. Source
Vermont
From Vermont DMV's published rules. How to read a Vermont permit
Escorts
Escorts are required at 12 ft wide or more, 80 ft long or more, or 15 ft of overhang or more, or when DMV says so. One escort goes ahead on undivided highways and behind on divided highways. Source
Virginia
From Virginia DMV's published rules. How to read a Virginia permit
Escorts
Over 12 ft wide: front and rear escort on non-interstates, one rear escort on interstates. Over 14 ft 5 in high: front escort with a height pole. Over 90 ft long: rear escort on non-interstates; over 150 ft: front and rear on all routes. Over 18 ft wide or 200 ft long: case by case. Escorts must be certified. Source
West Virginia
From WVDOH's published rules. How to read a West Virginia permit
Escorts for width
10 ft 6 in to 12 ft: front escort on two-lane roads. 12 ft 1 in to 14 ft: front and rear on two-lane, rear on four-lane. 14 ft 1 in to 15 ft: front and rear, Monday to Friday. 15 ft 1 in to 16 ft: three escorts, or two rear on interstates. Over 16 ft: as the permit says, Sunday morning only. Source
Escorts for length, overhang and height
75 to 95 ft long: rear escort on two-lane roads. 95 to 100 ft: front and rear on two-lane, rear on four-lane. Over 100 ft: front and rear escorts. Front or rear overhang over 10 ft: an escort on that end. Over 15 ft high: a front pole car on top of any other escorts. Source
Wisconsin
From WisDOT's published rules. How to read a Wisconsin permit
Escorts
Permit conditions say which escorts you need, from WisDOT's escort chart by width and length. Loads over 16 ft high need a pole vehicle, and loads over 350,000 lbs need one law enforcement escort. Source
Wyoming
From WHP's published rules. How to read a Wyoming permit
Escorts on two-lane roads
On two-lane primary and secondary highways, escorts are required at 110 ft long or more, 14 ft wide or more, or when the load will cross the center line. Source
Escorts on Interstates and overhang
On Interstates and four-lane divided highways, escorts are required at 15 ft wide or more. A rear overhang of 25 ft or more needs an escort on any highway. Height escorts, and length escorts on Interstates, are up to the approving authority. Source