How to read a Kentucky oversize permit
Kentucky trip permits are ordered online through KYTC's Overweight/Over-Dimensional portal, which runs each trip through a routing check for clearances and bridge weights before the permit is issued. A trip permit is good for one vehicle, one load, and one route from the origin to the destination you asked for, and you must stay on the routes it lists.
Issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Carriers, Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permit Section through Kentucky Overweight/Over-Dimensional Portal (KAPS). Written from KYTC's published rules; we haven't read a real Kentucky permit yet.
How to read the route
KYTC has not published a sample permit, so the exact layout of the route section is not public. A single trip permit shows the origin and destination you asked for and is tied to one vehicle, one route, and one load. Trip routes are checked by the portal's routing tool for side and overhead clearances and bridge weights. The state law says you must measure clearances along the routes specified in the permit before you pass, because the permit does not guarantee safe passage.
Road names on Kentucky permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| I-71 | Interstate 71 |
| I-265 | Interstate 265 (Louisville area) |
| KY 1447 | Kentucky state route 1447 (KY means a Kentucky state highway) |
| KY 2155 | Kentucky state route 2155 in Owensboro, named in the rush-hour rule |
| Parkway | One of Kentucky's parkways; KYTC groups interstates and parkways as the main self-issue permit routes |
Where the route starts and ends
KYTC says a single trip permit shows the origin and destination requested. It has not published how those points are written on the permit.
Conditions to watch for
Travel time
Permitted loads may run around the clock, any day, unless your permit says otherwise. Mobile homes are the exception: daylight only, Monday through Saturday, never Sunday. Source
“Travel in Kentucky is allowed 24-7 unless specified otherwise on the permit.”
Holidays
Kentucky has no holiday travel ban for permitted loads, unless your permit adds one. Source
“There are no holiday travel restrictions in Kentucky.”
Rush hours
No permitted travel in Boone, Campbell, Fayette, Jefferson, or Kenton counties from 7 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The same rule covers the KY 2155 bridge in Owensboro. Source
“All permitted loads are restricted from traveling in the following counties between 7 am to 9 am or 4 pm to 6 pm”
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
“On a 2 lane road, escorts are required as follows:”
Signs and flags
An overwidth load shows four warning flags, one at each corner. KYTC's escort page says a load wider than 10 feet 6 inches, or with a front overhang, shows two OVERSIZE LOAD signs: front of the truck and rear of the load. Source
“A vehicle operating overwidth shall display four (4) warning flags, one (1) at each of the four (4) corners.”
Wind and weather
A load over 12 feet wide may not move while the National Weather Service has a wind advisory out, and no permitted move should run when weather or road conditions make it dangerous. Source
“shall not be made on a highway if a wind advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service”
Easy to miss
- The permit is not a promise that the road fits. Kentucky law says you must measure overhead and side clearances along the routes in your permit before you pass.
- Annual permits are not routed for each trip the way trip permits are. KYTC says to check routes before any move and use Pre-Trip Planning in the portal for current restrictions.
- Weekday rush hours shut permitted loads out of the Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky counties (Jefferson, Fayette, Boone, Kenton, Campbell). Plan arrival times around them.
Questions
Can oversize loads travel at night in Kentucky?
Yes, in most cases. KYTC says travel is allowed 24-7 unless your permit says otherwise. Mobile homes are limited to daylight, Monday through Saturday.
Does Kentucky have holiday restrictions for oversize loads?
KYTC says there are no holiday travel restrictions in Kentucky. Weekday rush-hour limits in five counties still apply, and your permit can add more.
How long is a Kentucky single trip permit good for?
KYTC says a single trip permit is valid for 10 days. It covers one trip for one vehicle, route, and load.
Sources
- KYTC Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits
- KYTC OW/OD Frequently Asked Questions
- KYTC OW/OD Travel Provisions
- KYTC OW/OD Escort Requirements
- 601 KAR 1:018, Special overweight or overdimensional motor vehicle load permits (Kentucky Legislature)
- KYTC Division of Motor Carriers presentation, OW/OD Permit Issuance (Nov. 2021 legislative committee)
- Kentucky Overweight/Over-Dimensional Portal
Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Rules change; check KYTC's site before you move.Last checked October 2026.