How to read a Minnesota oversize permit
MnDOT issues oversize and overweight permits online for trunk highways, U.S. highways, and interstates, and each permit comes with a one-page General Provisions sheet that is part of the permit. You may travel only on the routes specified in the permit, and MnDOT says a permit is void when you are off route.
Issued by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Oversize/Overweight Permits (Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations) through Minnesota SUPERLOAD Permit System. Written from MnDOT's published rules; we haven't read a real Minnesota permit yet.
How to read the route
MnDOT has not published a sample permit, so the layout of the route section is not confirmed. The carrier proposes the route, the permit software checks it against bridges, clearances, and weight limits, and the issued permit can add route instructions to avoid trouble spots. You must stay on the routes specified in the permit, including during detours. If a closure or detour blocks your route, stop safely and call the number on the permit before going on.
Road names on Minnesota permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| Trunk Highway | A Minnesota state highway; MnDOT permits cover trunk highways, U.S. highways, and interstates |
| I-35W / I-35E | The west (Minneapolis) and east (St. Paul) branches of Interstate 35 in the Twin Cities |
| I-494 / I-694 | The Twin Cities beltway interstates |
| I-94 | Interstate 94 |
Where the route starts and ends
MnDOT's online videos show routes being started from an address or from points picked on a map. How the start and end print on the permit is not published.
Conditions to watch for
Travel time
Minnesota generally lets permitted loads travel any hour, day or night, unless the permit or one of the listed exceptions says otherwise. At night, flags must be lit and signs must be lighted or reflective. Source
“In general, travel is not restricted.”
Rush hours and Twin Cities night moves
Over 14 feet 6 inches wide or 110 feet long: no weekday travel 6 to 8:30 a.m. or 3:30 to 6 p.m. in the Twin Cities and Duluth metro. Over 16 feet wide in the seven-county Twin Cities metro: travel only midnight to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Source
Holidays and summer weekends
Over 12 feet 6 inches wide or 110 feet long: no travel from 2 p.m. the day before a listed holiday to 2 a.m. the day after, and no travel 4 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Overweight-only loads are not restricted unless the permit says so. Source
“Holiday and Summer travel restrictions apply to oversize loads or vehicles exceeding 12’6” wide; or 110’ long.”
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
Signs, flags, and lights
OVERSIZE LOAD signs front and rear over 12 feet 6 inches wide or 95 feet long. Red or orange 18-inch flags at the widest corners over 9 feet wide, and every 20 feet along loads over 75 feet long. From half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise, lights go at the flag spots, visible from 500 feet. Source
“OVERSIZE LOAD signs are required at the front and rear of the vehicle when exceeding 12 feet 6 inches wide; or 95 feet long.”
Weather
Do not move when weather or roads are hazardous, when you can't stay in your lane, or when you can see less than 500 feet. Check MN 511. Source
Easy to miss
- Never follow a detour that isn't written on the permit. MnDOT says to stop safely and call the number on the permit, and a permit is void when you are off route.
- A MnDOT permit is not valid on county, city, township, or other local roads. Get those approvals from the local road authority.
- Annual permit holders must log each trip in the permit system when over legal weight, over 11 feet wide, or over 14 feet 6 inches high.
Questions
Can oversize loads travel at night in Minnesota?
Generally yes. MnDOT says travel hours are generally unrestricted, except for listed rush-hour, holiday, summer weekend, and weather rules, or what your permit says. At night your flag spots need lights and your signs must be lighted or reflective.
What are Minnesota's holiday restrictions for oversize loads?
Loads over 12 feet 6 inches wide or 110 feet long may not travel from 2 p.m. the day before a listed holiday to 2 a.m. the day after. MnDOT posts the dates each year on its holiday schedule page.
What do I do if my Minnesota permit route is closed?
Stop safely as soon as you can and call the phone number on the permit. MnDOT says not to take an alternate route without approval.
Sources
- MnDOT Oversize/Overweight Permits home
- MnDOT General Provisions for Oversize/Overweight Loads (August 2024)
- MnDOT holiday schedule
- MnDOT pilot car escort requirements
- MnDOT Guide to Transporting Superloads in Minnesota (May 2025)
- Minnesota Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026, Section 06
- MnDOT order a permit
- MnDOT permit system help
- MnDOT creating a route video page
- MnDOT OSOW Superload Corridors map (December 2021)
Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Rules change; check MnDOT's site before you move.Last checked October 2026.