How to read a New Mexico oversize permit
A New Mexico single trip oversize permit is three pages: truck, load and a one-paragraph Route Summary on page 1, the numbered restrictions plus city escort and curfew notes on page 2, and the turn-by-turn route table on page 3. Drive from the page 3 table, and read each row as: go this many miles on this road, then do what the To column says.
Issued by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, Ports of Entry through NM-OPS (New Mexico Operating Permit System). Written from 2 real permits we read.
How to read the route
Read the table top to bottom. Each row says: drive the Miles on the road in the Route column, then do what the To column says (merge, take an exit, turn left or right). Distance is the running total from the start and Est. Time is the running drive time. Names in square brackets are other names for the same road, like [US-84] or a street name, and long ones can be cut off. The row 'Arrive at destination.' ends the route.
Columns, left to right: Miles · Route · To · Distance · Est. Time.
What's on each page
- Page 1: Header with permit type and dates, who the permit is for, load size, truck and axle table, Origin and Destination, a one-paragraph Route Summary, then restriction 01 (travel hours, holidays, weather, wind) and 05 (clearances).
- Page 2: More numbered restrictions: flags, OVERSIZE signs, 65 mph top speed and ports of entry, carrying the permit, railroad crossings. At the bottom, notes in double asterisks for this route: front escorts in five cities, a US-70 missile range closure, and rush-hour curfews.
- Page 3: ROUTING AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: the turn-by-turn route table with miles, roads, turns, running distance and drive time, then the fee box.
Road names on New Mexico permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| US-54 | U.S. Route 54 |
| I-40 | Interstate 40 |
| I-25 Ramp | The ramp onto Interstate 25. Ramps get their own row with their own short mileage. |
| Exit 0 toward I-10 WEST/Deming | Leave I-25 at exit 0 and follow the signs for I-10 West toward Deming. |
| BL-10 | Interstate 10 Business Loop (the exit sign says BUS LP I-10) |
| NM-549 | New Mexico State Road 549 |
| [HISTORIC ROUTE 66] | Another name for the same road, shown in square brackets. It is not a separate road to take. |
Where the route starts and ends
The ends are written in the Origin and Destination lines on page 1, and again at the top and bottom of the page 3 table. A state line is written as road;state;town: 'US-54;TX;Nara Visa' means where US-54 crosses the Texas line, by Nara Visa. A point inside New Mexico is written as a road plus miles and a compass direction from where two highways meet (for example '2.1mi S of' a junction). In the page 1 Route Summary the start and end are wrapped in ==> and <== marks.
Conditions to watch for
Travel hours
Loads over 10 feet wide, 14'6" high, 120 feet long or 140,000 lbs move in daylight only, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Smaller loads may run around the clock with the amber lights the permit lists.
“If any of the above listed dimensions are exceeded, daylight movement only is allowed.”
Holidays and weather
No travel on national holidays, or in snow, ice, fog, rain or dust that cuts visibility under 1,000 feet, or in winds of 25 mph or more.
“No travel on National holidays or during inclement weather.”
Flags and signs
Red or orange flags at least 18 by 18 inches on the corners (6 flags minimum on a combination), and OVERSIZE signs on the front and rear.
“Oversize signs shall be properly affixed on the front and rear of all oversize vehicles, combinations or loads.”
Speed and ports of entry
Never over 65 mph. Stop at every open port of entry, even if PrePass or Drivewyze waves you by.
“under no circumstances, shall exceed a maximum speed of sixty-five (65) miles per hour”
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.
“City of Tucumcari: Front Escort Required”
Rush-hour curfews
No travel 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM, Monday to Friday, on I-25 mile posts 0-9, on I-10 mile posts 139-145, and in Las Cruces.
“Movement is prohibited between the hours of 7:00 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST, 4 PM MST and 6:00 PM MST Monday through Friday.”
US-70 missile range closure
US-70 at mile post 185 closes for White Sands missile firings. The permit gives a phone number to call for closure dates and times.
“White Sands Missile Range periodically has missile firings, during the firings the roads will be temporarily closed.”
Easy to miss
- The route is printed twice. Page 1 has a one-paragraph Route Summary with no miles. The table on page 3 has the miles, exits and turns. Drive from page 3.
- Miles is for that row only. Distance and Est. Time are running totals from the start. Your next turn comes after you drive the Miles on the current row.
- The road rules for this trip are not in the route table. City escorts, rush-hour curfews and the US-70 closure are at the bottom of page 2, between double asterisks (**).
- Not every New Mexico permit looks like this. Our Trip Tax Permit (legal size, mileage tax only) is one page, says VALID FOR ONE TRIP ONLY, and its route table is a single row: I-40 from the Arizona line to the Texas line.
Questions
Where is the route on a New Mexico oversize permit?
On the last page, under ROUTING AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. Page 1 has a short Route Summary, but only the page 3 table gives the miles, exits and turns.
Can I drive at night with a New Mexico oversize permit?
Only if you are not over 10 feet wide, 14'6" high, 120 feet long or 140,000 lbs, and you run the amber lights the permit lists. Bigger loads move in daylight only, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset (restriction 01).
How do I buy a New Mexico oversize permit?
Online through NMDOT's NM-OPS system at truckpermits.dot.nm.gov, the site printed at the bottom of every page. NMDOT says oversize/overweight permits are online only and must be bought before you enter the state.
Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Permits change, and yours may differ from the ones we read.Last checked October 2026.