How to read an Oregon oversize permit
Oregon over-dimension permits are ordered in ODOT's ORION system, which routes single-trip permits and shows a short route description with turn-by-turn driving directions. Many of the travel rules live in attachments and route maps the permit points to, above all Attachment H (travel hours) and Route Map 2 (pilot cars), so read those along with the permit.
Issued by the Oregon Department of Transportation, Commerce and Compliance Division, Over-Dimension Permit Unit through ORION (Oregon Routing Information Online). Written from ODOT's published rules; we haven't read a real Oregon permit yet.
How to read the route
ODOT hasn't published a sample ORION permit, so we can't show how the route prints. In ORION, a single-trip route is built from an origin and a destination, with split trips or a return trip added if needed. The Driving Directions section shows 'an abbreviated description of the route along with turn-by-turn driving directions.' ODOT says the travel conditions shown in ORION also print on the permit PDF.
Road names on Oregon permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| I-5 | Interstate 5 |
| US101 | U.S. Highway 101 |
| OR22 | Oregon Route 22 |
| OR47 (Hwy 110) | Oregon Route 47, which ODOT also calls Highway 110. ODOT writes both the route number and its own highway number. |
| US26 (Sunset) | U.S. Highway 26, the Sunset Highway in the Portland area |
Where the route starts and ends
ORION builds the route from an Origin and Destination you enter. You can add split trips and a return trip. ODOT hasn't published how these print on the permit.
Conditions to watch for
Daylight defined
Overwidth travel hours are set by Attachment H. Daylight means a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Source
““Daylight hours” means one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.”
Night travel
At night, loads 8'7" to 10' wide may run on Interstates and on green routes on Route Map 2. Loads 10'1" to 12' wide may run on Interstates only, and nothing over 12' wide moves at night. Manufactured homes and modular units are limited to 10 feet wide on Interstates at night. Source
“Movement from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise”
City rush hours
In the Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass and Medford urban areas, city hours are 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. on business days. During those hours, loads 12'1" to 14' wide may use only some Interstates, and loads over 14' wide can't move. Loads over 14' wide also can't move from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in those areas. Source
“no movement between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass and Medford urban areas”
Summer weekends and holidays
On summer weekends, after noon Saturday and all day Sunday, loads up to 14 feet wide may use Interstates and authorized routes east of the Cascades, but not other highways west of the Cascades. Holiday periods start at noon on the last weekday before the holiday (noon Friday for a Monday holiday), and loads over 14 feet wide can't move at all during them. Source
“Summertime weekends are from the last Monday in May to the first Monday in September”
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
“The number of pilot vehicles required for certain movements is shown on Attachment 82A.”
Signs, flags, lights
Show 'OVERSIZE LOAD' signs front and rear. In daylight, mark the outer edges of an overwidth load with red flags at least 18 inches square. Run warning lights when you're over 10 feet wide on a two-lane highway or over 12 feet on a four-lane highway. Source
“The outermost extremities of any overwidth load must be marked during daylight hours with red flags not less than 18 inches square.”
Easy to miss
- Oregon sometimes names a road two ways, like 'OR47 (Hwy 110)': the route number and ODOT's own highway number. Both mean the same road.
- Your permit doesn't cover county roads or city streets unless it says so. ODOT says Portland city streets are available only with annual permits.
- Route Map 2 colors matter. In several districts, blanket approval doesn't let you use purple (over 12 feet wide) or red routes as through routes.
Questions
Can I haul an oversize load at night in Oregon?
Only narrower loads. Under Attachment H, loads 8'7" to 10' wide may move at night on Interstates and green routes on Route Map 2. Loads up to 12' wide may move at night on Interstates only, and nothing wider than 12' moves at night.
Does my Oregon over-dimension permit cover county roads?
Not unless it says so. Oregon's rule says the permit doesn't cover county roads or city streets unless specifically noted. Single-trip permits can include county roads, which may slow down the permit.
What is Attachment H on an Oregon permit?
It's ODOT's table of travel-time limits for overwidth loads: night travel, city rush hours in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Grants Pass and Medford, summer weekends, and holidays. It applies to permits that reference it.
Sources
- ODOT: Over-Dimension Operations in Oregon
- ODOT CCD Manuals and Resources (ORION manuals and packets)
- ORION Industry Customer Training Packet (revised April 22, 2025)
- ODOT Pilot Car Guide / State and District Guidelines (May 2026)
- ODOT: Oregon Travel Restrictions and Guidelines
- ODOT Attachment H, Form 2362 (revised 01-2026)
- ODOT: Oregon Permit Attachments
- OAR 734, Division 82: Variance Permits for Non-Divisible Loads
Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Rules change; check ODOT's site before you move.Last checked October 2026.