How to read a Pennsylvania oversize permit
PennDOT special hauling permits come from APRAS, which checks the proposed route for clearances and bridges and auto-issues most permits. Drive only the routing on the permit: you may leave it only when a police officer directs you, and local roads shown in brackets or parentheses need the local authority's own permission.
Issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Central Permit Office and district permit offices through APRAS (Automated Permit Route Analysis System). Written from PennDOT's published rules; we haven't read a real Pennsylvania permit yet.
How to read the route
PennDOT hasn't published a sample APRAS permit, so we can't show how the route prints. Under the conditions on Form M-938, the permit covers only the roadway of the PennDOT highways it names. Shoulders aren't covered, except in a work zone that sends traffic onto them. Local roads on the permit are listed in brackets or parentheses, and you need the local authority's permission to use them. A single-trip permit is good for one trip in one direction between the two points named on it.
Road names on Pennsylvania permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| TR 209 (Traffic Route 209) | Signed route 209. PennDOT's permit conditions write signed routes as 'Traffic Route' or 'TR'. |
| [Local Road] or (Local Road) | A local road or street on your permit. You need the local authority's permission to use it. |
| Pennsylvania Turnpike | Not covered by a PennDOT permit unless the law allows it. The Turnpike has its own approvals. |
| Fort Pitt, Squirrel Hill or Liberty Tunnels | Allegheny County tunnels where permitted moves are allowed only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
Where the route starts and ends
Form M-938 says a single-trip permit is valid 'only for a single trip in one direction between the two points designated.' A return trip is allowed only if it was requested and is shown on the permit.
Conditions to watch for
Daylight, every day
State law lets permitted loads run sunrise to sunset every day of the week. The exceptions are holiday periods, bad weather, urbanized-area limits, and limits on your permit. Source
“may operate under a permit from sunrise to sunset every day of the week, except as follows:”
Holidays (2026)
No moves on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas, or on the day before each, unless the permit says otherwise. PennDOT's 2026 list runs from noon before each holiday to sunrise after it. Thanksgiving, for example, runs from noon November 25 to sunrise November 30. Source
“12 NOON, NOVEMBER 25 TO SUNRISE NOVEMBER 30, 2026.”
Urbanized areas
In urbanized areas (shown on the M-938 map), you may move only from 3 to 7:30 a.m., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to sunset. An oversize move between 3 a.m. and sunrise needs extra lighting on all sides and pilot cars. Source
“(A) 3 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. (B) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (C) 7 p.m. to sunset”
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
“If the total width of the vehicle or combination including any load exceeds 13 feet:”
Signs and flags
Mount yellow 'OVERSIZE LOAD' signs on the front and rear: at least 7 feet by 18 inches, with black letters at least 10 inches tall. Pilot cars carry 5-foot by 1-foot signs. Mark excess length and width with red or fluorescent orange flags at least 18 inches square. Source
“clean, plain, red or fluorescent orange warning flags, at least 18 inches square.”
Spacing
Stay at least 1,000 feet from another permitted oversize load going the same way. The exceptions are military vehicles, construction zones, and near stop signs or traffic lights. Source
“A permitted oversized vehicle may not travel within 1,000 feet of another permitted oversized vehicle traveling in the same direction”
Easy to miss
- Carry Form M-938 with the permit. PennDOT requires the driver to have both on board for inspection.
- Only a police officer can send you off your permitted route. Don't drive on shoulders unless a work zone sends traffic there.
- Older copies of the regulation still ban Saturday-afternoon and Sunday travel. M-938 notes those parts were replaced by state law, which now allows sunrise-to-sunset travel every day.
Questions
Can I move an oversize load on Sunday in Pennsylvania?
Yes, in daylight, unless your permit says otherwise. State law (75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.3)) lets permitted loads run sunrise to sunset every day, except during holiday periods, bad weather and urbanized-area limits.
What do brackets or parentheses mean on a PennDOT permit?
They mark local roads and streets. PennDOT's permit conditions say you must get permission from the local authority to use them.
When do I need a pilot car in Pennsylvania?
One pilot car follows if you're over 90 feet long or have more than 15 feet of load past the rear. Over 13 feet wide, a pilot follows on multi-lane roads and leads on single-lane roads. Over 14 feet 6 inches high, a pilot with a height pole leads 1,000 to 3,000 feet ahead.
Sources
Your permit is the legal document; follow everything it says. Rules change; check PennDOT's site before you move.Last checked October 2026.