How to read a Washington oversize permit
A Washington oversize/overweight permit gives the route twice: a one-paragraph 'Routes Traveled' box on page 2 and a turn-by-turn 'Routing and Special Instructions' table on page 4, followed by WSDOT form 560-002 with the escort, holiday, night and commuter curfew rules. Each interstate row names the mile posts you drive between, so you can check your place against the mile markers.
Issued by the Washington State Department of Transportation, Commercial Vehicle Services through eSNOOPI Pro. Written from 2 real permits we read.
How to read the route
Read the table top to bottom. Each row means: drive the Miles (KM is the same in kilometers) on the road in the Route column, then do what Directions says. Interstate and highway rows show the mile posts you drive between, like 'I-5 (MP: 136.515 to 154.14)', so you can check your spot against the mile markers. Distance and Distance (km) are running totals from the Origin. A row printed in red is a restricted-bridge warning on that stretch, not a turn.
Columns, left to right: Miles · KM · Route · Directions · Distance · Distance (km).
What's on each page
- Page 1: Permit page 1 of 4: permit type, effective dates, carrier, vehicle, load sizes and weight, the axle table and the weight allowances.
- Page 2: Page 2 of 4: Route Information (Origin, Destination, Total Distance and the whole route in one paragraph under Routes Traveled) and the Special Conditions, starting with a restricted bridge note.
- Page 3: Page 3 of 4: 'READ THIS BEFORE SIGNING', the signature line and the fee breakdown.
- Page 4: Page 4 of 4: Routing and Special Instructions, the turn-by-turn route table in miles and kilometers.
- Page 5: WSDOT form 560-002, page 1: when you need pilot/escort cars, holidays with no oversize travel, night moves, winter chain-sign rules and the railroad crossing emergency number.
- Page 6: Form 560-002, page 2: Commuter Curfew Hours, a Monday-Friday table of rush-hour bans by city, highway, direction and mile post.
Road names on Washington permits
| On the permit | Means |
|---|---|
| I-5 (MP: 136.515 to 154.14) | Interstate 5, from mile post 136.515 to mile post 154.14 |
| I-405 Ramp | The ramp onto Interstate 405. Ramps get their own short row. |
| I-90 | Interstate 90 |
| I-82 | Interstate 82 |
| I-182 [US-12] | Interstate 182. US-12 runs on the same road; square brackets show the other name. |
| US-395 | U.S. Route 395 |
| WA-397 | Washington State Route 397 |
Where the route starts and ends
The Origin is written as a road name and a city. The Destination on this permit is a state line: 'State Border Crossing - I-90;ID;Liberty Lake' means where I-90 crosses into Idaho, near Liberty Lake. Both ends are on page 2 (Origin, Destination, and inside ==> and <== marks in Routes Traveled) and again at the top and bottom of the page 4 table.
Conditions to watch for
Restricted bridge
At the restricted bridge on I-90 named on the permit, overweight loads must drive the centerline of the bridge.
“OVERLOADS TRAVEL CENTERLINE OF THE BRIDGE”
Weigh stations
Stop at every open weigh station, even if your transponder or the sign says bypass.
“OVERSIZE/OVERWEIGHT PERMITTED VEHICLES MUST STOP AT ALL OPEN WEIGH STATIONS, REGARDLESS OF THE TRANSPONDER OR SIGN SIGNAL.”
Signs
OVERSIZE LOAD signs are required unless state rule WAC 468-38-075 exempts your load.
“OVERSIZE LOAD SIGNS REQUIRED (EXCEPT THOSE EXEMPTED PER WAC 468-38-075)”
Clearances
The approved route does not promise you will fit under everything. Check restrictions and overhead clearances yourself before you go; WSDOT posts alerts at wsdot.wa.gov/commercialvehicle.
“APPROVED PERMIT ROUTE DOES NOT GUARANTEE HEIGHT CLEARANCES”
Holidays
No oversize travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas, or on the afternoon before each.
“during the afternoon of the day preceding said holidays”
Night moves
Loads up to 12 feet wide, 14'6" high and 105 feet long may move at night with proper lights. Bigger loads need 'Nighttime movement approved' written on the permit.
“must have “Nighttime movement approved” stated on permits”
Commuter curfews
Monday to Friday, loads that need OVERSIZE LOAD signs must stay off the listed stretches at rush hour, unless they are only over width and within the width in the table. This route crosses three listed stretches: I-5 and I-405 near Seattle and I-90 at Spokane.
“Oversize loads that are required to display “Oversize Load” signs are restricted from the following areas during the listed times”
Easy to miss
- The route is on two pages. Page 2 has the Routes Traveled paragraph; page 4 has the table with miles, exits and mile posts. Use page 4 to drive.
- The red row on page 4 is a bridge warning, not a step. Its text names I-90 at MP 62.68, but the end of the same row places it on I-90 at SR 261 at MP 221.95. Check both spots on your trip.
- Page 3 says 'PERMIT NOT VALID UNLESS SIGNED BY PERMITTEE'. Sign it before you roll.
- Not every Washington permit has a route. Our 30-day Non-Divisible Load (Variable Size) permit just says 'All approved Washington State highways.' under ROUTE INFORMATION, and you plan the roads yourself.
Questions
How do I read the route on a Washington oversize permit?
Go to the Routing and Special Instructions table near the end of the permit (page 4 on ours). Each row means: drive the Miles on the road in the Route column, between the mile posts it lists, then do what Directions says.
Do I need to sign my Washington oversize permit?
Yes. The permit says it is not valid unless signed by the permittee, and the attached form 560-002 says a signed permit must be carried in the power unit at all times.
When can't oversize loads travel in Washington?
Form 560-002 bans oversize moves on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas, plus the afternoon before each. On weekdays, commuter curfews close listed stretches near Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Vancouver, Kelso and Spokane at rush hour.
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.