California Oversize and Wide Load Permits
Caltrans CTPS permits, route colors, pilot car and CHP escort counts, metro curfews and Variance permits
Quick answer
How much does a wide load permit cost in California?
A flat $16. Caltrans charges $16 for a Single Trip permit whatever the weight or distance, and $16 for each rider that changes a permit; Annual and Repetitive permits are $90 (Transportation Permits Manual sec. 109). Fees are never refunded. A Single Trip permit is good for 7 consecutive days, one way, and can be issued up to 3 days ahead.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls
California sets pilot car counts by the color of the road, as Colorado and New Mexico do with their own escort maps among the states in our oversize permits by state guide. Caltrans maps each state highway as yellow, green, blue, brown or red by lane width and shoulder (Transportation Permits Manual 501.1), and the color, with the load's width, decides how many pilot cars ride along, whether the load can move at night and when CHP comes out.
A Caltrans permit stops where the State Highway System does. Where a route leaves it at an on-ramp or at-grade intersection, a city, county or US Forest Service permit is likely needed (TPM 106.3.3), and that agency's fee may not exceed the Caltrans fee (CVC 35795(b)). Checking each of those exits is part of every CTPS order we place for heavy haul trucking in California.
Legal limits in California
California runs two length systems. On the STAA network (Interstates plus designated and terminal-access routes), a 53 ft semitrailer is legal with no overall limit if the kingpin-to-rear-axle distance (KPRA) is 40 ft or less, or 38 ft on a single axle; on California Legal routes the whole combination stops at 65 ft (CVC 35401, 35401.5).
| Limit | California | Federal baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) on the National Network | Cities and counties may hold combinations to 96 in by signed ordinance (CVC 35100(c)) |
| Height | 14 ft | No federal limit | Over 13 ft 6 in only on highways the owner or operator judges safe (CVC 35250); permit loads need 3 in of clearance under the lowest structure (TPM 502.1) |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft | States must allow at least 48 ft | On STAA routes, with KPRA 40 ft max (38 ft single axle); 65 ft overall on California Legal routes; single vehicle 40 ft; doubles 75 ft overall with 28 ft 6 in per trailer |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | 80,000 lb | Includes all enforcement tolerances (CVC 35551(e)) |
| Single axle | 20,000 lb | 20,000 lb | 10,500 lb per wheel end (CVC 35550) |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lb | 34,000 lb | Two axles 4–8 ft apart, from the CVC 35551 table |
Federal baseline: 23 CFR Part 658, eCFR as of 2026-10-14
When California requires a permit and how to get one
The Caltrans Transportation Permits Office in Sacramento issues permits through CTPS, the Caltrans Transportation Permit System that replaced STARS2, with the CalRoute route clearing database behind it. Single Trip maximums are 14 ft wide in general (15 ft without CHP on green, blue and brown routes, 16 ft on yellow), 135 ft long, a weight up to the Purple Chart, and any height that clears the lowest structure on the route by 3 in.
An Annual permit is limited to 12 ft wide, 14 ft high and a 40 ft KPRA, and it may not use red routes. Repetitive permits last up to 90 days for loads up to 12 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 90 ft long. Direct Crossing permits (CVC 4006) are free, and government agencies are exempt from fees.
Permit office
- Issuing office
- Caltrans Division of Traffic Operations, Office of Commercial Vehicle Operations, Transportation Permits Office
- Address
- 1120 N St, Sacramento, CA
- Permit system
- CTPS (Caltrans Transportation Permit System), with the CalRoute route clearing database
- Phone
- (916) 322-1297; after-hours emergencies (916) 653-3442
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM
- Roads covered
- State Highway System only
Fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single Trip: 7 consecutive days, one way | $16 |
| Rider changing any permit | $16 |
| Annual or Repetitive | $90 |
| Direct Crossing (CVC 4006) | Free |
| Engineering investigations for unusually large or heavy loads | May be billed separately (CVC 35795) |
| Refunds | None, for any reason |
CVC 35795 holds permit fees to no more than administrative cost, which is why the fee does not change with weight or miles. Pilot cars, CHP escorts and the haul itself are separate costs, as our heavy equipment transport cost guide explains.
Escort and pilot car rules in California
Caltrans sets pilot car counts with the Single Trip Pilot Car Map Legend (June 2021) and TPM Table 1. California has no state pilot-car operator certification, and we found no mandatory height-pole threshold; CVC 35252 lets a pilot car run a clearance pole over 14 ft when escorting or surveying for an overheight load.
| Width | Yellow | Green | Blue | Brown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 10 ft to 11 ft | None | None | None | 1 |
| Over 11 ft to 12 ft | None | None | 1 | 1 |
| Over 12 ft to 13 ft | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Over 13 ft to 14 ft | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Over 14 ft to 15 ft | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Over 15 ft to 16 ft | 2 | CHP | CHP | CHP |
| Over 16 ft | CHP | CHP | CHP | CHP |
Over 16 ft wide, every route color calls for a CHP escort, with no more than 2 pilot cars.
| Load | Escort requirement |
|---|---|
| Overall length | Pilot car over 120 ft on yellow or green routes, over 100 ft on blue and over 85 ft on brown |
| Overhang over 25 ft, front from the bumper or rear from the last point of support | Pilot car, following for rear overhang on every route (TPM 502.6); front overhang is capped at 30 ft |
| KPRA over 38 ft on a dashed (kingpin-advisory) route | Pilot car |
| CHP escort by route color | Yellow: over 16 ft wide or 185 ft long. Green: over 15 ft wide or 185 ft long. Blue and brown: over 15 ft wide, over 135 ft long, or 17 ft high and up. CHP also comes out when opposing lanes are used or the load must slow on structures, and the permittee schedules CHP |
| Red routes | Restrictions are listed route by route in the Red Route Summary Table; annual permits cannot use red routes, so a Single Trip permit is required |
A California pilot car is at least 60 in wide, flies a red flag of at least 16 in square on each side, runs flashing amber lights (CVC 25270) and a sign under CVC 27904.5 (black on yellow, letters at least 6 in, mounted at least 48 in high per the Caltrans FAQ), and carries a STOP/SLOW paddle, an orange vest, a 24 in red hand flag and a two-way radio (CVC 28100-28101).
Travel times, curfews and holidays
California has no blanket daylight rule. Under the Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel (TR-PER-006; TPM 502.4), a load without a pilot car may travel around the clock on every route color except red, unless its permit says No Night Travel.
- Pilot-car loads: yellow routes 24/7 up to 16 ft wide (over 16 ft, CHP sets the hours); green routes in daylight up to 15 ft wide and in darkness up to 14 ft; blue and brown routes in daylight on weekdays, plus Saturday and Sunday from one-half hour before sunrise to noon.
- Darkness is defined in CVC 280, and when a permit authorizes night travel, travel time begins at 12:01 AM (TPM 106.3.2). The permit states whether Saturday, Sunday and sunset-to-sunrise movement is allowed.
- Metro curfews for loads over 10 ft wide, Monday–Friday (TPM 502.2 and Caltrans's four curfew maps): Los Angeles and vicinity 6–9 AM and 3–6 PM; the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and San Diego 7–9 AM and 4–6 PM.
- Holidays, for pilot-car loads only: New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. No travel from 4 PM to midnight the day before, or from noon to midnight on the holiday and each day of the holiday weekend; midnight or sunrise to noon stays open under the 24/7 policy. If a Saturday or Sunday holiday is not observed on Friday or Monday, 24/7 conditions apply.
- Weather instead of frost laws: no permit movement with visibility under 1,000 ft, on roads made hazardous by rain, ice, snow or frost, or when chains are mandatory, and a crash caused by wind or weather is a prima facie violation (TPM 502.8; Ch. 1 sec. 104).
What catches carriers in California
Purple, Green and Orange rate bridges, not roads
Bridge weight ratings use their own colors: X allows no extralegal weight, Orange 42,800 lb, Green 52,000 lb and Purple 60,000 lb per axle group. Each bridge carries a five-letter code for 5-, 7-, 9-, 11- and 13-axle configurations, such as PPPGG, so a green bridge and a green route mean different things.
TPM 500.1
Two holiday rules
The Transportation Permits Manual bars the holiday and the adjoining weekend when the holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, while the Special Conditions for Holiday Travel allow midnight or sunrise to noon. We follow the hours printed on each permit.
TPM; Special Conditions for Holiday Travel (06/2005)
Cities can shorten the truck
By ordinance, a city may limit KPRA to no less than 38 ft and combination length to 60 ft, so a rig that is legal on the state highway can be too long for the last few city blocks.
CVC 35401(d)-(e)
Signs start at 8 ft 6 in
Warning signs are required over 8 ft 6 in wide, over 80 ft long or with more than 10 ft of overhang, and a LONG LOAD sign over 100 ft. Letters are at least 10 in, black on yellow, and the sign is mounted at least 18 in above the road.
TPM 502.9
Variance permits, the Bay Bridge and the LA and Long Beach ports
Three California cases sit outside the normal Single Trip process.
Variance permits
Caltrans does not use the term superload. Loads over 15 ft wide, over 17 ft high or over 135 ft long, special hauling equipment above the standard weight classes, and combinations over 135 ft or needing more than seven loading groups go on a Variance permit (TPM 104). Submit at least 30 days ahead to [email protected] with inspection reports, the manufacturer's engineering justification and drawings; over 17 ft high, a written route survey is required, and the permittee coordinates the CHP escort.
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
No permit travel 6:30–9:00 AM or 3:30–6:30 PM on any day. Loads over 12 ft wide may cross only 11 AM–1 PM Monday–Friday, and nothing on a permit crosses in rain or fog.
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
Sea Container permits near the ports allow a 4-axle tractor with a 3-axle trailer, 65 ft overall and a 40 ft KPRA. Route 710 across the Gerald Desmond Bridge reopened to OS/OW permit loads on March 24, 2022, and that Caltrans page points to permits issued by the County of Los Angeles and the City of Long Beach.
California oversize permit questions
How do I get a wide load permit in California?
Apply to the Caltrans Transportation Permits Office through CTPS, the Caltrans Transportation Permit System. A Single Trip permit costs $16, covers state highways for 7 consecutive days one way, and can be issued up to 3 days in advance. Loads over 15 ft wide, 17 ft high or 135 ft long need a Variance permit instead, submitted at least 30 days ahead, and city or county roads need local permits.
What are Caltrans pilot car maps?
They are Caltrans's Single Trip pilot car maps, which color every state highway yellow (multilane), green (12 ft lanes with shoulders 4 ft or wider), blue (lanes 11 ft or wider, shoulders under 4 ft), brown (lanes under 11 ft, minimal shoulder) or red (operationally restricted), with dashed lines for kingpin advisories. The map legend then gives the pilot car count for each width on each color.
Is pilot car certification required in California?
We found no state pilot-car operator certification in the Caltrans sources we checked. California regulates the vehicle instead: at least 60 in wide, red flags of at least 16 in square on each side, flashing amber lights, a black-on-yellow sign with letters at least 6 in tall, a STOP/SLOW paddle, an orange vest, a 24 in red hand flag and a two-way radio (CVC 28100-28101).
How many pilot cars does a 14 ft wide load need in California?
A load over 13 ft and up to 14 ft wide needs one pilot car on yellow or green routes and two on blue or brown routes. Just past 14 ft, up to 15 ft, the count is one on yellow and two on green, blue or brown. Over 15 ft wide, green, blue and brown routes call for a CHP escort, and over 16 ft every route color does.
Is there an online application for California oversize permits?
Yes, CTPS at ctps.dot.ca.gov, which replaced the older STARS2 system and uses the CalRoute database to clear routes. The Transportation Permits Office answers at (916) 322-1297 from 8 AM to 5 PM on weekdays, with an after-hours emergency line at (916) 653-3442. Variance permit applications go by email to [email protected].
What is a California Variance permit?
It is how Caltrans handles what other states call superloads: loads over 15 ft wide, 17 ft high or 135 ft long, special hauling equipment above the standard weight classes, and combinations over 135 ft or with more than seven loading groups. Applications go in at least 30 days ahead with inspection reports, engineering justification and drawings, plus a written route survey over 17 ft high.
Is there an annual wide load permit in California?
Yes, the $90 Annual permit handles loads up to 12 ft wide and 14 ft high with a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance of 40 ft or less, though it cannot be used on red routes. A Repetitive permit, also $90, runs up to 90 days for loads up to 12 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 90 ft long. Anything larger goes on a $16 Single Trip permit or a Variance permit.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked in October 2026 against the sources below. Rules and rates change; we confirm current requirements on every move.
- eCFR 23 CFR Part 658: Truck Size and Weight (federal baseline)
- Caltrans Transportation Permits home
- Caltrans Transportation Permits FAQ
- Caltrans Single Trip Permit page
- Caltrans Variance Permit page
- Transportation Permits Manual Ch. 1 (rev. 1/14/2026)
- Transportation Permits Manual Ch. 5 Routing and Safety (rev. 6/25/2024)
- Single Trip Pilot Car Map Legend (June 2021)
- Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel (TR-PER-006, 08/2015)
- Special Conditions for Holiday Travel (06/2005)
- Special Conditions for Loads Escorted by Pilot Car(s) (09/2005)
- Curfew Map: Los Angeles
- CTPS / CalRoute portal
- CVC 35100 width
- CVC 35250 height
- CVC 35400 length / KPRA
- CVC 35401 combination length
- CVC 35401.5 STAA
- CVC 35550 axle
- CVC 35551 axle-group table / 80,000 lb
- CVC 35780 permits
- CVC 35795 permit fees
- CVC 28101 pilot car equipment
- CVC 35252 height pole
Moving a wide load on California highways?
The route color decides the pilot cars, and the metro curfews decide the hours. Give us the width and the delivery city, and the CTPS permit, the carrier and the escorts get planned around both.
- FMCSA-licensed property broker, MC# 1178470
- Permits, escorts and route surveys arranged for each move
- Carriers checked for authority, insurance and safety record
- Commercial shippers, dealers, contractors and auction buyers
Prefer to talk? Call (631) 683-8275.
Request a Commercial Quote
Keep reading
- Heavy Haul in CaliforniaLA, Bay Area and Central Valley moves: 10 ft metro curfews, Bay Bridge hours, Long Beach and Hueneme pickups, and pilot cars by route color.
- Oversize PermitsLegal limits, permit fees, escort triggers and travel rules by state, from official sources.
- Legal Load LimitsLegal width, height, length and axle weights by state, plus night, weekend and 2026 holiday travel rules.
- Pilot Car RequirementsWhen each state requires escorts: width, length, height and overhang triggers, certification and police escorts.
- Frost LawsSpring thaw weight restrictions by state, with Michigan's 25% and 35% axle cuts, 2026 dates and how to check posted roads before a heavy move.
- How Oversize Permits WorkWhat a permit covers, how it is ordered and how a multi-state move is permitted.