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Colorado Oversize and Overweight Permit Rules

Colorado Oversize and Overweight Permit Rules

CDOT COOPR permits, escort tiers by highway color, certified pilot escorts, metro curfews and the I-70 mountain corridor

Quick answer

What are Colorado's oversize load restrictions?

CDOT permits loads over 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high, 80,000 lb on the Interstate or other legal limits through COOPR, at $30 for an oversize single trip. Escorts depend on each highway's color on CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map, pilot escort drivers must be certified, and weekday curfews in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Aspen-Carbondale cover every extra-legal load.

Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).

Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls

Colorado's legal height is 14 ft 6 in on every highway CDOT controls, loaded or empty, unless a structure is posted lower (C.R.S. 42-4-504(1)). Its Interstate tandem limit, 36,000 lb, sits 2,000 lb above the federal figure in our oversize permits by state comparison, and off the Interstate a tandem carries 40,000 lb and gross weight reaches 85,000 lb under W = 1,000(L + 40) (42-4-507, 42-4-508).

Under its broker authority (MC 1178470), HTS handles heavy haul work into and across Colorado by ordering the COOPR permit, booking the carrier and confirming that every pilot escort holds a certification Colorado accepts. CDOT quotes about 2 hours for a single trip (orders after 3 PM MT may not issue the same day) and 3–5 business days for a Chapter 6 Special, currently 2–3 weeks because of Bridge section staffing, so heavy loads are filed early.

When Colorado requires a permit and how to get one

CDOT's Office of Freight Mobility & Safety issues permits in COOPR, the Colorado Oversize Overweight Permitting and Routing system, and they must be bought before the load enters Colorado or moves. A single trip covers one move of up to 5 days and can be requested up to 5 days ahead (2 CCR 601-4, Rule 300.1). Annual and single-trip permits stop at the Maximum Limits: 16 ft high, 17 ft wide, 200,000 lb subject to the Bridge Weight Limit Map, and 130 ft long on four-lane highways, 120 ft on non-mountainous two-lane highways and 110 ft on mountainous ones (Rule 304.2).

Past those limits, or at 200,000–500,000 lb, the load needs a Chapter 6 Special permit for one one-way trip with at least one front and one rear escort. Loads of 200,000 lb up to 500,000 lb also file third-party weight documentation, and a carrier without it faces a $1 per pound penalty over the permitted gross (C.R.S. 42-4-510(1)(b)(IV), (12)(e)). A CDOT permit covers only the state highways listed on it; city and county roads need local permission (42-4-510(1)(a)).

Permit office

Issuing office
CDOT Office of Freight Mobility & Safety (Freight Permit Office)
Address
2829 W. Howard Place, Denver, CO 80204
Permit system
COOPR
Phone
(303) 757-9539 or 1-800-350-3765
Hours
Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–4:30 PM; closed state holidays; COOPR takes applications 24/7
Roads covered
State highways listed on the permit; cities and counties permit their own roads

Fees

CDOT permit fees, including the supplemental surcharge (C.R.S. 42-4-510(11); 43-4-804(1)(c))
PermitFee
Single trip, oversize $30 ($15 plus a $15 surcharge)
Single trip, overweight or oversize/overweight $30 plus $10 per axle
Chapter 6 Special: 200,000–500,000 lb or over the Maximum Limits $250
Superload $800
Annual, oversize only $250
Annual, overweight or oversize/overweight, up to 200,000 lb $400 per power unit
Company Fleet Permit, 2–10 vehicles $3,000, plus $300 per vehicle over 10; each unit also needs its own annual permit
Card payment in COOPR $4 per transaction per permit

The surcharge, in place since July 1, 2009, doubles single-trip and special permit fees.

As an example, a 5-axle combination on a single-trip overweight permit pays $30 plus 5 × $10, or $80, before the card fee. Local authorities may charge no more than the state's oversize and overweight fees (42-4-510(11)(b)), and from January 1, 2027 the fees go to the road enterprise cash fund with the amounts unchanged.

Escort and pilot car rules in Colorado

Colorado's escort rule starts with a map: CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map colors each highway red, blue, yellow, green or white, and Rule 408.2 sets daylight escorts by that color and the load's width. Colorado also certifies its pilot escort drivers, so the same crew may not qualify in a neighboring state, a split our pilot car requirements by state table lays out.

Daylight width escorts by highway color (2 CCR 601-4, Rule 408.2)
WidthRedBlueYellowGreenWhite
Over 8 ft 6 in to 11 ft Chapter 6 Special1 frontNoneNoneNone
Over 11 ft to 13 ft Chapter 6 SpecialFront and rear1 frontNoneNone
Over 13 ft to 15 ft Chapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 Special1 front, plus a rear escort or rear flashing yellow lightTwo-lane: 1 front. Four-lane: rear escort or rear flashing yellow lightNone
Over 15 ft to 17 ft Chapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 SpecialTwo-lane: 1 front plus a rear escort or light. Four-lane: rear escort or lightRear escort or rear flashing yellow light
Over 17 ft Chapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 SpecialChapter 6 Special

Loads 13 ft wide or more use the far right lane except to pass or turn left (Rule 408.1). Chapter 6 and Super Load moves run with at least 1 front and 1 rear escort, and CDOT may add a Colorado State Patrol escort, more escorts and flaggers (Rule 603).

Night, length, overhang and height triggers (2 CCR 601-4)
LoadEscort requirement
Night, over legal width to 12 ft No escort; a flashing yellow light on the front and 2–3 on the extreme rear (Rule 408.3)
Night, over 12 ft to 14 ft Also 1 front escort on two-lane highways or 1 rear escort on four-lane highways
Night, over 14 ft No night travel unless a Chapter 6 Special allows it
Over 85 ft long, mountainous two-lane highways 1 front escort (Rule 410.1); 110 ft maximum without a Chapter 6 Special
Over 110 ft long, non-mountainous two-lane highways 1 front escort (Rule 410.2); 120 ft maximum
Over 115 ft long, four-lane highways 1 rear escort (Rule 410.3); 130 ft maximum, with a route survey required over 130 ft
Front overhang over 15 ft; rear overhang over 25 ft Front escort; rear escort (Rule 411)
Over 16 ft high Front escort with a height pole no more than 6 in above the load; over 17 ft, a licensed signal contractor accompanies the load through every intersection with an overhead signal; over 17 ft 6 in, a route survey (Rules 409, 505.1.7)

Certification takes a CDOT-authorized program, age 18 or older, a valid license, $1,000,000 in commercial liability covering escort work and a 5-year driving record with no drug or alcohol convictions and no single moving violation of 6 or more points; it lasts 4 years with one 4-year renewal. Colorado accepts Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and SC&RA certifications, and the permit holder must confirm the escort's card is current (Rules 500.2–501). The escort vehicle is a passenger vehicle or two-axle truck of 16,000 lb GVW or less, at least 60 in wide, towing nothing.

Travel times, curfews and holidays

Colorado has no blanket daylight rule: night travel is allowed with lights and escorts up to 14 ft wide (Rule 408.3). Regional curfews, though, apply to every extra-legal load with no minimum size unless a Chapter 6 Special or Super Load permit authorizes travel (Rule 401).

  • Denver area, 6–9 AM and 3–6 PM weekdays: I-25 from I-225 (Exit 200) to 120th Ave (Exit 223), I-70 from Ward Rd (Exit 266) to I-225 (Exit 282), I-76 from I-70 to US 85, all of I-225 and I-270, and parts of Federal, Sheridan, Kipling, 6th Ave, Wadsworth, US 36 and Hampden (Rule 401.1).
  • Colorado Springs and Pueblo, 7–9 AM and 4–6 PM weekdays: I-25 from Monument (Exit 161) to Academy Blvd South (Exit 135) with parts of SH 83, US 24, SH 94, SH 115 and SH 21; in Pueblo, I-25 from Lake Ave (Exit 94) to Eagleridge Blvd (Exit 102), SH 47, SH 50 and SH 50 Business (Rules 401.2–401.3).
  • Mountain towns: SH 82 from Carbondale to Aspen, 7–9 AM and 4–6 PM weekdays; around Central City (SH 6 from SH 58 to I-70, SH 119 and SH 46) travel runs only 3–11 AM; and US 6 in Clear Creek Canyon takes no extra-legal load at any time without a Chapter 6 Special or Super Load permit (Rules 401.4–401.6).
  • Exempt from the curfews: overweight-only loads up to 110,000 lb within every other legal limit that hold 40 mph on the flat and 30 mph on grades, and emergency moves (Rule 400).
  • I-70 west, Morrison (Exit 259) to West Vail (Exit 173): Dec 1–Mar 31, no westbound travel Fridays 3–8 PM or weekends 7 AM–noon, and no eastbound travel weekends 3–9 PM; May 15–Sep 15, no westbound travel Fridays from 4 PM at Morrison (5 PM at East Idaho Springs, Exit 241) to 8 PM or Saturdays 8 AM–noon, and no eastbound travel Sundays 3–9 PM (Rule 402).
  • Hazards: no extra-legal travel when CDOT, CSP or an officer gives notice of a hazardous condition such as ice, snow, mud, wind, rocks or crash debris, and outside annual permits the permittee contacts the nearest port, CSP or CDOT about an alternate route and waits if none is approved (Rule 405). CSP says no oversize movement is allowed where the chain law is in effect.
  • Frost: CDOT runs no spring-thaw program; counties and cities may cut weights on their own roads for up to 90 days a year with posted signs (C.R.S. 42-4-106).
CDOT 2026 holiday restrictions (Rule 404.3; 2026 holiday schedule)
HolidayNo extra-legal travel
Memorial Day Fri May 22, noon–9 PM, and Mon May 25, 6 AM–9 PM
Independence Day (a Saturday) Fri Jul 3, noon–9 PM, and Sat Jul 4, 6 AM–9 PM
Labor Day Fri Sep 4, noon–9 PM, and Mon Sep 7, 6 AM–9 PM

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day carry no statewide restriction. In the Cripple Creek area (US 24 from Divide to Woodland Park and CO 67 from Divide to Cripple Creek), loads may not travel 3–7 PM on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of all five holiday weekends (Rule 404.4). CDOT had published no 2027 schedule as of Oct 17, 2026.

What catches carriers in Colorado

One black bridge ends the overweight route

CDOT's Bridge Weight Limit Map codes bridges black (no overweight), orange, yellow or white. With more than 12 ft between axle groups, permit maximums run 22,000/25,000/27,000 lb on a single axle and 42,000/46,000/50,000 lb on a tandem for orange, yellow and white, and an extra 5,000 lb may go on the primary drive group. Over 200,000 lb, the load crosses listed bridges at 10 mph or less in the center of the lane.

CDOT Bridge Weight Limit Steps (2024); Rule 407.3

The 8-work-hour test

A load counts as non-divisible only if taking it apart would take more than 8 work hours, so an attachment that comes off faster is removed before the permit is ordered; that is part of planning excavator transport into Colorado.

2 CCR 601-4, Rules 103.1.1 and 236

Half a mile between loads

Convoys are not allowed unless the permit authorizes them, extra-legal loads keep at least one-half mile apart except when passing, and one pilot vehicle escorts one load at a time.

2 CCR 601-4, Rules 405.8, 506.1 and 507

Lights on at the exact minute

Required lighting comes on at the exact time of sunset and stays on until the exact time of sunrise, and a load barred from night travel may not start before sunrise.

CSP Port of Entry FAQ

Super Loads, the Eisenhower Tunnel and mountain corridors

Colorado's mountain highways carry limits no permit fee covers, from tunnel heights to passes closed to long vehicles, and CDOT's OS/OW Restriction List changes with construction, so it is checked along with COtrip before each move.

Super Load

A Super Load is a combination of 500,000 lb or more that occupies two lanes, with anything over 15 ft wide counting as two lanes, or an unladen combination with an expandable dual-lane trailer (C.R.S. 42-4-510(1.7)(a); Rule 609). The $800 permit sets a speed limit of 25 mph on the highway and 10 mph on structures, the driver carries third-party weight documentation, and CDOT, CSP or a port of entry inspects the load at the permit holder's cost where it enters the state, at a CDOT-set location or at origin.

Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel (I-70 MP 213–214)

Loads over 11 ft wide stop at the approach lot and get permission from the tunnel superintendent or portal attendant, and loads over 13 ft 11 in high may not use the tunnel. When one bore runs two-way during construction, nothing over 8 ft 6 in wide may use it and loads are held (Rule 403; 2 CCR 601-8). Placarded hazmat uses Loveland Pass (US 6) when it is open.

Permanent corridor limits

CDOT's Restriction List (checked Oct 17, 2026) bars loads over 70 ft long on US 40 over Berthoud Pass (MP 233–257.6), permits over 15 ft wide on US 40 through Fraser, vehicles over 35 ft long on SH 82 over Independence Pass whenever it is open, all OS/OW loads through the US 550 Bear Creek Tunnel south of Ouray and on I-70's raised section in Denver (MP 274.5–276.58), and oversize loads on US 160 Business in downtown Walsenburg, where I-25 Business (Exit 49) is the route.

Grades and left lanes

CDOT's 2026 guidebook maps I-70 truck left-lane restrictions at MP 115.5–131, 169.5–173, 180–190.5 (Vail Pass), 205.5–221, 224–228.5 and 243–247, and westbound commercial vehicles descend the 7% west side of Wolf Creek Pass (US 160) at no more than 25 mph.

Colorado State Patrol ports

The Colorado State Patrol runs ten fixed ports, at Cortez, Dumont, Fort Collins, Fort Morgan, Lamar, Limon, Loma, Monument, Platteville and Trinidad. Vehicles over 16,000 lb empty or 26,000 lb GVWR clear any port within 5 road miles of their route (C.R.S. 42-8-105), an OS/OW load routed through a port stops, and ports take only credit cards and checks.

Crossing into a neighboring state

  • Utah, on I-70 west of Loma: UDOT lets loads up to 14 ft wide run at night on freeways, with a pilot when 12 to 14 ft wide, and starts its holiday ban at 2 PM the day before. Utah also requires the permit in hand at the line unless the load enters at St. George, Echo or Wendover; see the Utah oversize permit and pilot rules.
  • New Mexico, on I-25 south of Trinidad: NMDOT certifies escort vehicles rather than drivers, so a Colorado-certified crew still needs its vehicle inspected and certified in New Mexico before entering, and oversize loads park in wind of 25 mph or more. Details are on our New Mexico oversize permit page.
  • Nebraska: NDOT's legal height matches Colorado's 14 ft 6 in, and its single-trip fees are flat at $15 over-dimensional, $20 overweight and $25 for both, with no weight, mileage or size bands (408 NAC 3-009.04). The Nebraska oversize permit rules cover its escort tiers.

Colorado oversize permit questions

How much is a Colorado overweight permit?

A single-trip overweight or oversize/overweight permit costs $30 plus $10 per axle, so a 5-axle combination pays $80; oversize only is $30. Those totals include the surcharge that doubles the statutory fee. A Chapter 6 Special for 200,000 to 500,000 lb costs $250 and a Superload $800. Annual overweight permits are $400 per power unit up to 200,000 lb, and COOPR adds a $4 card fee per permit.

Which pilot escort certifications does Colorado accept?

Its own, plus Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and SC&RA cards (CDOT Resources page). A Colorado card comes from a CDOT-authorized Pilot Escort Certification Program, with online classes listed through USPilotCar.com. Drivers must be 18 or older with a valid license, carry $1,000,000 in commercial liability covering escort work, and have a 5-year record with no drug or alcohol convictions and no single violation of 6 or more points.

What do the colors on Colorado's pilot car map mean?

CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map assigns each state highway a color, and Rule 408.2 ties escorts to it. On red highways anything over 8 ft 6 in wide needs a Chapter 6 Special permit; blue highways need a front escort from 8 ft 6 in; yellow from 11 ft; green from 13 ft; and white highways need nothing until 15 ft, then only a rear escort or rear flashing light up to 17 ft wide.

When are oversize loads restricted in Denver?

Monday to Friday, 6 to 9 AM and 3 to 6 PM, on I-25 from I-225 to 120th Ave, I-70 from Ward Rd to I-225, I-76 from I-70 to US 85, all of I-225 and I-270, and listed stretches of Federal, Sheridan, Kipling, Wadsworth and other arterials. The curfew covers every extra-legal load regardless of size unless a Chapter 6 Special or Super Load permit authorizes travel.

How wide can a Colorado load be at night?

Yes, with limits by width (Rule 408.3). Up to 12 ft wide, a load needs a flashing yellow light on the front and two or three on the extreme rear but no escort. From 12 to 14 ft it adds a front escort on two-lane highways or a rear escort on four-lane highways. Over 14 ft wide, night travel needs a Chapter 6 Special permit.

What is COOPR, Colorado's permit system?

Colorado permits are ordered in COOPR, the Colorado Oversize Overweight Permitting and Routing system, at coopr.codot.gov, which takes applications 24/7 and self-issues some permits. CDOT's Freight Permit Office takes calls at (303) 757-9539 or 1-800-350-3765 from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, and email at [email protected]. Permits must be bought before entering Colorado.

What makes a Colorado move a Super Load?

Under C.R.S. 42-4-510(1.7), a Super Load is a combination of 500,000 lb or more occupying two lanes, where any load over 15 ft wide counts as two lanes, or an unladen combination with an expandable dual-lane trailer. The $800 permit limits speed to 25 mph on highways and 10 mph on structures, requires third-party weight papers, and the load is inspected at the permit holder's cost.

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.

  1. eCFR 23 CFR Part 658: Truck Size and Weight (federal baseline)
  2. CDOT Freight Permitting Information
  3. CDOT Rules & Regulations (legal limits)
  4. CDOT Freight Resources (pilot escort information)
  5. CDOT Office of Freight Mobility & Safety contacts
  6. COOPR permit portal
  7. CDOT 2026 Holiday Schedule and Travel Restrictions
  8. 2 CCR 601-4 Transport Permits rule
  9. 2 CCR 601-4 rule history
  10. 2 CCR 601-8 Tunnels rule (eff. 06/30/2014)
  11. 2 CCR 601-6 Pilot Escort Training rule (eff. 07/30/2007)
  12. 2 CCR 601-14 Chain Law rule (eff. 03/16/2020)
  13. C.R.S. Title 42 (2026 OLLS edition)
  14. C.R.S. Title 43 (2026 OLLS edition), 43-4-804
  15. OLLS 2026 C.R.S. titles download page
  16. CDOT FYI Legal Load and Permit Info
  17. CDOT Non-Divisible Load Permit sheet
  18. CDOT Company Fleet Permit sheet
  19. COOPR FAQ sheet
  20. CDOT Bridge Weight Limit Steps (2024)
  21. CDOT Oversize/Overweight Restriction List
  22. CDOT Pilot Escort and Oversize Restrictions map
  23. CDOT Maps page
  24. CDOT Chain Up Tips (must-carry law)
  25. CDOT CMV Chain Law fact sheet (08/2026)
  26. CDOT Colorado CMV Regulatory Guidebook (08/2026)
  27. CSP Port of Entry locations
  28. CSP Port of Entry FAQ
  29. CSP Port of Entry Permits and Forms
  30. CSP Vehicles Required to Clear Port of Entry
  31. CSP Size and Weight Information
  32. CSP Length Limits sheet
  33. CSP Width, Height, Overhang sheet
  34. CSP Axle Weight Limits sheet
  35. SB 25-069 signed act (42-4-106 change)
  36. Colorado HB 26-1248 (2026, did not pass)
  37. CDOT Wolf Creek Pass commercial vehicle page

Hauling oversize on I-70 or through Denver?

Highway color sets the escorts, the Denver curfew catches every extra-legal load, and the tunnel caps the height. Share the width and the highways involved, and we will read the color map, order the COOPR permit and book pilots whose certification Colorado accepts.

  • 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.

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