Illinois Oversize and Overweight Permits
IDOT ITAP fees, size-tiered travel hours, civilian and State Police escorts, Cook County and the Tollway
Quick answer
What are the requirements for an oversize load permit in Illinois?
An IDOT permit from ITAP, valid on State roads only, is required for any load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high, a 53 ft semitrailer or 80,000 lb. Statute sets the fees by size and miles (625 ILCS 5/15-305 to 15-308), and loads over 10 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 110 ft long, or overweight, need $500,000 of liability coverage.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls
In our oversize permits by state table, the Illinois row reads as a range, because IDOT prices and schedules permits by size tier: $12 to $125 for an over-dimension trip at legal weight, and travel from 7 days a week down to 9 AM–3 PM on weekdays. The tiers on this page follow IDOT's 2024 permit provisions, OPER 993 (Rev. 08/07/24), which differ from the older 2012 administrative code.
The ITAP permit comes first on any Illinois move we arrange, from Chicago and Peoria lanes to statewide heavy haul trucking in Illinois, because the Illinois Tollway will not issue its own permit without an IDOT permit number. A permitted load that leaves its assigned route is treated as having no permit at all (625 ILCS 5/15-301(h)), except for up to 1 mile onto a contiguous state highway for fuel, repairs, food or rest when no structures are crossed.
Legal limits in Illinois
625 ILCS 5/15-102 through 15-111 set Illinois's limits, and length depends on the highway class: no overall tractor-semitrailer limit on Class I and II highways, 65 ft overall on non-designated highways. In weekday daylight, poles, pipe, machinery or structural objects up to 100 ft overall, with an 80 ft object, move without a length permit (15-107(g)(1)), an exemption that matters for long machinery in heavy equipment transport.
| Limit | Illinois | Federal baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) on the National Network | Class I, II and III and non-designated highways (15-102) |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | No federal limit | Any highway (15-103) |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft | States must allow at least 48 ft | Kingpin to rear-axle center 45 ft 6 in max on trailers over 48 ft on Class I and II highways, 42 ft 6 in on non-designated highways; single vehicle 42 ft; doubles 28 ft 6 in per trailer |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | 80,000 lb | Combinations of 5 or more axles, under the federal bridge formula (15-111(a)) |
| Single axle | 20,000 lb | 20,000 lb | Matches the federal figure (15-111(a)) |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lb | 34,000 lb | No axle in the tandem over 20,000 lb |
Federal baseline: 23 CFR Part 658, eCFR as of 2026-10-14
When Illinois requires a permit and how to get one
IDOT's Bureau of Operations Permit Office in Springfield issues permits under 625 ILCS 5/15-301 and 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554. They are valid on State-jurisdiction roads only; local roads, Chicago streets, Cook County roads and the Illinois Tollway each need separate permission.
Superloads are loads beyond IDOT's practical maximum weights in 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.604: 120,000 lb gross on a 6+ axle tractor-semitrailer with 48,000 lb on the drive tandem and 60,000 lb on the trailer tandem, or 100,000 lb on 5 axles with 48,000 lb on either tandem. They need pavement and bridge analysis (554.605), billed at $40 an hour (554.910). A rig can also be processed as a superload on spacing alone: under 8 ft 1 in from steer to first drive axle, under 18 ft 6 in before the first trailer axle, or under 43 ft 6 in in total (OPER 993). Illinois also applies the federal bridge formula (15-111(a)), so our bridge formula calculator shows the legal weight for a given spacing before those thresholds come into play.
Permit office
- Issuing office
- IDOT Bureau of Operations, Permit Office
- Address
- 2300 S. Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, IL 62764
- Permit system
- ITAP (Illinois Transportation Automated Permits)
- Phone
- (217) 785-1477 (Springfield and out of state); (800) 252-8636 (Illinois callers)
- [email protected]
- Roads covered
- State-jurisdiction roads only
Fees
| Load up to | 0–90 mi | 90–180 mi | 180–270 mi | Over 270 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft W, 14 ft 6 in H, 70 ft L | $12 | $15 | $18 | $21 |
| 12 ft W, 14 ft 6 in H, 85 ft L | $15 | $20 | $25 | $30 |
| 14 ft W, 15 ft H, 100 ft L | $25 | $30 | $35 | $40 |
| 18 ft W, 16 ft H, 120 ft L | $30 | $40 | $50 | $60 |
| Over 18 ft W, 16 ft H or 120 ft L | $50 | $75 | $100 | $125 |
| Gross weight | Up to 45 mi | Up to 90 mi | Up to 135 mi | Up to 180 mi | Up to 225 mi | Each 45 mi more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80,001–88,000 lb | $10 | $12.50 | $15 | $17.50 | $20 | $2.50 |
| 88,001–100,000 lb | $15 | $25 | $35 | $45 | $55 | $10 |
| 100,001–110,000 lb | $20 | $32.50 | $45 | $57.50 | $70 | $12.50 |
| 110,001–120,000 lb | $30 | $55 | $80 | $105 | $130 | $25 |
A 13 ft wide load at legal weight, height and length going 150 miles, for example, pays $30. Overweight fees already cover loads up to 12 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high and 145 ft long; 12 ft 7 in to 14 ft 6 in wide adds $15, and anything larger adds the over-dimension fee (IDOT Table 2 notes). On a 5-axle rig with two tandems (15-307(c)), 80,001–88,000 lb runs from $20 for the first 45 miles to $70 at 225 miles, and 88,001–100,000 lb from $30 to $130. Axle-only overweight at legal gross is $5–$11 per axle or group per 45 miles (15-306), superloads pay $50 plus 3.5 cents per ton-mile over legal weight plus a 15-305 fee for each over-dimension (15-307(g)), and Illinois State Police escort fees are extra.
Escort and pilot car rules in Illinois
Illinois requires no escort certification, but escorts must be 18 or older, carry $500,000 per occurrence in liability coverage and keep radio contact with the permit driver (92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.408; OPER 993). The counts below come from OPER 993 Provision B.
| Load | Escort requirement |
|---|---|
| Over 14 ft 6 in wide, over 14 ft 6 in high, or over 110 ft long | 1 civilian escort, about 300 ft ahead on two-lane roads or about 300 ft behind on multilane divided highways (554.408(e)) |
| Any two of those | 2 civilian escorts, one in front and one behind |
| Over 16 ft wide, over 18 ft high, or over 145 ft long | 3 civilian escorts; 554.407(c) also requires 3 for towed special haul rigs over 150 ft |
| Over 18 ft wide or high, over 200 ft long, or when bridge analysis or a district investigation calls for it | Illinois State Police escort, set up at least 24 working hours ahead with ISP Central Office at (217) 782-6527; local police may substitute for moves entirely within one city or county (554.407(e)) |
| Over 14 ft 6 in high | The lead escort carries a clearance-measuring pole (554.408(k)); a special provision may set it 3 in above the permitted height |
| Night travel, up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 200 ft long | 1 extra civilian escort during darkness |
| Convoys | Prohibited unless the Permit Office authorizes them with an ISP escort, and each load keeps its own escort (554.408(f)) |
An Illinois escort may be a passenger car or a second-division vehicle of 8,000 lb GVW or less with clear front and rear vision, a roof-mounted amber light visible 500 ft in sunlight (required by statute when escorting loads over 12 ft wide) and an OVERSIZE LOAD sign.
Travel times, curfews and holidays
IDOT sets travel hours by load size in OPER 993, so one load may move on a Sunday while a wider one waits for a 9 AM–3 PM weekday window.
- Up to 14 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high and 200 ft long: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, 7 days a week.
- Up to 16 ft wide and 17 ft high: the same daylight hours Monday–Friday and Saturday until noon, with no Sunday travel.
- Over 200 ft long: daylight, Monday–Friday only. Over 16 ft wide or 17 ft high: 9 AM–3 PM Monday–Friday only, unless the permit says otherwise.
- Night: legal-dimension overweight loads run 24/7; over-dimension loads up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 200 ft long run 24/7 with one extra civilian escort in darkness; larger loads stay parked at night.
- Metro counties: when the permit applies Provision C item 9, loads over 14 ft 6 in and up to 16 ft wide are held to 9 AM–3 PM Monday–Friday in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, St. Clair and Will counties.
- Speed: 5 mph under the posted limit unless the permit says otherwise; legal-weight, legal-height loads up to 10 ft wide may run the posted limit.
- Seasonal limits: there is no statewide frost calendar. Counties, townships and municipalities may ban vehicles or cut weights by ordinance for up to 90 days a year once signs are posted (15-316(a)), and IDOT can do the same on state highways (15-316(d)).
- Harvest season: from September 1 through December 31, IDOT issues free permits for divisible agricultural loads up to 10% over the axle and gross limits on non-interstate state highways (15-301(e-1)).
| Holiday | No permit moves |
|---|---|
| New Year's | Noon Wed Dec 31, 2025 to sunrise Fri Jan 2, 2026 |
| Memorial Day | Noon Sun May 24 (where travel is normally allowed) to sunrise Tue May 26 |
| Independence Day | Noon Fri Jul 3 to sunrise Sun Jul 5 (IDOT's PDF misprints the end year as 2024) |
| Labor Day | Noon Sun Sep 6 (where travel is normally allowed) to sunrise Tue Sep 8 |
| Thanksgiving | Noon Wed Nov 25 to sunrise Fri Nov 27 |
| Christmas | Noon Thu Dec 24 to sunrise Sat Dec 26 |
These windows apply to every permit move with at least one dimension over legal, except over-width-only implements of husbandry (92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.422).
What catches carriers in Illinois
Ton-load-limit structures are off limits
No permit move of any type may cross an IDOT ton-load-limit structure, and only legal-weight moves may cross legal-weight structures. IDOT keeps both lists on its OSOW Resources page.
IDOT OSOW Resources
I-24 at the Kentucky line
I-24 at the Illinois/Kentucky line is limited to 10 ft 6 in wide until December 1, 2026.
ITAP announcement
Signs and lights start at 10 ft
OVERSIZE LOAD signs go on the front and rear of loads over 10 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high or 75 ft long, every permit load shows an amber flashing or rotating light, and objects over 80 ft long need two amber lights, one on the cab and one within 10 ft of the rear of the object.
OPER 993
Posted-road fines
On a road posted under 15-316, the fine is $50 for weight over the posted limit up to the 15-111 limit, then $75 per 500 lb beyond it.
625 ILCS 5/15-316
Cook County, Chicago and Illinois Tollway rules
In the Chicago area an IDOT permit runs into three more jurisdictions, each with its own office and limits.
Cook County expressways
Loads over 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 120,000 lb (or the own-powered equivalent) are prohibited except on four corridors: I-80 from I-57 east to Indiana (including parts of I-94 and I-294), I-55 south of exit 277, I-57 south of US 6 (159th St.) and I-290 north of I-294. Cook County roads outside Chicago go through the Cook County Permit Office at (312) 603-1670.
City of Chicago
Every permitted load on city streets and highways other than expressways, inside or outside the Central Business District (Cermak Rd to Division St, Halsted St to Lake Michigan), needs City of Chicago permission and follows city travel times; IDOT travel times govern state-maintained routes in the city. Sources list two numbers for the city permit office: 312-744-4699 (OPER 993) and 312-744-4696 (92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.422).
Illinois Tollway permits
The Tollway's Commercial Vehicle Permit System at iltolltruckpermit.com issues permits by email, no longer at plazas, and asks for the IDOT permit number first. Fees are $15 for over-width (8 ft 6 in to 12 ft), $15 for over-length (vehicle over 100 ft or load over 80 ft), $15 for over-height (13 ft 6 in to 14 ft 6 in), $35 for overweight at 80,001–104,000 lb on 5 or more axles, $150 at 104,001–120,000 lb, and $150 for superloads with at least 3 business days' notice.
Tollway superloads and hours
A Tollway superload is over 12 ft wide, 145 ft long or 14 ft 6 in high, over 25,000 lb on any axle, over 120,000 lb gross, over 48,000 lb on the tractor tandem or 60,000 lb on the trailer tandem, or any trailer with 2 or more tandems. Over-dimension loads move Monday–Saturday from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset and Sunday until noon, never on the six holidays, and loads over 10 ft wide may be refused through construction zones. Height stops at 14 ft 6 in, escorts start over 110 ft overall, and legal-dimension overweight loads may run 24/7, holidays included (92 Ill. Adm. Code 2520 App. A).
Illinois oversize permit questions
How much does an oversize truck permit cost in Illinois?
At legal weight, an over-dimension single trip costs $12 to $125 under 625 ILCS 5/15-305, set by size tier and distance band (0–90, 90–180, 180–270 and over 270 miles). Overweight adds a fee per 45-mile band by gross weight; a 6-axle rig at 110,001–120,000 lb pays $130 for 225 miles. Superloads pay $50 plus 3.5 cents per ton-mile over legal, and engineering work is $40 an hour.
Does Illinois require certified pilot cars?
No certification is required, but the escort still has rules to meet: a driver 18 or older, $500,000 of liability coverage per occurrence, an OVERSIZE LOAD sign, radio contact with the permit driver, and a roof-mounted amber light visible 500 ft in sunlight, which the statute requires when escorting loads over 12 ft wide. The vehicle can be a passenger car or a truck of 8,000 lb GVW or less.
When can oversize loads move on a Saturday or Sunday in Illinois?
Loads up to 14 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high and 200 ft long may move in daylight on both days. Loads up to 16 ft wide and 17 ft high get Saturday until noon and no Sunday. Over 200 ft long, over 16 ft wide or over 17 ft high, IDOT's OPER 993 provisions allow no weekend movement at all, and the Tollway runs its own schedule.
How do I log in to ITAP for an Illinois permit?
IDOT permits are ordered in ITAP, Illinois Transportation Automated Permits, at webapps.dot.illinois.gov/ITAP, which also posts announcements and the Superload Fee Estimator. The Permit Office answers at (217) 785-1477, or (800) 252-8636 for Illinois callers, and at [email protected]. The Illinois Tollway issues its own permits at iltolltruckpermit.com once the IDOT permit exists.
Does Illinois post seasonal weight limits?
Local road owners can. Under 625 ILCS 5/15-316, counties, townships and municipalities may prohibit vehicles or reduce weights on their roads for up to 90 days a year when weather would seriously damage them, and IDOT may do the same on state highways; either way, the limits apply only once signs are posted. Overweight fines on posted roads start at $50 and rise by $75 per 500 lb once the load passes the 15-111 limit.
When does an Illinois load need a State Police escort?
Over 18 ft wide, over 18 ft high or over 200 ft long, or whenever a bridge analysis or district investigation calls for one (OPER 993). The escort is set up at least 24 working hours ahead with ISP Central Office at (217) 782-6527, and its fee is charged on top of the permit. Local police may stand in for moves entirely inside one city or county.
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)
- IDOT Oversize and Overweight Permits
- IDOT Permit Type and Compliance
- IDOT OSOW Resources (fee tables, superload estimator)
- IDOT Legal Weights and Dimensions
- IDOT ITAP permit system (announcements and forms)
- OPER 993 Special Vehicle Movement Permit Provisions (Rev. 08/07/24)
- OPER 753 Legal Dimensions and Weights (Rev. 01/05/23)
- IDOT Fee Table 1 Over Dimension (rev. 1/16/2024)
- IDOT Fee Table 2 Overweight
- IDOT 2025-2026 Holiday Office Closings and Permit Travel Restrictions
- 625 ILCS 5/15-102 Width
- 625 ILCS 5/15-103 Height
- 625 ILCS 5/15-107 Length
- 625 ILCS 5/15-111 Weight
- 625 ILCS 5/15-301 Permits
- 625 ILCS 5/15-305 Over-dimension fees
- 625 ILCS 5/15-306 Overweight-axle fees
- 625 ILCS 5/15-307 Overweight-gross fees
- 625 ILCS 5/15-316 Seasonal/posted restrictions
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.407 When escorts required
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.408 Civilian escort requirements
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.422 When moves may be made
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.604 Practical maximum weights
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.605 Superload moves
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.910 Engineering fees
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.312 Toll highway moves
- 92 Ill. Adm. Code 2520 Appendix A (Tollway OW/OD rules)
- Illinois Tollway Overweight/Overdimension Permits
Routing a permitted load through Illinois?
Cook County expressways, Chicago streets and the Tollway each answer to a different office. Give us the dimensions and both ends of the trip, and we will clear the ones on your route before a carrier is booked.
- 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 IllinoisChicago deliveries via the four Cook County corridors, Tollway and city permissions, and Peoria and downstate runs.
- 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.