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Iowa Oversize Permits

Iowa Oversize Permits

Iowa DOT IAPS permits, escort and warning-light rules, night movement, three restricted holidays and county embargoes

Quick answer

What does an Iowa oversize permit cost?

A single-trip permit from Iowa DOT costs $35 and is good for one trip within 5 days; a round trip on the same route is $70 (Iowa Code 321E.14). Since Oct. 27, 2025, a single-trip overweight permit may also carry single-trip registration at $4 per ton over 40 tons. Permits are ordered in IAPS and cover Interstate, US and Iowa routes only.

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

Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls

Iowa bars permit moves on three holidays, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, half the six that Missouri and Nebraska observe in our oversize permits by state guide. Its escort rule also offers a substitute: from 12 ft up to 14 ft 6 in wide on any road, and up to 16 ft 6 in on four-lane highways, amber or strobe lights on the power unit and the rear of the load can replace the escort (761 IAC 511.20(2)).

When we arrange heavy haul transport through Iowa as a licensed broker (MC 1178470), the carrier we book is the permittee, so it needs proof of $100,000/$200,000/$50,000 liability coverage and Iowa registration for the gross weight of truck and load before the permit can be used (761 IAC 511.6; Iowa Code 321E.12). Iowa DOT's IAPS FAQ gives an average turnaround of about 4 hours, longer for superloads.

When Iowa requires a permit and how to get one

Iowa DOT's Office of Vehicle & Motor Carrier Services in Ankeny issues permits under Iowa Code chapter 321E and 761 IAC 511, online in IAPS or by mail, fax, a commercial permit service or an appointment at the counter, and every channel is processed in IAPS. State permits cover the primary road system, including primary road extensions in cities; county and city roads need local permits, except roads open to Iowa DOT's all-systems permits.

A single-trip permit's width, length and height are limited only by the clearances and capacity of the route (761 IAC 511.13), at 20,000 lb per axle, tandems to 46,000 lb and cranes to 24,000 lb per axle, and a combined gross over 100,000 lb is issued only if the office finds it will not cause undue road damage. After issue, only the plate, state, VIN, make, model and contact details can change, so a new load or route means a new permit.

Permit office

Issuing office
Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Division, Office of Vehicle & Motor Carrier Services (Oversize/Overweight Permits)
Address
6310 SE Convenience Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50021 (mail: P.O. Box 10382, Des Moines, IA 50306)
Phone
515-237-3264; after-hours emergencies 866-339-7908
Hours
Counter by appointment: Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri 8:30 AM–4:15 PM; Wed 8:30 AM–noon
Roads covered
Interstate, US and Iowa routes, including primary road extensions in cities

Fees

Iowa DOT permit fees (Iowa Code 321E.14; 761 IAC 511.5)
PermitFee
Single trip, valid 5 days $35
Round trip on the same route $70
Single-trip registration on overweight trips (from Oct 27, 2025) $4 per ton over 40 tons
Multi-trip, one route, 60 days (to 16 ft wide, 15 ft 5 in high, 120 ft, 156,000 lb) $200
Special alternative energy multi-trip (to 16 ft wide and high, 256,000 lb) $600
Annual oversize, small or large $50
Annual oversize/overweight (to 156,000 lb, no Interstate over 80,000 lb) $400
Annual all-systems oversize / all-systems overweight $160 / $500
Escort service supplied by the permit authority Up to $250 a day per person and car
Duplicate permit $2

Iowa charges no per-mile overweight fee and publishes no superload fee, but the issuing authority may bill inspection costs for buildings or unusual loads and the cost of trimming trees or moving signs and signals (321E.14). Building moves pay 5 cents per ton per mile over registered weight. Permits are refundable only if canceled before the start date, by 4:30 PM for a same-day start, less convenience fees.

Escort and pilot car rules in Iowa

761 IAC 511.20 sets Iowa's escort chart, and civilian escorts may not stop traffic: an on-duty peace officer handles any traffic control. Iowa requires no escort certification, only a licensed driver 18 or older with $100,000/$200,000/$50,000 of liability coverage; the states that do certify are listed on our pilot car rules by state page.

Iowa escort and warning-light chart (761 IAC 511.20(2))
LoadFour-lane highwayTwo-lane highway
Wider than 8 ft 6 in, to 12 ft Signs and flags onlySigns and flags only
Wider than 12 ft, to 14 ft 6 in Rear escort, or amber or strobe lights on the power unit and rearFront escort, or the same lights
Wider than 14 ft 6 in, to 16 ft 6 in Rear escort, or the lightsFront escort; no light substitute
Wider than 16 ft 6 in, to 18 ft Rear escortFront escort
Wider than 18 ft Set case by case on the permitAlso set on the permit
Taller than 14 ft 6 in, to 20 ft Front escort with a pole that measures every clearanceFront escort with a pole
Longer than 120 ft Rear escortRear escort
Over 80,000 lb at legal size No signs, lights or escortNo signs, lights or escort

An Iowa escort is a midsize car or pickup, towing nothing, with a roof-mounted 360-degree amber light visible 500 ft and an 18 in flag on each front bumper corner, running about 300 ft ahead of or behind the load, one escort per load. Over 16 ft high the carrier also contacts the affected utilities (511.13), and Iowa State Patrol escorts need at least a week's notice (Truck Information Guide).

Travel times, curfews and holidays

Iowa permits run from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, seven days a week, on roads clear of ice and snow with at least a quarter mile of visibility (Iowa Code 321E.11; 761 IAC 511.3).

  • Continuous (night) movement: allowed up to 14 ft 6 in high and 100 ft long on a roadway at least 22 ft wide with lanes of at least 11 ft, with extra lamps at the widest point. The width limit is 12 ft in 761 IAC 511.3(5) and the General Provisions but 11 ft in Iowa Code 321E.11(2) and the Truck Information Guide, so 11 ft is the safe planning figure; the rule also reads axle weights as legal where the General Provisions say permitted.
  • Weekends: no general restriction, but holiday weekends and special events with unusually heavy traffic are closed (511.3(4)).
  • Rush hours: no statewide urban curfew; IAPS prints route-specific time-of-travel limits on the permit, such as no movement through a given area at rush hour.
  • Des Moines streets: a city moving permit from the Traffic and Transportation Division, requested 2 business days ahead (515-283-4973, [email protected]).
  • Harvest: through Nov 7, 2026, trucks hauling corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer and manure may run 90,000 lb gross without a permit off the Interstate, within the axle limits and posted road and bridge limits (Iowa DOT proclamation).
Iowa 2026 holiday restrictions (IAPS; Iowa DOT Dates to Remember)
HolidayNo oversize movement
Memorial Day weekend Noon Fri May 22 to 30 minutes before sunrise Tue May 26
Independence Day weekend Noon Fri Jul 3 to 30 minutes before sunrise Mon Jul 6
Labor Day weekend Noon Fri Sep 4 to 30 minutes before sunrise Tue Sep 8
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day No movement restriction; Iowa DOT offices close Nov 25–27 and Dec 24–25, 2026, and system-issued permits stay available

Under 761 IAC 511.3(4) the restriction covers the holiday, the afternoon before it from noon, and any holiday weekend when the holiday falls on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

Iowa road embargoes and spring pavement restrictions

Iowa's seasonal limits come from two statutes: counties and cities may embargo their roads for up to 90 days a calendar year (Iowa Code 321.471), and Iowa DOT may restrict primary highways for up to 12 months at a time, effective once signs show the restriction and its end date (321.474). The states with full spring programs are on our frost laws by state page.

  • Iowa DOT's spring map: the 2026 Spring Pavement Restrictions map (dated Mar 6, 2026) applies to every truck over 80,000 lb; on four-lane roads the restriction covers the northbound or eastbound lanes unless marked, and the map's green routes are closed all year to any axle over 20,000 lb. Spring status: 515-237-3268, Feb 1 to May 30.
  • County limits in 2026: Linn County set a 5-ton embargo on its secondary roads except paved ones (Resolution 2026-2-26, Feb 18), Hancock County closed secondary roads to vehicles over 5 tons per axle where needed (Mar 9), and Iowa County let its engineer hold traffic to a 10-ton gross load (Mar 13); Johnson County has used 8 gross tons in past seasons.
  • Embargo permits: counties must issue permits for perishable farm produce, farm feed and home-heating fuel, and some issue no others: Johnson County's notice says it issues none for construction materials or equipment over the posted limit. Linn County's $50 permit is good for 8 weeks, Black Hawk County's $35 permit allows up to 80,000 lb gross and 20,000 lb per axle, and Muscatine County requires 15 mph or less, driving near the center of the road.
  • Fines and exemptions: the fine is $2 for every 100 lb over the posted limit (321.471), and implements of husbandry, implements hauled for repair, fire apparatus and road maintenance equipment are exempt.
  • State permits do not override: a state permit leaves county embargoes and posted bridges in force unless its text says otherwise (761 IAC 511.2(4)), and all-systems overweight routing is subject to embargoes. County closures appear on the ICEA County 511 map, which does not cover every county.

What catches carriers in Iowa

Over the permit voids the permit

An Iowa permit is void if the actual weight or any dimension exceeds what it lists, and the driver carries both the permit and Iowa's General Provisions for oversize loads in the cab.

Iowa General Provisions, Form 442052 (10-25)

Trip registration does not count

Vehicles under permit must be registered for the gross weight of vehicle and load, and a $10, 72-hour trip registration permit cannot be used to meet that requirement.

Iowa Code 321E.12; 326.23

Iowa as a pass-through state

Motor Carrier Services may deny a permit when Iowa is not on the direct line of travel, and a superload that neither starts nor ends in Iowa must list its origin and destination.

Iowa Truck Information Guide; Iowa DOT permit types page

Willful violations cost the permit

Willful violators can lose permit privileges for up to 180 days, or up to 2 years for a repeat within 12 months, and weight over the permit is fined on the excess, starting at $12 for up to 1,000 lb over on an axle.

Iowa Code 321E.16, 321E.20, 321.463

Iowa superloads, special mobile equipment and river bridges

Iowa's Code and rules set no numeric superload threshold: IAPS issues permits automatically up to its built-in limits, and anything larger goes to permit staff and, when needed, the bridge and pavement offices.

Superload review

Route analysis can fail on vertical or horizontal clearance, live-load bridge analysis or a restriction; the applicant can then re-route, use Generate a Trip or ask for office review. IAPS asks applicants to wait 24 hours after submitting before calling.

Special mobile equipment

A self-propelled machine on flotation tires may carry up to 36,000 lb on a single axle with 26.5 x 25 in tires and 20,000 lb with 18 x 25 in tires, and in between 20,000 lb plus 1,882 lb for each inch of tire width over 18, up to 126,000 lb gross under single-trip, multi-trip or annual oversize/overweight permits (Iowa Code 321E.7; 761 IAC 511.17(8)). Private carriers moving their own machines can use the Private SME single trip.

Annual permits by size

The $50 small annual oversize permit covers loads to 12 ft 5 in wide, 13 ft 10 in high, 120 ft and 80,000 lb with no routing. The large one, to 14 ft 6 in wide and 15 ft 5 in high, is limited to 50 miles from origin unless DOT trip routes are obtained or the route stays on four-lane roads, and up to 16 ft wide it always needs trip routes.

All-systems overweight permit

The $500 annual permit allows legal-size loads up to 12.5% over legal gross (90,000 lb on 5 axles, 101,250 lb on 6, 108,000 lb on 7), off the Interstate, and since July 1, 2025 it reaches paved and unpaved county roads unless the local authority designates them not valid.

Mississippi and Missouri River bridges

Iowa DOT's Combined Bridge Embargo List (updated August 2026) closes IA 175 over the Missouri River in Monona County to every annual-permit weight class and bars the Quint, 136 kip B and 156 kip classes from US 20 over the Mississippi at Dubuque. Approved bridges are crossed on the centerline, at posted speed on Interstate bridges and primary bridges in 65 mph zones, and at 5 mph on primary bridges in zones of 60 mph or less.

Toll facilities

No toll road or toll bridge appears in Iowa DOT's motor carrier materials, and the bridge embargo list is the river-crossing document to check.

Crossing into a neighboring state

  • West into Nebraska: NDOT's flat fees run $15 to $25 a trip, and over-dimensional loads stay off Omaha-area highways and I-80 from the Iowa line to the Gretna interchange 7–9 AM and 4–6 PM on weekdays, as our Nebraska oversize permits page explains.
  • East into Illinois: IDOT prices trips by size tier and mileage band, and loads up to 14 ft 6 in wide may move on both weekend days, those up to 16 ft only until Saturday noon; the Illinois oversize and overweight permits page has the tables.
  • North into Minnesota: width alone needs no escort until 15 ft at the bottom of the load, but every escort driver must be certified, and spring load restrictions hold axles to 10 tons on paved roads; see our Minnesota oversize and overweight permits page.

Iowa oversize permit questions

Where do I apply for an Iowa oversize permit online?

Iowa permits are ordered in IAPS, Iowa's Permitting System, at ia.gotpermits.com, where annual and trip permits are often system-issued at once. Applications also come by mail to P.O. Box 10382, Des Moines, by fax, through one of the commercial permit services Iowa DOT lists, or at the Ankeny counter by appointment, and all of them are processed in IAPS. The permit desk answers at 515-237-3264.

Which holidays restrict oversize loads in Iowa?

Only Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day (Iowa Code 321E.11). Movement stops at noon the day before the holiday or holiday weekend and resumes 30 minutes before sunrise the day after; in 2026 that meant May 22 to 26, July 3 to 6 and Sept. 4 to 8. Iowa has no movement ban at Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's, though DOT offices close.

Does Iowa allow oversize moves after dark?

Only under continuous-movement terms: no more than 14 ft 6 in high and 100 ft long, a roadway at least 22 ft wide with 11 ft lanes, and lamps at the widest point. The width limit is 12 ft in the current rule and General Provisions but 11 ft in the statute, so plan on 11 ft. Everything else moves from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

When does an Iowa oversize load need an escort?

From 12 ft wide: one escort, in front on two-lane roads and behind on four-lane roads, although amber or strobe lights on the truck and load can replace it up to 14 ft 6 in, and to 16 ft 6 in on four-lane roads. Loads over 14 ft 6 in high need a front escort with a measuring pole, and loads over 120 ft long need a rear escort.

Is there an Iowa overweight permit map?

Several. Iowa DOT publishes an All Systems Overweight Permit map and an all-systems oversize route map, the 2026 Spring and Annual Pavement Restrictions maps (both dated Mar. 6, 2026), bridge embargo maps and lists, and vertical clearance logs on its Motor Carrier Maps page. Annual permit holders must check the clearance, embargo and pavement maps and 511ia.org before each move.

How long does an Iowa oversize permit take?

Iowa DOT's IAPS FAQ puts the average turnaround at about 4 hours, with superloads taking longer, and many annual and trip permits issue automatically. The office asks applicants to wait 24 hours after submitting before calling. A single-trip permit is then valid 5 days, a multi-trip permit 60 days and an annual permit one year.

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. Iowa DOT: How Do I Get Oversize & Overweight Permits (pricing, apply, contacts)
  3. Iowa DOT: Types of Oversize/Overweight Permits
  4. Iowa DOT: Oversize/Overweight Permit Requirements
  5. Iowa DOT: Apply for an Oversize/Overweight Permit by Mail
  6. Iowa DOT: Online Permit System (IAPS) FAQ
  7. Iowa's Permitting System (IAPS) home, 2026 holiday restrictions and bulletins
  8. Iowa General Provisions for Oversize Load Permit, Form 442052 (10-25)
  9. Iowa Truck Information Guide, July 2025-July 2026 edition
  10. Iowa DOT Motor Carrier Services: Dates to Remember (2025-2026)
  11. Iowa DOT Annual All-Systems Overweight Permit Fact Sheet (MM1360, 10/01/2025)
  12. Iowa DOT All-Systems Overweight Permit authorized weight charts
  13. Iowa DOT All Systems Overweight Permit Map page
  14. Iowa DOT All Systems Oversize Permit Route Map page
  15. Iowa DOT Motor Carrier Maps (clearance, embargo, pavement restriction maps)
  16. Iowa DOT 2026 Spring Pavement Restrictions Map (3/6/2026)
  17. Iowa DOT 2026 Annual Pavement Restrictions Map (3/6/2026)
  18. Iowa DOT Combined Bridge Embargo List
  19. Iowa DOT Transportation-Related Emergency Proclamations
  20. Iowa Code 321.454 (width)
  21. Iowa Code 321.456 (height)
  22. Iowa Code 321.457 (length)
  23. Iowa Code 321.463 (weights, fines)
  24. Iowa Code 321.471 (local authority climatic restrictions)
  25. Iowa Code 321.472 (signs posted)
  26. Iowa Code 321.474 (department may restrict)
  27. Iowa Code chapter 321E (vehicles of excessive size and weight)
  28. Iowa Code 326.23 (trip registration permits)
  29. 761 IAC chapter 511 (special permits for vehicles and loads of excess size and weight), IAC 6/10/26
  30. House File 979 (2025), enrolled
  31. City of Des Moines Moving Permit Request Form
  32. Monona County annual oversize permit form
  33. Iowa Code 321.473 (limitations on trucks by local authorities)
  34. ICEA County 511 map description
  35. Iowa Counties Road Notifications map (ICEA Service Bureau)
  36. Linn County Road Closures & Restrictions (embargo limits, $50 permit)
  37. Linn County Resolution 2026-2-26 (5-ton embargo)
  38. Hancock County Board of Supervisors minutes, Mar 9, 2026 (Res. 2026-012)
  39. Iowa County Board of Supervisors minutes, Mar 13, 2026 (Res. 2026-03-13)
  40. Johnson County 2021 Notice of Embargoed Roads
  41. Johnson County Resolution 02-17-22-01
  42. Black Hawk County Embargoed Roadway Permit Application (rev. April 2024)
  43. Muscatine County Embargo Permit

Taking a 12 ft wide load across Iowa?

Night limits, embargoed county roads and the bridge list decide how an Iowa leg runs. Tell us the width, height and axle weights, and we will price the IAPS permit and a carrier for the route.

  • 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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