New Hampshire Oversize and Overweight Permits
NHDOT Permits online system, RSA 266:22 fees, Tra 304 escort rules, the 2026 Saturday-morning program and spring road postings
Quick answer
What does NHDOT charge for an oversize permit?
$6 per permit for any combination of over-length, over-width or over-height (RSA 266:22). Overweight permits are priced by gross weight, from $5.50 up to 50,000 lb to $10.50 at 90,001–100,000 lb, plus $2 for each extra 10,000 lb. Apply in the NHDOT Permits online system; single trips are valid 5 business days and cover state-maintained roads only.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls
New Hampshire's oversize fee has stayed at $6 in RSA 266:22, against the $40 Massachusetts charges next door, and its overweight fees stay in single digits up to 90,000 lb. What New Hampshire holds tightly is time: Tra 304.14(h) makes oversize permits invalid on weekends, and NHDOT's 2026 seasonal program opens only Saturday mornings. The comparison with other states is in our oversize permits by state guide.
HTS Logistics, a licensed broker (MC 1178470), arranges heavy haul runs through New Hampshire by booking the carrier, ordering the NHDOT permit and the route survey the system asks for, and scheduling State Police escorts where width or length calls for them. NHDOT Permits runs a live-load bridge analysis on every overweight application and can auto-issue up to 149,999 lb; requests it cannot auto-issue are processed in order, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM.
Legal limits in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's axle limits change with gross weight. Up to 73,280 lb a single axle carries 22,400 lb and a tandem 36,000 lb on a 5-axle tractor-semitrailer (RSA 266:18-a); above that the truck is capped at 80,000 lb including all tolerances and must meet the bridge formula with tandems at 34,000 lb, and on the Interstate the figures are 20,000 lb per axle and 34,000 lb per tandem (266:18). The bridge formula calculator gives the gross for a given spacing.
| Limit | New Hampshire | Federal baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) on the National Network | Excludes mirrors, lamps, steps, mud flaps and other listed devices of up to 3 in each side, plus tire bulge caused by the load (RSA 266:12, 266:14) |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | No federal limit | 14 ft 6 in for manufactured housing and modular buildings, with a non-police escort over 13 ft 6 in (266:10); Tra 304 treats any load over 13 ft 6 in as a supermove |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft | States must allow at least 48 ft | A semitrailer over 48 ft needs a 41 ft kingpin-to-rear-axle limit and a rear underride guard, and runs only on the Interstate, designated roads and 1 mile of access; no overall tractor-semitrailer limit; single unit 45 ft |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | 80,000 lb | 5+ axle tractor-semitrailer, tolerances included; 99,000 lb off the Interstate with NH additional registration, which cannot be combined with an NHDOT permit |
| Single axle | 22,400 lb | 20,000 lb | Up to 73,280 lb gross, on axles 10 ft or more apart; 20,000 lb above that on the Interstate; police allow 5% off the Interstate |
| Tandem axle | 36,000 lb | 34,000 lb | Up to 73,280 lb gross on a 5+ axle tractor-semitrailer; 34,000 lb above that |
Federal baseline: 23 CFR Part 658, eCFR as of 2026-10-14
When New Hampshire requires a permit and how to get one
NHDOT's Bureau of Highway Maintenance runs the Oversize/Overweight Permit Office in Concord and issues permits under RSA 266:24 and the Tra 304 rules. A single-trip permit is valid 5 business days, or 10 for a round trip by the reverse route (Tra 304.12(i)), and covers only state-maintained highways and bridges; other roads need permission from the selectmen, city council or other officials with jurisdiction (304.16(a)). A valid New England Transportation Consortium regional permit needs no added New Hampshire permit (304.04(b)).
Bridge review follows weight. The system can auto-issue up to 149,999 lb within 15 ft wide, 110 ft long and 13 ft 6 in high; 150,000–300,000 lb goes to NHDOT Bridge Design; over 300,000 lb needs an independent engineering report by a New Hampshire-licensed civil engineer (NHDOT, 01/07/2019). Every construction, maintenance, parade and spring posting on NHDOT roads sits in the system's restriction manager and shows in red on the generated route.
Permit office
- Issuing office
- NHDOT Bureau of Highway Maintenance, Oversize/Overweight Permit Office
- Address
- 7 Hazen Drive (PO Box 483), Concord, NH 03302-0483
- Phone
- 603-271-2691 (fax 603-271-6084)
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Applications that are not auto-issued: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM, except holidays
- Roads covered
- State-maintained highways and bridges only; town and city roads need local permission
Fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Over-length, over-width or over-height, in any combination | $6 |
| Gross up to 50,000 lb (over registered weight) | $5.50 |
| Gross 50,001–60,000 lb | $6.50 |
| Gross 60,001–70,000 lb | $7.50 |
| Gross 70,001–80,000 lb | $8.50 |
| Gross 80,001–90,000 lb | $9.50 |
| Gross 90,001–100,000 lb | $10.50 |
| Gross above 100,000 lb | $10.50 plus $2 for each additional 10,000 lb |
| Special permit, all moves within 100 miles of home | $60 per unit |
| Special annual permit, all moves | $115 per unit, valid 1 year |
| Federal, state or local government agency | No fee (Tra 304.18(a)) |
By our reading of the schedule, a 140,000 lb load works out to $10.50 plus four $2 steps, or $18.50. Neither RSA 266:22 nor Tra 304 says whether a combined oversize-and-overweight load owes the $6 on top of the weight fee. Supermoves pay the same statutory fees, but the applicant also pays a New Hampshire-licensed professional engineer for the required engineering inspection and any traffic control plan (Tra 304.12(e)); online payment is by credit or debit card only, and fees are nonrefundable.
Escort and pilot car rules in New Hampshire
Tra 304.17 sets escorts in two layers: non-police escorts by dimension, never more than two, and New Hampshire State Police escorts on top for long or very wide loads. New Hampshire certifies no escort drivers (compare the pilot car rules for each state), but the escort vehicle must be registered and inspected and carry a radio on the same frequency as the load and every other escort, State Police included.
| Load | Escort requirement |
|---|---|
| Under 12 ft wide, under 90 ft long and under 15 ft of rear overhang, with flags | No escort (304.17(b)) |
| 12 ft up to 14 ft wide | 1 non-police escort, ahead on undivided highways and behind on divided ones (304.17(c)(1), (k)(3)) |
| 90 ft long or more | 1 non-police escort (304.17(c)(2)) |
| Over 14 ft high | 1 non-police escort (304.17(c)(3)); over 13 ft 6 in the load is already a supermove that needs a route survey (304.12(c)(2)) |
| Front or rear overhang of 15 ft or more | 1 non-police escort; 2 when a 15 ft rear overhang comes with 12 ft or more of width (304.17(c)(4), (d)) |
| 100 ft long or more | 1 State Police escort on top of any non-police escort, unless the State Police judge conditions safe without it (304.17(e)) |
| Over 14 ft wide | 2 State Police escorts in total, counting any required for length (304.17(f)) |
| Highway or lane closure | 3 State Police escorts in total (304.17(h)) |
| Bridge 24 ft wide or less on a two-way highway | The police escort stops all traffic while the load is on the bridge (304.17(k)(6)) |
| Night move under NHDOT's 2026 construction-project program | A State Police escort, booked 48 hours ahead at 1-800-443-5268 or 1-603-223-3861 and handed a paper copy of the permit |
Escort vehicles are compact cars or larger with a top-mounted amber flashing or strobe light visible 1,000 ft, OVERSIZE LOAD signs front and back or one above the roofline (at least 5 ft by 12 in, 10 in letters), and low beams on. With two escorts one leads and one follows, all vehicles stay in line of sight, and the move pulls over to let 7 or more queued vehicles pass (304.17(j)-(k)). Manufactured housing has a parallel table in Tra 304.13(g).
Travel times, curfews and holidays
Oversize loads move in daylight, which Tra 304.14(i) defines as a half hour before sunrise through a half hour after sunset, and under the rule only on weekdays (304.14(h)), except supermoves, which get a set date and time from the permit office that can fall on any day. Overweight-only vehicles moving at normal traffic speed have no date or time limit (304.14(j)).
- Saturday mornings, Apr 18 to Nov 21, 2026: NHDOT's seasonal program also lets permit loads travel on Saturdays from 30 minutes before sunrise until noon, requested by selecting 'Saturday Morning Move' on the application. From May 30 to Aug 29, Saturday travel on I-95 ends at 9 AM while other state roads keep the noon cutoff. Sundays are not authorized, and holiday weekends stay closed.
- Night: no oversize night moves except supermoves the permit office schedules and the 2026 option for NHDOT construction-project moves, which needs a State Police escort.
- Traffic: permitted vehicles may not travel in convoy (304.15(g)), and a load pulls over when 7 or more vehicles are queued behind it (304.14(m)).
- Weather: no movement in inclement weather, and a moving load exits at the first safe place (304.14(k), 304.16(c)).
- Manufactured housing: no moves in ground wind over 25 mph, and units over 14 ft to 16 ft wide move Tuesday through Thursday only, on roads with at least 24 ft of pavement and 8 ft paved shoulders (304.13(d)(4), (f)); nothing over 16 ft wide is allowed.
| Holiday | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu Jan 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day | Mon Jan 19 |
| Presidents' Day | Mon Feb 16 |
| Memorial Day | Mon May 25 |
| Independence Day (observed) | Fri Jul 3 |
| Labor Day | Mon Sep 7 |
| Columbus Day (permit office open, travel restricted) | Mon Oct 12 |
| Veterans Day | Wed Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day and the day after | Thu–Fri Nov 26–27 |
| Christmas Day | Fri Dec 25 |
A holiday on a Sunday also restricts the Monday, and one on a Saturday the Friday (Tra 304.14(f)-(g)). Juneteenth (Fri Jun 19) is not restricted, and the permit office is open that day. Because the Saturday program excludes holiday weekends, by our reading the Saturdays before Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day carry no morning window.
New Hampshire spring postings
Each spring the NHDOT Commissioner orders the customary spring load limits, and the district engineers decide which sections of State highway to post (RSA 236:1, 236:3). On a posted section the limit is 30,000 lb gross or 300 lb per inch of total tire width, whichever is less, and OS/OW permits are subject to the postings (Tra 304.14(a)(6)). Maine's 23,000 lb limit and Vermont's town postings are compared with this one in our frost laws by state summary.
- 2026: the posting order went out in a news release dated March 9, 2026 (2022's was dated March 1). NHDOT publishes no statewide start or lift dates and lifts postings road by road, and no 2026 lift dates were published; the NHDOT Permits Spring Thaw Restrictions viewer showed no active restrictions on Oct 17, 2026.
- Where to look: New England 511 under 'Trucking - New Hampshire - Seasonal Posting', the Spring Thaw Restrictions viewer, the red segments on any route the permit system generates, and the signs on each posted road. The State Maintenance Engineer answers at 603-271-2693.
- Exclusions and penalties: with the district engineer's approval, heating fuel trucks, processed milk deliveries, maple sap trucks and septic pumpers with their supply trucks are excluded from the seasonal limits (RSA 236:3-a). Breaking a posting is a violation for an individual and a misdemeanor for any other offender, with liability for the damage (236:4), and towns post their own roads.
What catches carriers in New Hampshire
Over 13 ft 6 in high is a supermove
Tra 304.12(c)(2) classifies any load over 13 ft 6 in high as a supermove, which calls for an engineering inspection by a New Hampshire-licensed professional engineer unless current data is on file, while the permit site describes the same load as needing a route survey. The rule text is the stricter reading, so we plan tall loads as supermoves until NHDOT says otherwise.
Tra 304.12(c), (e); NHDOT Permits
The route survey is a signed statement
Loads over 110 ft long or 13 ft 6 in high upload a route survey on the system's own form. The same carrier can reuse it for the same load and route for up to 30 days, and signing it attests that the route was driven, under RSA 641:3 on unsworn falsification.
NHDOT Permits route survey notice
Extra registration and a permit do not stack
New Hampshire's 'additional certification and registration' lets tractor combinations run up to 99,000 lb off the Interstate, but NHDOT says that registration may not be combined with an NHDOT OS/OW permit, so a truck carrying it cannot add a permit on top.
RSA 266:18-b, 266:18-d; NHDOT Permits notice
Signs and flags under Tra 304.15
Every oversize move displays OVERSIZE LOAD on a sign at least 7 ft wide and 18 in high, in 10 in black letters on a yellow field, on the front of the hauling unit and the rear of the load without covering the plate. Flags at least 18 in square, fluorescent red or orange, are fastened by two adjacent corners: 4 to 6 at the widest points of an over-width load, 4 at the corners of a long one. Compare the flag and sign placement rules in other states; here the truck also runs a top-mounted amber light visible 1,000 ft, and signs are covered when not in oversize use.
N.H. Admin. Rules Tra 304.15
Supermoves, annual permits and 53 ft routes
A New Hampshire supermove is any load more than 15 ft wide, more than 110 ft long, higher than 13 ft 6 in or heavier than 149,999 lb (Tra 304.12(c)), and annual permits and supplementals are not available for one (304.09(h), 304.12(f)).
Supermove engineering
The applicant supplies, at its own cost, an engineering inspection report by a New Hampshire-licensed professional engineer certifying the vehicle, pavement, structures and clearances, plus confirmation from the district engineer or Bridge Design, unless current engineering data is already on file (304.12(e)). The permit then names a specific date and time, which may be any hour on a weekday or weekend (304.12(f)).
Annual permits
Annual permits cover single units to 45 ft long and combinations to 75 ft, both limited to 10 ft 6 in of width and 13 ft 6 in of height at registered weight, on class I and II highways in the permitted area except posted bridges and roads, for one year (Tra 304.09(d)-(g)). A load above that envelope rides on a single-trip supplemental (304.10).
53 ft trailers off the Interstate
Away from the Interstate, a 53 ft semitrailer may use only the roads on NHDOT's '53 Ft. Trailer State Route List' (RSA 266:11, II(c)), which the permit system's documents carry.
Buildings on independent carriages
Buildings and portable structures over 12 ft wide on an independent carriage may not use the Interstate or toll highways unless designed for that transport and approved by the turnpike or district engineer or Bridge Design (Tra 304.12(g)). Wide buildings on independent carriages are also one of the two exceptions to the weekend ban in 304.14(h).
Crossing into a neighboring state
- North and east into Maine: the BMV's 2026 Saturday-morning season, Apr 22 to Nov 18, starts later and ends earlier than New Hampshire's, the Maine Turnpike sells its own $10 day permit at the toll plaza, and posted state roads fall to 23,000 lb in spring; see our Maine oversize permit rules.
- West into Vermont: DMV's $48 single trip is valid 7 business days, loads over 12 ft wide, 108,000 lb or 100 ft long get no weekend permits, and town highways carry 24,000 lb unless posted, as our Vermont oversize permit guide sets out.
- South into Massachusetts: the OASIS permit is $40 a trip, and Turnpike loads over 16 ft wide or 135 ft long add two Massachusetts State Police vehicles to the pilot cars; see our page on Massachusetts overweight and oversize permits.
New Hampshire oversize permit questions
How much does a New Hampshire overweight permit cost?
RSA 266:22 prices it by gross weight: $5.50 up to 50,000 lb, then $1 more for each 10,000 lb band to $10.50 at 90,001 to 100,000 lb, plus $2 for each additional 10,000 lb. A size-only permit is $6. A special permit for all moves within 100 miles of home is $60 per unit, and a special annual permit for all moves is $115. Government agencies pay no fee.
Can oversize loads travel on Saturday in New Hampshire?
In 2026, on Saturday mornings from Apr 18 to Nov 21: loads may move from 30 minutes before sunrise until noon if the application selects 'Saturday Morning Move', and from May 30 to Aug 29 Saturday travel on I-95 ends at 9 AM. Sundays and holiday weekends stay closed. Outside the program, Tra 304.14(h) makes oversize permits invalid on weekends, except supermoves and wide buildings on independent carriages.
At what size does a New Hampshire load need State Police?
At 100 ft long or more, one State Police escort joins any civilian escort unless the State Police decide conditions are safe without it. Over 14 ft wide the load needs two State Police escorts in total, and a highway or lane closure needs three. Every night move under NHDOT's 2026 construction-project program also needs a State Police escort, booked 48 hours ahead.
What is a supermove in New Hampshire?
Any load more than 15 ft wide, more than 110 ft long, higher than 13 ft 6 in or heavier than 149,999 lb (Tra 304.12(c)). The applicant pays a New Hampshire-licensed professional engineer for an engineering inspection unless current data is on file, and the permit office sets the travel date and time, which can fall on a weekend. Annual permits and supplementals cannot be used for a supermove.
Does New Hampshire post roads in the spring?
Yes. The NHDOT Commissioner orders spring load limits each year, and district engineers post sections of State highway at 30,000 lb gross or 300 lb per inch of tire width, whichever is less. The 2026 order came on March 9; no lift dates are published, because postings come off road by road. OS/OW permits do not override the postings, and towns post their own roads.
Is a New England regional permit valid in New Hampshire?
Yes. Tra 304.04(b) says a valid New England Transportation Consortium regional permit needs no additional New Hampshire permit. A load outside the consortium envelope goes through NHDOT Permits instead, where a single trip is valid 5 business days, or 10 for a round trip by the reverse route, and covers only state-maintained highways and bridges.
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)
- RSA 266:10 Height
- RSA 266:11 Length
- RSA 266:12 Width; 266:14 Overall width defined
- RSA 266:18 Weight on Interstate and defense highways
- RSA 266:18-a Weight on non-Interstate highways
- RSA 266:18-b Weight with additional registration
- RSA 266:22 Permit fees
- RSA 266:24 Special permits
- N.H. Admin. Rules Tra 304, Oversize and Overweight Vehicle Permits
- NHDOT Permits (announcements: 2026 seasonal Saturday program, route surveys, restrictions)
- NHDOT Oversize and Overweight Permit Holiday Travel Restrictions: 2026
- NHDOT Permits: Live Load Analysis and Independent Engineering Review Criteria
- NHDOT Permits: New System Information
- NHDOT Permits page (OS/OW contact)
- NHDOT Weight Restrictions: Spring Postings
- NHDOT news release: Annual Road Postings Underway on Sections of State Highways (March 9, 2026)
- NHDOT news release: Postings Underway on Sections of State Highways (March 1, 2022)
- RSA 236:1 Regulation
- RSA 236:3 Other regulations posted
- RSA 236:3-a Exclusions from seasonal weight limits
- RSA 236:4 Penalty and liability
- NHDOT Permits Spring Thaw Restrictions viewer
Planning a New Hampshire move around the Saturday window?
Weekday travel, the noon Saturday cutoff and the State Police triggers set the calendar for a New Hampshire load. Tell us the load's dimensions, gross weight and pickup and delivery points, and we will set the NHDOT permit, route survey and escorts against it.
- 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
- Maine Oversize PermitsBMV overlimit fees from $6, a 14 ft legal height (13 ft 6 in on the Turnpike), pilot and police escort tables, Saturday-morning moves and 23,000 lb posted roads.
- Vermont Oversize Permits$48 VT Haul Pass trips, escorts at 12 ft or 80 ft, no weekend permits past 12 ft or 108,000 lb, 24,000 lb town highways and engineering inspections.
- Massachusetts Oversize PermitsMassDOT limits, fees, escorts and the Turnpike and Boston tunnel rules.
- 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.