Pennsylvania Oversize Load Regulations
PennDOT APRAS permits, pilot car counts, urbanized-area hours and the separate PA Turnpike permit
Quick answer
What are Pennsylvania's oversize load regulations?
PennDOT requires an APRAS permit for loads wider than 8 ft 6 in, taller than 13 ft 6 in, on a trailer over 53 ft or over 80,000 lb. A single trip is $46 up to 14 ft wide or $97 over, plus $0.04 per ton-mile above registered weight. Loads move sunrise to sunset, weekends included, outside holidays and urbanized-area rush hours; the PA Turnpike permits separately.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls
Before you set Pennsylvania against the other states in our oversize permits by state guide, know one wrinkle: on weekend travel, its statute overrides its own permit regulation. 67 Pa. Code 179.10 still lists bans on Saturday-afternoon and Sunday moves, but 75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.3) lets permitted loads run sunrise to sunset every day, and PennDOT's Form M-938 says the statute wins.
PennDOT accepts super load applications only from the hauler, not from permit services, so on those moves the carrier we book files its own APRAS application. On routine heavy haul service through Pennsylvania, HTS orders the permit for the carrier and plans the trip around the urbanized-area hours.
Legal limits in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's figures for a typical five-axle combination match the federal ones, but 75 Pa.C.S. 4943 sets several axle limits by spacing and registered weight. Axle groups beyond a simple tandem fall under the bridge formula, which our bridge formula calculator works out for any spacing.
| Limit | Pennsylvania | Federal baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) on the National Network | Includes the load; mirrors, sunshades and tarp devices may extend up to 6 in per side (4921) |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | No federal limit | Includes the load; running over it without a permit carries a $500 fine (4922(d)) |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft | States must allow at least 48 ft | Kingpin to center of the rear axle group 41 ft max; single motor vehicle 40 ft; 28.5 ft per trailer in a double; no statutory overall limit (4923) |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | 80,000 lb | Lower caps for some setups, such as 58,400 lb for a 2-axle tractor with a single-axle semitrailer; natural gas and battery-electric vehicles may run up to 2,000 lb over (4941) |
| Single axle | 20,000 lb | 20,000 lb | Steering axle 20,000 lb; other axles 22,400 lb when spaced over 8 ft apart, 18,000 lb each under 6 ft; non-steering axles 20,000 lb on combinations registered over 73,280 lb (4943) |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lb | 34,000 lb | 34,000 lb on each of two consecutive tandems when the first and last axles are 36 ft or more apart (4943(b)(1)) |
Federal baseline: 23 CFR Part 658, eCFR as of 2026-10-14
When Pennsylvania requires a permit and how to get one
PennDOT's Central Permit Office in Harrisburg and its Engineering District offices issue permits through APRAS, the Automated Permit Routing/Analysis System. A single-trip permit runs one direction and expires after 5 authorized weekdays, with one 3-weekday extension available by supplement (179.10(9)), and a State Police escort meet date can be moved by a supplement approved at least 48 hours before the move.
APRAS applications that use the Turnpike carry a PA Turnpike Approval Number when Turnpike prior approval is needed, and the driver still carries the Turnpike's own permit. Account holders can file emergency moves in APRAS 24/7; when APRAS does not auto-issue outside office hours, PEMA takes the call at (717) 651-2001.
Permit office
- Issuing office
- PennDOT Central Permit Office
- Address
- 400 North Street, 6th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120
- Permit system
- APRAS (Automated Permit Routing/Analysis System)
- Phone
- (717) 787-4680
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM
- Roads covered
- State highways; the PA Turnpike issues its own permits
Fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single trip, 14 ft wide or less | $46 |
| Single trip, over 14 ft wide | $97 |
| Overweight on a single trip | Plus $0.04 per ton-mile for each ton over registered gross weight |
| Super load (load type 64), preliminary | $68 plus $12 per county |
| Super load, final | $46 or $97 plus $0.04 per ton-mile; State Police escort charges invoiced separately |
| Mobile home or modular housing | $53 (14 ft wide or less) or $103 (over 14 ft) |
| Construction equipment over-width blanket | $707 per year |
| Refund processing | $52 |
| PA Turnpike permit (separate) | $37 plus $0.24 per ton-mile over 80,000 lb; tolls billed separately; no refunds |
The statute set the base fees at $35 and $71, now indexed to $46 and $97, and size and weight fees add together (75 Pa.C.S. 1942). For scale, a load 20 tons over its registered weight on a 100-mile trip runs 2,000 ton-miles, which adds $80 to the base fee.
Escort and pilot car rules in Pennsylvania
Pilot car counts come from 67 Pa. Code 179.10(13). The two-car combinations in the table come from PennDOT's pilot car cheat sheet, which is dated 2014, and super loads add certified escorts under 75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.6).
| Load | Escort requirement |
|---|---|
| Over 90 ft long, or more than 15 ft past the rear of the combination | 1 pilot car following on all highways; it may lead through sharp or right-angle turns (179.10(13)(i)(A)) |
| Over 13 ft wide | 1 pilot car: behind on highways with 2 or more lanes in the travel direction, ahead on 1-lane highways, behind when a police escort is present (179.10(13)(i)(B)) |
| Over 13 ft and up to 14 ft wide, 90–120 ft long | Still 1 pilot car, placed where PennDOT decides (75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.2)); the cheat sheet shows 2 once a load is over 13 ft wide and over 120 ft long |
| Over 14 ft 6 in high | 1 lead pilot car 1,000–3,000 ft ahead with a height pole, utilities notified at least 24 hours ahead, and a Form M-936ARS route survey with the application (179.10(13)(i)(C)); also over 13 ft wide, 2 pilot cars |
| Overweight, at reduced bridge speed | 1 pilot car following while the load is slowed (179.10(13)(i)(D)(I)) |
| Overweight, alone on a span or using more than one lane | Pilot cars ahead and behind on two-way bridges; 1 behind on one-way bridges (179.10(13)(i)(D)(II)) |
| Oversize in an urbanized area between 3 AM and sunrise | Pilot cars front and rear, plus lighting on all sides visible from 1,000 ft (179.10(7)(iii)) |
| Cannot hold 40 mph on a limited access highway | Urbanized areas: 9 AM–4 PM only, with a following pilot car; elsewhere a following pilot car (179.10(13)(i)(E)-(F)) |
| Mobile home or modular unit over 14 ft body width | 2 pilot cars, leading and following, on an undercarriage of at least 4 axles (4973(d)) |
| Super load: over 201,000 lb, 160 ft long or 16 ft wide | State Police or local police escort plus at least 1 certified escort (179.10(12); 4962(f.6)). Certified escorts can replace State Police up to 18 ft wide and 260 ft long on highways with 2 or more lanes one way, moving with traffic, and PSP gets at least 24 hours' notice |
Certified escort vehicle operators are 21 or older, with 3 years of escort experience and 8 hours of accredited training from Pennsylvania or a reciprocal state (Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado/Utah, Florida or Washington), plus defensive driving and flagger training. The vehicle is an FHWA Class 2 or 3 with the PennDOT emblem, and it carries a height pole when the load exceeds 14 ft 6 in.
Travel times, curfews and holidays
The statute sets Pennsylvania's default: permitted loads move sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, except in holiday periods, bad weather, urbanized-area restrictions or as the permit limits (75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.3)).
- Around the clock: a permitted load of 135,000 lb gross or less, 10 ft wide or less, at legal height and length may run 24/7 at prevailing speeds, except in bad weather (4962(f.1)).
- Urbanized areas on PennDOT's Form M-938 map, including routes that border them: movement only 3:00–7:30 AM, 9 AM–4 PM and 7 PM to sunset, which leaves no permitted movement 7:30–9 AM or 4–7 PM.
- Pittsburgh tunnels: the Fort Pitt, Squirrel Hill and Liberty tunnels in Allegheny County take permitted loads 9 AM–4 PM only (179.10(7)(ii)).
- Weather: no movement on snow-covered roads until they are plowed full width, on icy roads until treated, with visibility under 1,000 ft, or in wind that pushes trailer wheels more than 6 in (179.10(6)).
- Spacing: permitted oversize vehicles stay 1,000 ft apart in the same direction (179.10(18)), except military vehicles, work zones and within 2,500 ft of a stop sign or signal (4962(f.4)).
- Posted roads: there is no fixed statewide frost calendar. PennDOT and local authorities post seasonal weight limits under 75 Pa.C.S. 4902(a), most often in early spring, an OS/OW permit does not override them, and a posted-road permit with a bond or letter of credit may be needed (67 Pa. Code Chapter 189).
- Mobile and modular housing over the limits: 9 AM to sunset Monday–Thursday and 9 AM to noon Friday, with no Saturday moves (4973(e)).
| Holiday | PennDOT highways | PA Turnpike |
|---|---|---|
| Easter | Not on PennDOT's list | 3 PM Apr 2 to 11 PM Apr 6 |
| Memorial Day | 12 noon May 22 to sunrise May 26 | 3 PM May 21 to 11 PM May 25 |
| Independence Day | 12 noon Jul 2 to sunrise Jul 6 | 5 AM Jun 26 to 11 PM Jul 5 |
| Labor Day | 12 noon Sep 4 to sunrise Sep 8 | 3 PM Sep 3 to 11 PM Sep 7 |
| Thanksgiving | 12 noon Nov 25 to sunrise Nov 30 | 5 AM Nov 24 to 11 PM Nov 29 |
| Christmas | 12 noon Dec 24 to sunrise Dec 28 | 5 AM Dec 18 to 11 PM Jan 1, 2027, with New Year's |
| New Year's 2027 | 12 noon Dec 31, 2026 to sunrise Jan 4, 2027 | Inside the Christmas window |
PennDOT's rule covers each holiday and the day before it; its 2026 New Year's window ran from 12 noon Dec 31, 2025 to sunrise Jan 2, 2026.
What catches carriers in Pennsylvania
Dozer blades over 12 ft
A blade over 12 ft and up to 15 ft wide needs a traffic protector guide rail device or must be angled to 12 ft, and a blade over 15 ft comes off and is hauled separately. Plan that second piece before quoting heavy equipment transport for a large dozer.
75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.7)
Brake retarder over 80,000 lb
Any permitted vehicle over 80,000 lb gross on a state highway needs an engine, exhaust or hydraulic brake retarder.
67 Pa. Code 179.10(20)
Sign and flag sizes
OVERSIZE LOAD signs, front and rear, are at least 7 ft by 18 in with 10 in black letters on yellow; pilot car signs are at least 5 ft by 1 ft with 8 in letters; and red or fluorescent orange flags at least 18 in square mark the extremities and any load more than 4 ft past the rear.
67 Pa. Code 179.10(15)-(16)
US 209 needs Park Service permission
On US Route 209 between PA 402 in Monroe County and US 6 in Pike County, the PennDOT permit is not enough; the move also needs National Park Service permission.
67 Pa. Code 179.10(5)(iv)
PA Turnpike permits and PennDOT super loads
A PennDOT permit is not valid on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (67 Pa. Code 179.10(5)(ii)), and the Turnpike Commission's permit has its own triggers, hours and escort tiers.
Applying to the Turnpike
The Turnpike's Special Hauling Permit is applied for online up to two weeks ahead. The Commission asks for at least one business day for engineering review (a footnote says three) and ten business days for super loads, and its permits expire after five authorized travel days with no refunds.
When the Turnpike needs a permit
Over 85 ft long, over 100,000 lb (divisible loads over 100,000 lb are denied), over 22,400 lb on an axle (27,000 lb maximum), over 13 ft 6 in high (14 ft maximum on Turnpike 576, 43, 66 and I-376), over 10 ft wide, or with more than 5 ft of front or 15 ft of rear overhang. Width tops out at 11 ft 6 in, or 14 ft on 576, 43, 66, I-376 and I-476 between exits 115 and 131, even though the Turnpike's escort tiers run past 16 ft, so wide loads are confirmed with the Turnpike. Loads 8 ft 6 in to 10 ft wide need no permit but keep to the time-of-day rules.
Turnpike hours
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, permitted loads move dawn to dusk Monday–Thursday and dawn to noon Friday. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, they move dawn to dusk Monday–Friday and dawn to noon Saturday.
Turnpike escorts
A company escort covers loads over 90 ft and up to 160 ft long, over 11 ft and up to 11 ft 6 in wide on I-76, I-276, I-95 and I-476 south of exit 115, over 11 ft 6 in and up to 14 ft on 576, 43, 66, I-376 and I-476 exits 115–131, and overhang over 5 ft front or 15 ft rear. A Certified Escort Vehicle takes over for wider loads up to 16 ft and for lengths over 160 ft up to 230 ft. State Police escort anything over 16 ft wide or 230 ft long, and loads over 11 ft 6 in wide while they pass through a tunnel or a work zone with cattle chutes.
PennDOT super loads
A super load is over 201,000 lb gross, 160 ft long or 16 ft wide, with no height threshold (67 Pa. Code 179.1). It takes a preliminary application filed at least three weeks ahead, a windshield route survey and Forms M-936MDC and M-936ARS, then a final permit, and every one gets manual review. A bond or letter of credit is required if any axle exceeds 27,000 lb, and Form M-936AS if the steer axle exceeds 20,000 lb or gross exceeds 136,000 lb.
Crossing into a neighboring state
- North into New York: the NYS Thruway needs a permit of its own apart from NYSDOT's, and only the Thruway section from the Pennsylvania line to Shortman Road takes loads 13 ft 7 in to 16 ft high, as our New York oversize permits guide details.
- East into New Jersey: Delaware River crossings belong to the DRJTBC and DRPA, each with its own permit or police-escort rule, and three DRJTBC toll bridges (Milford-Montague, Portland-Columbia and New Hope-Lambertville) are closed to loads over 80,000 lb. Our page on New Jersey oversize permits lists both agencies' triggers.
- West into Ohio: through sunrise Jan 2, 2027, the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90 to the Pennsylvania line) takes no vehicle over 10 ft wide or 13 ft 6 in high, so wider loads cross on ODOT routes under the Ohio oversize permit rules.
Pennsylvania oversize permit questions
Can you haul oversized loads at night in Pennsylvania?
Some loads can. A permitted load of 135,000 lb gross or less and 10 ft wide or less, at legal height and length, may run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at prevailing speeds, except in bad weather (75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.1)). Other oversize loads stop at sunset. Inside urbanized areas, oversize moves may also start at 3 AM if they run with pilot cars front and rear and lighting visible from 1,000 ft.
How much is a PennDOT oversize permit?
Since July 1, 2025, a single-trip permit costs $46 for loads 14 ft wide or less and $97 over 14 ft, plus 4 cents per ton-mile for each ton above the vehicle's registered gross weight. A super load adds a $68 preliminary fee and $12 per county, and State Police escort charges are invoiced separately. The PA Turnpike permit is a separate $37 plus $0.24 per ton-mile over 80,000 lb.
When does Pennsylvania require a pilot car?
Over 90 ft long or more than 15 ft past the rear, one pilot car follows. Over 13 ft wide, one pilot car follows on multi-lane highways and leads on single-lane ones. Over 14 ft 6 in high, a lead car with a height pole runs 1,000 to 3,000 ft ahead. Super loads add police plus at least one certified escort, and overweight loads slowed on bridges get a following car.
What is a super load in Pennsylvania?
Any load over 201,000 lb gross, 160 ft long or 16 ft wide; there is no height threshold (67 Pa. Code 179.1). It needs a preliminary application at least three weeks ahead, a windshield route survey, Forms M-936MDC and M-936ARS and manual review, and only the hauler may apply. The move runs with police plus at least one certified escort, unless certified escorts replace State Police on qualifying multi-lane routes.
Are oversize loads allowed on weekends in Pennsylvania?
In daylight, yes. 75 Pa.C.S. 4962(f.3) allows permitted moves sunrise to sunset every day of the week, and PennDOT's Form M-938 says it supersedes the old Saturday-afternoon and Sunday ban in 67 Pa. Code 179.10(7). Holidays, bad weather and urbanized-area hours still apply. The PA Turnpike is stricter, with no Saturday travel in summer and Saturday mornings only the rest of the year.
Does Pennsylvania have frost laws?
Not as a fixed calendar. PennDOT and local authorities post seasonal weight limits under 75 Pa.C.S. 4902(a), most often in early spring when freeze-thaw damage peaks. An oversize or overweight permit does not override a lower posted limit; the hauler needs a posted-road permit and may have to post a bond or letter of credit (67 Pa. Code Chapter 189). Bridges posted on their own fall under Chapter 191.
How do I log in to PennDOT's permit system?
PennDOT permits are filed in APRAS, the Automated Permit Routing/Analysis System, at apras.penndot.pa.gov. The Central Permit Office answers at (717) 787-4680, 8 AM to 4 PM on weekdays. Account holders can file emergency moves around the clock, and if APRAS does not auto-issue outside office hours, PEMA takes calls at (717) 651-2001.
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)
- PennDOT: PA Hauling Permit Resources
- PennDOT Permit Fees effective July 1, 2025
- PennDOT Number of Pilot Cars Cheat Sheet
- PennDOT 2026 Holiday Travel Restrictions
- PennDOT Load Type Quick Reference Guide (Oct 2025)
- PennDOT Certified Escort Policy for Superload Moves
- PennDOT APRAS FAQ
- PennDOT Form M-938 Urbanized Area Map and 179.10 conditions
- 67 Pa. Code 179.10 General conditions
- 67 Pa. Code 179.1 Definitions (super load)
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4921 Width
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4922 Height
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4923 Length
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4941 Gross weight
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4943 Axle weight
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4962 Conditions of permits
- 75 Pa.C.S. 3108 Certified escort vehicles / super load
- 75 Pa.C.S. 1942 Special hauling permit fees
- PA Turnpike Commission: Permits and Restrictions
- PennDOT Posted and Bonded Roadways FAQ
Moving a load across Pennsylvania?
Over 13 ft wide brings a pilot car, and over 135,000 lb or 10 ft wide ends night travel. Give us those numbers and the route ends, and we will price the PennDOT and Turnpike side of the move.
- 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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Keep reading
- New York Oversize PermitsNYSDOT, Thruway, NYC DOT, MTA and Port Authority rules for oversize loads in New York.
- New Jersey Oversize PermitsNJDOT limits, fees and escort rules, plus the Turnpike and Parkway.
- Ohio Oversize PermitsODOT limits, fees, escorts, metro curfews and the 2026 Turnpike restriction.
- 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.