South Carolina Oversize/Overweight Permits
SCDOT Safehaul permits, school-day hours for wide loads, police escorts over 16 ft wide and the 100,000 lb container permit
Quick answer
Where does South Carolina issue oversize permits?
Apply in Safehaul, the online system of SCDOT's OSOW Permit Office in Columbia, or call (877) 349-7190 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A single-trip permit costs $30 under S.C. Code 57-3-130 and is valid 7 days. Loads move sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, and a load over 16 ft wide needs two civilian and two police escorts.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls
South Carolina's tandem limit is not the federal 34,000 lb used as the baseline in our oversize permits by state tables: on the Interstate it is 35,200 lb including tolerance, and off it 36,000 lb plus a 10% enforcement tolerance (S.C. Code 56-5-4140, 56-5-4160). For wide loads the clock matters more than the scale, because SCDOT ties travel windows to school days and bans summer weekends near Myrtle Beach (SCDOT Guidelines, Rev. 3/2026).
On heavy haul jobs in South Carolina, HTS, a property broker licensed under MC 1178470, orders the Safehaul permit, books the carrier and sets up the escorts. Over 16 ft wide that includes police: the permit office does not schedule them, so State Transport Police (803-896-5500, [email protected]) or local police are booked first and named on the application.
Legal limits in South Carolina
S.C. Code 56-5-4030 through 56-5-4160 set the limits. The 53 ft trailer limit, with a kingpin-to-rear-axle distance of 41 ft or less and a rear underride guard, applies on Interstates, designated highways and other roads alike, and a combination has no overall length limit unless a road specifically prohibits it (56-5-4070).
| Limit | South Carolina | Federal baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 8 ft 6 in (102 in) on the National Network | 102 in excluding approved safety devices (56-5-4030) |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | No federal limit | 14 ft for auto transporters and saddle-mount combinations (56-5-4060) |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft | States must allow at least 48 ft | Every road class, with a 41 ft kingpin limit and rear underride guard; single vehicle 40 ft; twin trailers 28 ft 6 in each |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | 80,000 lb | On the Interstate, 75,185 lb including tolerance, or up to 80,000 lb where the federal bridge formula allows; the statute's base for 5 or more axles is 73,280 lb before the 10% tolerance (56-5-4140) |
| Single axle | 20,000 lb | 20,000 lb | On low-pressure pneumatic tires (56-5-4130); Interstate figure includes tolerance |
| Tandem axle | 35,200 lb | 34,000 lb | Interstate cap including tolerance; off the Interstate a tandem carries 36,000 lb plus 10% (56-5-4140(A)(1); 56-5-4160(A)) |
Federal baseline: 23 CFR Part 658, eCFR as of 2026-10-14
When South Carolina requires a permit and how to get one
SCDOT's Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) Permit Office issues permits in Safehaul. A single trip is valid 7 days, and the multiple-trip (annual) permit costs $100. Routine permits stop at 16 ft wide for non-divisible loads, 125 ft overall length and a height at least 3 in below every overhead structure on the route, and the carrier checks those clearances and arranges wire or signal lifts at least 3 working days ahead (SCDOT Guidelines, Section L).
Permit weight runs by axle count: 90,000 lb on 5 axles, 110,000 lb on 6 and 130,000 lb on 7, with groups of 20,000 lb single, 40,000 lb tandem and 60,000 lb tridem or quad (Section L). Anything over 130,000 lb, or with a single axle over 20,000 lb, goes to added routing analysis, which SCDOT says typically takes 3 to 5 business days (Section E.11). Our bridge formula calculator shows what the same axle groups may carry on the Interstate without a permit.
Permit office
- Issuing office
- SCDOT Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) Permit Office
- Address
- 955 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201 (Room G4 per SCDOT's web page; G-12 per the Guidelines)
- Permit system
- Safehaul
- Phone
- (877) 349-7190 or (803) 737-6769; after-hours emergencies (803) 206-9566
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, except holidays
- Roads covered
- State highways; a permit does not exempt the carrier from municipal ordinances (57-3-130(B)(3)(a))
Fees
| Permit or fee item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single trip, valid 7 days | $30 |
| Excessive width over 16 ft, 18 ft, 20 ft and 22 ft | $35, $40, $45 and $50 |
| Multiple trip (annual) | $100 |
| Superload application, non-refundable | $100 |
| Superload engineering analysis: over 130,000 lb, 200,000 lb and 300,000 lb | $100, $200 and $350 |
| Superload impact fee, over 130,000 lb | $3 per 1,000 lb |
| Megaload, over 500,000 lb | Adds $0.05 per 1,000 lb per mile on the entire gross weight |
| Annual permit transfer or prorating; road machinery administrative fee | $10 each |
| House moving license | $100 per year |
| Card payment | $5 processor convenience fee |
Neither the statute nor the schedule says whether the width fees replace the $30 single-trip fee or add to it.
As an example of the megaload rule, a 600,000 lb move over 100 miles adds 600 × $0.05 × 100, or $3,000, on top of the application, the $350 analysis and the impact fee. Annual specialty permits cost $15 for sheet tobacco, $50 for cotton modules and $15 for culvert pipe.
Escort and pilot car rules in South Carolina
Width, height, length and rear overhang each carry their own escort trigger in Section Q of SCDOT's Guidelines, and past 16 ft wide the count doubles with police. SCDOT sets no escort-driver certification that we could find in the Guidelines or in Titles 56 and 57; the pilot car rules across states show where a South Carolina crew would need one.
| Load | Escort requirement |
|---|---|
| Over 12 ft and up to 14 ft wide | 1 front escort on two-lane highways; SCDOT may add a rear escort |
| Over 14 ft and up to 16 ft wide | 1 front and 1 rear escort on all roads, and the load must use four-lane highways (Sections Q, N.8) |
| Over 16 ft wide | 1 front and 1 rear civilian escort plus 1 front and 1 rear police escort on all roads, unless the Permit Director approves an exception in writing; escorting officers may require more |
| 16 ft high or more | Front escort with a height measuring device for the entire move, plus a route survey the applicant certifies before the permit issues (Section L.3(c)) |
| 125 ft up to 150 ft long | 1 rear civilian escort |
| Over 150 ft long | 1 front and 1 rear civilian escort |
| Rear overhang over 15 ft, up to 25 ft | A red flag at least 18 in square at the end of the load and 1 rear escort for the entire move (Section L.2) |
| Frame buildings over 16 ft wide | At least 4 escorts: front and rear police, plus front and rear civilian, in radio contact (Section R.7) |
The rear escort runs 3 to 4 seconds behind the load and the front escort no more than 1/2 mile ahead. Each carries a roof light visible 500 ft in 360 degrees, an OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD banner at least 12 in by 7 ft with 10 in letters, and direct two-way radio with the towing vehicle. One escort serves one towing vehicle at a time, and the load vehicle cannot be its own escort (Q.1–Q.4).
| Item | Term |
|---|---|
| Officer time | $50 per hour per officer, 2-hour minimum, billed from the officer's residence |
| Mileage | $0.76 per mile |
| Notice | Signed request emailed 48 hours before the escort, not counting weekends or holidays |
| Cancellation inside 24 hours | At least $100 per officer |
| Cancellation after dispatch, or delays over 2 hours | Billed 4 hours per officer |
Applications over 16 ft wide need 2 days' lead time for county engineer contacts, a letter of divisibility, insurance, and the name and number of the police escort (SCDOT Over 16 ft Wide Application).
Travel times, curfews and holidays
Permitted loads in South Carolina move sunrise to sunset, Monday through Sunday (Guidelines N.1). Width then narrows the window: the wider the load, the more of the school-day commute it sits out.
- Over 12 ft, up to 15 ft wide: no travel close to large urban areas 7–9 a.m. on weekdays, and 3–6 p.m. on school days or 4:30–6 p.m. on other days (N.1). SCDOT does not name the urban areas, so the restrictions printed on the permit control.
- Over 15 ft wide: travel only 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on school days and 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on other days, any day of the week (N.1). Mobile homes follow the same two tiers by box width.
- 24-hour travel: loads up to 130,000 lb gross with every dimension legal can get continuous travel on request (N.2), and bulk agricultural permits run 24/7.
- Grand Strand weekends: from Memorial Day through Labor Day, no Saturday or Sunday movement east of I-95 on routes including US-378, SC-327, US-76, SC-576, US-501, SC-22, SC-31 and SC-9, on US-17 from the North Carolina line to Georgetown, or on other Myrtle Beach routes (N.6).
- Weather: no movement with visibility under 500 ft from heavy rain or fog, in high winds, or on roads slippery from ice, snow or sleet (N.3).
- No convoys: permitted loads and their escorts stay at least 2 miles apart unless the Permit Director approves otherwise under police escort (N.9).
- Frost: South Carolina has no frost-law season; SCDOT and local authorities post lower limits when a road, bridge or culvert could be damaged, and local limits on state highways need SCDOT approval (56-5-4210, 56-5-4220).
| Holiday | Travel barred |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu Jan 1 |
| Memorial Day | Mon May 25 |
| Fourth of July | Sat Jul 4 |
| Labor Day | Mon Sep 7 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu Nov 26 |
| Christmas Day | Fri Dec 25 |
| New Year's Day 2027 | Fri Jan 1, 2027 |
The Permit Director may also bar travel from noon the day before to noon the day after, depending on route and load size (N.7). The office also closes Jan 19, Feb 16, May 11, Jul 3, Nov 11, Nov 27, Dec 24 and Dec 28, 2026; a closure alone does not stop travel.
What catches carriers in South Carolina
Alone on narrow bridges
A load over 14 ft and up to 16 ft wide must be the only vehicle on any bridge 18 ft wide or less, and it has to stay on four-lane highways.
SCDOT Guidelines N.8–N.10
Insurance and certificate on file
SCDOT requires at least $1 million in automobile and $1 million in general liability coverage and may add a bond for highway or structure damage. Over 180,000 lb, or at 16 ft wide or more, an ACORD certificate naming the SCDOT OSOW Permit Office as holder goes with the application. HTS requires the same $1 million auto and general liability limits of every carrier it books.
SCDOT Guidelines M.4–M.5, E.11
Lights start at 12 ft
Loads 12 ft wide or more show OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD banners front and rear and 18 in fluorescent red or orange flags at the four corners. Over 12 ft up to 14 ft, one rear amber light visible 500 ft in 360 degrees is added; over 14 ft, amber lights go on both rear corners.
SCDOT Guidelines, Section P
Revocations stack up
A violation can revoke a permit. A second revocation within 6 months brings a 1-year suspension, a third within a year a 5-year suspension, and a fourth a permanent one.
SCDOT Guidelines, Section C
Seaport containers, superloads and building moves
Three SCDOT programs carry rules of their own: the international container permit used for seaport freight, the superload and megaload process, and frame building and house moves.
Seaport containers
The container must be an international shipping container moving to or from a seaport by marine shipment, with an international bill of lading or carrier interchange (Guidelines E.3–E.6). The $100 annual permit is auto-issued 24/7 for loads up to 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 100,000 lb on 5 or more axles. Up to 90,000 lb, with no tandem over 40,000 lb, any US, SC or Interstate route is open unless load-posted; from 90,000 to 100,000 lb (tandem up to 48,000 lb, tri-axle up to 55,000 lb, trailer at least 40 ft), only the SC Oversize/Overweight Truck Route Map routes, with the map attached and carried. Secondary roads need a separate route-specific permit, which also allows up to 15 ft high, open-top containers included. SCDOT made the 100,000 lb container permit permanent on Nov 1, 2010 (SC Ports Authority).
20 ft containers
A 20 ft container on a 20 ft chassis is held to 40,000 lb per tandem; a heavier 20 ft box must be center-mounted on a chassis of at least 40 ft. Our container chassis guide covers the chassis types involved.
Superloads and megaloads
Over 300,000 lb, SCDOT wants manufacturer documentation of the load's weight and dimensions plus the empty truck and trailer weights, and it may require an independent structural analysis by a licensed engineer; over 500,000 lb, the megaload fee applies. Requests beyond the permit maximums need drawings, pictures, the route and the reasons at least 5 days before the move (Guidelines E.11).
Frame buildings and house moves
Buildings over 16 ft wide need route approval from the county Resident Maintenance Engineer (up to 5 working days), may move at most 30 miles, notify EMS and the fire department 24 hours ahead, may not block a road more than 5 minutes, and travel 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday–Friday. Professional house movers hold a $100 annual license with motor vehicle insurance of $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 and $250,000 general liability (Guidelines R; S.C. Code 56-27).
Crossing into a neighboring state
- Georgia: escort drivers there must hold Georgia or reciprocal certification, and South Carolina is not on GDOT's list, so a crew that never needed a card in South Carolina needs one at the line. GDOT also counts escorts its own way, with a front escort plus rear amber lights on two-lane roads from 12 ft to 14 ft 8 in wide; our Georgia oversize permit guide has the full table.
South Carolina oversize permit questions
What does a South Carolina single-trip permit cost?
A single-trip permit costs $30 and is valid 7 days (S.C. Code 57-3-130). The schedule also lists width charges of $35 over 16 ft, $40 over 18 ft, $45 over 20 ft and $50 over 22 ft, and an annual multiple-trip permit is $100. Superloads add a $100 application fee, a $100 to $350 engineering analysis by weight and a $3 per 1,000 lb impact fee; card payments carry a $5 convenience fee.
When can wide loads travel in South Carolina?
Sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, with width limits on the hours. Over 12 ft and up to 15 ft wide, loads stay away from large urban areas 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 3 to 6 p.m. on school days. Over 15 ft, travel is limited to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. otherwise. The permit's printed restrictions name the areas.
Are weekend moves allowed in South Carolina?
Yes. SCDOT allows permitted travel Monday through Sunday, in daylight. The exception is the Grand Strand in summer: from Memorial Day through Labor Day, no Saturday or Sunday movement east of I-95 on the Myrtle Beach routes, including US-501, SC-22, SC-31 and US-17 from the North Carolina line to Georgetown. Frame buildings over 16 ft wide never move on weekends.
What is the SCDOT Safehaul login?
Safehaul is SCDOT's online OSOW permit system, at safehaul.scdot.org. Columbia's OSOW Permit Office is on (877) 349-7190 or (803) 737-6769 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, takes questions through its OSOW Help web form, and keeps an after-hours emergency line at (803) 206-9566. The office does not arrange police escorts; carriers book them with State Transport Police.
Does South Carolina require police escorts for wide loads?
Over 16 ft wide, yes: one front and one rear police escort ride with one front and one rear civilian escort, unless the Permit Director approves an exception in writing. State Transport Police charge $50 per officer-hour with a 2-hour minimum plus $0.76 a mile, and want the signed request 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends or holidays. Frame buildings over 16 ft wide also need police front and rear.
Do South Carolina pilot cars need certified drivers?
We found no escort-driver certification requirement in SCDOT's Guidelines or in Titles 56 and 57. The rules focus on the vehicle and its position: a roof light visible 500 ft in all directions, a 12 in by 7 ft banner with 10 in letters, direct radio contact, and spacing of 3 to 4 seconds behind or no more than 1/2 mile ahead of the load.
What is South Carolina's overweight permit limit for shipping containers?
The $100 annual container permit allows up to 100,000 lb on 5 or more axles at legal size, for international containers moving to or from a seaport. Up to 90,000 lb any US, SC or Interstate route can be used unless posted; from 90,000 to 100,000 lb the truck stays on SCDOT's Oversize/Overweight Truck Route Map, with tandems up to 48,000 lb and a trailer of at least 40 ft.
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)
- SCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permits
- SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)
- SCDOT 2026 Permit Office Closures and Travel Restrictions
- SCDOT OSOW Application Over 16 Feet Wide (rev. 8/22)
- SCDOT Safehaul login
- S.C. Code Title 56 Chapter 5 (56-5-4030, -4060, -4070, -4130, -4140, -4160, -4210)
- S.C. Code Title 57 Chapter 3 (57-3-130 fees and permits; 57-3-150 multiple trip)
- SCDPS State Transport Police escort request form (rates effective July 1, 2026)
- SC Ports Authority: SCDOT offers 100,000 lb permit for shipping containers (Nov 3, 2010)
Need a South Carolina wide load moved?
School-day hours, Grand Strand weekends and police escorts over 16 ft each change the plan. Share the width and both addresses, and we will time the move to SCDOT's school-day windows and book police where the width calls for them.
- 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
- Georgia Oversize PermitsGDOT flat fees, escorts, superload tiers and the inside-I-285 windows.
- 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.