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South Dakota Oversize Permits and Travel Rules

South Dakota Oversize Permits and Travel Rules

SDHP permits in SDAPS, the 2 cent ton-mile fee, width-only escort triggers, Black Hills routes, the Sturgis Rally window and spring load limits

Quick answer

How do you get an oversize permit in South Dakota?

Order it in SDAPS, the South Dakota Automated Permitting System, or call the SDHP permit center at the Sisseton Port of Entry, (605) 224-7364 option 1, 7 AM to 7 PM weekdays. A single trip costs $25, overweight loads add 2 cents per ton-mile, and SDDOT must approve the route of any overweight load. Every permit has to be bought before the load enters South Dakota.

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

Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls

South Dakota stands out for what it leaves out: SDHP's FAQ says the state 'does not have weekend or holiday restrictions,' and on most state highways a load can reach 20 ft wide before ARSD 70:03:01:20 calls for an escort. What remains are daylight rules, a short list of Black Hills routes with lower escort lines, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August and a spring load window written into statute. Its neighbors are in our oversize permits by state guide.

HTS Logistics, a licensed broker (MC 1178470), books the carrier for heavy haul through South Dakota and orders the SDAPS permit before the load reaches the line, since the Motor Carrier Handbook requires every oversize and overweight permit to be bought before entering the state. For overweight loads we also allow time for SDDOT route approval, which the Handbook says usually takes up to 2 working days and longer for loads over 200,000 lb.

When South Dakota requires a permit and how to get one

SDHP Motor Carrier Services issues permits under SDCL 32-22-38 and the Transportation Commission's rules in ARSD 70:03:01, last amended July 1, 2025. The permit center is the Sisseton Port of Entry, and any trooper, motor carrier inspector or district office can also issue a permit. SDDOT designates routes and must approve the route before any overweight permit issues (70:03:01:17). Review typically takes up to 2 working days; loads over 200,000 lb, overweight loads wider than 12 ft and loads over 16 ft high may take longer (2022 Handbook ch. 6).

Repeat shippers can buy a book of 10 self-issuing single-trip permits ($250) from Motor Carrier Services in Pierre, each validated by the permit center before use. Before using an overweight permit, the holder writes the carrier, tractor unit, plate, date and bill of lading number on it (70:03:01:49), and the permittee carries at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage liability (70:03:01:11). County, township and city roads need the local authority's permit (32-22-40); the Handbook lists contacts such as the Sioux Falls City Engineer, (605) 367-8601.

Permit office

Issuing office
South Dakota Highway Patrol, Motor Carrier Services; permit center at the Sisseton Port of Entry
Address
Motor Carrier Services, 118 W. Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501
Phone
(605) 224-7364, option 1 (in-state toll free 1-800-637-3255); Motor Carrier Services (605) 773-4578
Email
No permit email published; SD Truck Info's web contact form has a 'Permitting' topic
Hours
Permit center 7:00 AM–7:00 PM, Monday–Friday; Pierre headquarters 8 AM–5 PM Central
Roads covered
State trunk highway system (Interstate, US and SD routes); counties, townships and cities permit their own roads

Fees

SDHP permit fees (ARSD 70:03:01:02, 70:03:01:02.01 and 70:03:01:45.06)
Permit or chargeFee
Individual single-trip permit (oversize, overweight or both) $25
Book of 10 self-issuing single-trip permits $250
Overweight ton-mile fee 2 cents per ton or fraction over 40,000 lb (2 axles), 60,000 lb (3), 80,000 lb (4), 85,000 lb (5), 90,000 lb (6) or 95,000 lb (7 or more), per mile on state trunk highways; $1 minimum
Extended period (annual) permits $60, including the non-divisible oversize, oversize trailer, manufactured home and Over 80,000 Pounds on Interstate permits
Multiple-trip construction equipment $5 per county per month, capped at $20 per month, minimum $25; overweight units add 50 cents per county per month for each ton over
Longer combination vehicle permits, book of 10 $100

By our arithmetic from the rule, a 5-axle load at 120,000 lb is 17.5 tons over 85,000 lb, charged as 18 tons, so a 300-mile trip costs 18 x 300 x $0.02 = $108 plus the $25 permit.

No separate superload, engineering, amendment, escort or card fee is published, and government entities pay no permit or ton-mile fees. SDAPS takes credit cards or an escrow account. The $25 and $60 fees were last amended effective Sept. 6, 2004.

Escort and pilot car rules in South Dakota

South Dakota's escort rule, ARSD 70:03:01:20, is triggered by width alone: no length or height threshold appears in the rule, the statutes or the Handbook. Escorts lead on two-lane highways and follow on divided ones. Since May 1, 2023 the rule drops the width line to 10 ft or 16 ft on listed Black Hills routes, which the 2022 Handbook does not yet show; this page follows the rule. How other states set escort lines is on our state pilot car requirements page.

South Dakota escort triggers (ARSD 70:03:01:20 to 70:03:01:24)
LoadEscort requirement
Over 16 ft wide on the Interstate 1 escort, behind on divided highways (20(1))
Over 10 ft wide on listed Black Hills routes Front escort on US-14A from Spearfish to US-85; US-85 from the Wyoming line and through Lead and Deadwood; listed parts of US-385; SD-44 from US-385 to US-16B; SD-231; US-16A; SD-244; SD-87; SD-89 from Custer to SD-87; SD-36; SD-40; and SD-473 (20(2))
Over 16 ft wide on other listed southwest routes Front escort on US-16 from the Keystone Wye to Wyoming, US-14A to I-90 Exit 30, US-385 from SD-89 to US-16, SD-89 from US-18 to Pringle, Highway 85 from Deadwood to I-90 Exit 17, SD-71 from Hot Springs to Nebraska and SD-471 (20(3))
Over 20 ft wide on all other state trunk highways 1 escort, front on two-lane and rear on divided highways; a local trooper may waive the front escort for a set time on a section with adequate geometrics (20(4))
Load more than 2 ft into an adjacent lane, or traffic cannot pass without using the shoulder Escorts and flagpersons who stop or hold traffic, leaving at least a 10 ft lane for normal traffic (20.01)
Earthmoving equipment, single or in convoy An escort ahead with a CONVOY WIDE LOAD or WIDE LOAD sign in 1 ft letters and the same sign on the rear unit; on the Interstate the escort follows; units 500–3,000 ft apart and rubber-tired equipment at 20 mph or less (24, 26, 27)
Electric utility poles over 75 ft long Rear escort that also flags turning traffic (70:03:01:109)
Law enforcement No threshold or booking procedure published; troopers may restrict or stop any move for weather (20.02)

An escort vehicle is a licensed motor vehicle, not a motorcycle, with a revolving amber light or two flashing amber lights of at least 4 in, signs such as WIDE LOAD AHEAD or WIDE LONG LOAD in letters at least 12 in high, and red or orange flags at least 12 in square on brackets at each side of the sign, covered or removed when not escorting (70:03:01:21). The rule puts WIDE LONG LOAD on the front of the leading escort and WIDE LOAD AHEAD on the back of the trailing one, and the Handbook reverses the two, so we confirm the placement with SDHP. No escort-driver certification, training or age rule is published.

Travel times, curfews and holidays

SDHP's FAQ answers the weekend question in one line: 'South Dakota does not have weekend or holiday restrictions.' The clock still matters, because ARSD 70:03:01:07 holds many loads to daylight, which the rule defines as running from half an hour ahead of sunrise to half an hour past sunset (70:03:01:01(6)).

  • Daylight only when any of these applies: an escort is required; the vehicle cannot hold posted speeds; over 10 ft wide; over 14 ft 6 in high; a single unit over 45 ft; a combination over 110 ft; a two-unit combination with a unit over 60 ft; a three-or-more-unit combination with a unit over 48 ft; or travel on non-Interstate state highways more than 2 miles from an Interstate interchange (70:03:01:07).
  • Night: on the Interstate, permit loads may run at night unless one of those conditions applies, which SDHP's FAQ sums up as under 10 ft wide and Interstate only. Off the Interstate the rule and the Handbook differ (the Handbook lets overweight loads that need no escort run at night), so the hours printed on the permit settle it. SDCL 32-22-2 makes moving a load wider than 102 in on the state trunk system at night a Class 2 misdemeanor, and a permit under 32-22-38 is what authorizes it.
  • Holidays: ARSD 70:03:01 contains no holiday rule and South Dakota publishes no 2026 holiday list, so a load may move on Thanksgiving, Christmas or July 4 under the same daylight conditions as any other day.
  • Sturgis Motorcycle Rally: in the five Black Hills counties, a load that needs an escort, cannot keep within 10 mph of the posted limit, is over 110 ft long or exceeds the county width limits below needs SDDOT Rapid City Region approval, and approved moves run from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 10:00 AM. Annual permit holders need the same approval for trips over 14 ft wide, or over 10 ft wide on any highway except US-18 and the highways south of it.
  • Meade County: Ordinance 59 (posted Dec. 31, 2025) bars over-width, over-length and over-height vehicles from every road within 10 miles of Sturgis from one week before to one week after the rally, and vehicles over 13 ft wide from other paved county roads in that period, without the County Highway Superintendent's approval.
  • Weather and wind: an oversize permit is void when visibility is 1/2 mile or less, and any permit on roads slippery from snow, ice, slush or frost (70:03:01:20.02). SDHP also suspends oversize movement by announcement in high wind; on Dec. 18, 2025 it stopped oversized movement statewide at 9 a.m. CT and reopened west of the Missouri River at 1 p.m.
Sturgis Rally width limits, Aug 6–16, 2026 (2022 Handbook Table 17)
CountySDDOT approval needed when wider than
Custer 14 ft on SD-79; 10 ft on all other highways
Fall River 14 ft on all highways
Lawrence 10 ft (the web table fills only the I-90 and SD-79 rows, while the 2022 PDF prints 10 ft three times; we confirm before a move)
Meade 14 ft on US-212; 10 ft on I-90, SD-79 and all other highways
Pennington, east of Rapid City 14 ft on I-90 and SD-44; 10 ft on others
Pennington, south of Rapid City 14 ft on SD-79; 10 ft on others
Pennington, elsewhere 10 ft on all highways

The dates are computed from the Handbook rule (the Thursday before the first Friday in August through the Sunday after the second Friday); SDDOT published no 2026-specific oversize notice, and the restriction rests on the Handbook, not on an ARSD section. Approvals come from the SDDOT Rapid City Region Engineer at (605) 394-2244.

South Dakota spring load limits, February 15 to April 30

South Dakota writes its frost window into statute: SDCL 32-22-24 reduces axle and axle-group loads every year from Feb. 15 to Apr. 30, inclusive, and the authority that maintains each road sets, changes or lifts the limits by posting signs. SDCL 32-22-25 also lets SDDOT, counties, townships and road districts cut weights at any time for thawing or excess moisture, which is how 2024 postings began on Feb. 9. Programs elsewhere are compared on our frost laws by state page.

  • 2026 state postings: 14 segments took effect Feb. 16–17, 2026 at 6, 7 or 8 tons per axle (12,000, 14,000 or 16,000 lb). SDDOT counted 193.8 miles at 6 or 7 tons (106.5 at 6 tons and 87.3 at 7 tons), 2.4% of 7,763 centerline miles and the lowest share since 1969, plus 48.6 miles of SD-79 from SD-168 to SD-20 west of Reva at 8 tons.
  • 2026 removals: most segments came off March 23 and the SD-26 and SD-28 segments March 30. SDDOT published no removal date for SD-25 (Clark County Road 22 to Day County) or US-212 east of Redfield, and its April 16, 2026 map showed nothing posted.
  • Permits during the window: the Handbook says limited overweight permits are issued while spring limits are in effect, every overweight permit still needs SDDOT route approval, and the 5% farm-storage and livestock tolerance of SDCL 32-22-16.3 does not apply. Emergency single-trip applicants may ask SDDOT for a pre-trip route analysis and a variance.
  • County roads: each county posts and enforces its own limits, for example 6 tons per axle and 40 mph for trucks on most Beadle and Brown county asphalt roads, 7 tons in Bon Homme County, and Meade County limits from Feb. 15 to Apr. 15 under Ordinance 59.
  • Checking status: SD511 (Traffic Notices, CVO Restrictions), the SD Truck Info spring load page and SDDOT's email list; SDDOT's winter maintenance specialist is at (605) 773-3571, while the Handbook lists (605) 773-3704. Posted signs govern over maps and reports.

What catches carriers in South Dakota

Signs start at 12 ft wide

A sign is required only over 12 ft wide, over 95 ft long or at night: at least 18 in by 84 in, upper-case letters 10 in high with a 1 3/8 in stroke, black on yellow and reflectorized for night moves, on the front and rear. OVERSIZE LOAD, WIDE LOAD, LONG LOAD and OVERSIZED LOAD are all accepted. Flags, red or orange and at least 18 in square, go on every corner of a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, so many daytime loads between 8 ft 6 in and 12 ft carry flags but no sign. Our load sign and flag requirements by state page compares the rules.

ARSD 70:03:01:14, 70:03:01:14.01

Black Hills tunnels

The SD-87 and US-16A tunnels are not commercial through routes: Needles Eye is 8 ft 4 in wide and 11 ft 3 in high, Iron Creek 9 ft 0 in by 11 ft 4 in, Hood 10 ft 6 in by 9 ft 10 in, and Scovel Johnson 13 ft 2 in by 12 ft 4 in.

2022 Motor Carrier Handbook Table 18

Width cannot outrun the axle

An overwidth load may not exceed three times the width of the narrowest trailer axle, so wider loads need extra-width axles or multiple line axles, and 2-, 3- or 4-axle motor vehicles hauling non-divisible loads may not be permitted more than 10% overweight (self-propelled and towaway equipment excepted).

2022 Handbook ch. 6; ARSD 70:03:01:22

Power lines are the holder's problem

SDDOT's Bridge Vertical Clearance List leaves out power lines and stop lights, and every vertical clearance is the permit holder's responsibility. When a structure move needs lines lifted, the mover gives the utility at least 48 hours' notice and a deposit, sends the permit authority written verification 48 hours before the move, and only the utility touches its lines.

ARSD 70:03:01:13, 70:03:01:22; SDCL 49-32-3

Superload review, posted structures and annual envelopes

South Dakota has no superload definition or fee in SDCL 32-22 or ARSD 70:03:01, and no toll road or toll-authority permit appears in its permit sources. What slows a big load is review time and the structures on the route.

Large-load review

Overweight routes go to SDDOT, and some applications to the Highway Patrol, for review that typically takes up to 2 working days. Loads over 200,000 lb, overweight loads wider than 12 ft and loads over 16 ft high may take longer, and multi-level structures or floor plans over 2,000 sq ft are weighed by the Highway Patrol before approval unless that is waived (70:03:01:22).

No Overweight Loads structures (Route Restriction Report, Oct. 16, 2026)

The report lists the US-12 Mobridge truss over Lake Oahe (MRM 187.15) and the I-29 southbound bridge over the railroad near Summit (MRM 206.82, until about Dec. 31, 2026) as closed to overweight loads, and US-16A at SD-40 in Keystone as closed from Oct. 5, 2026 to about Apr. 23, 2027, with a 12 ft width and 50 ft length limit on the detour.

Annual and multiple-trip envelopes

The $60 annual non-divisible oversize permit covers single units and two-unit combinations up to 14 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high and 85 ft loaded length, oversize only (70:03:01:105). The multiple-trip construction permit covers a company's own equipment in a base county and its bordering counties up to 20 ft wide and 110 ft long, in daytime and off the Interstate, with overweight routes rechecked every 30 days (70:03:01:45.01–45.06).

Ports and roadside permits

Vehicles over 10,000 lb stop at ports of entry (SDHP FAQ), a vehicle cited for having no permit may be issued a single-trip permit at the roadside to continue (SDCL 32-22-42.13), and permits may be shown electronically (32-22-63).

Crossing into a neighboring state

  • South into Nebraska: NDOT's single trip is a flat $15 to $25 with no weight or mileage band, a load 12 ft to 16 ft wide takes 1 escort, and on Husker home football days permitted loads stay off the eastern highways NDOT lists; see Nebraska oversize permit rules.
  • East into Minnesota on I-90: MnDOT's spring load restrictions run by zone (in 2026, Mar 3 to Apr 20 in the South zone), and a load wider than 12 ft 6 in or longer than 110 ft stops from 2 PM the day before each holiday, a change from South Dakota's open calendar; our Minnesota SUPERLOAD permit page has the full rules.
  • West into Wyoming on I-90: escorted oversize loads stop for each holiday from a half hour after sunset the evening before, every permitted load stops at the first port of entry near its route, and WYDOT's weight-based wind closures can hold light loads; see Wyoming oversize and overweight rules.

South Dakota oversize permit questions

How much does a South Dakota oversize permit cost?

A single trip is $25 under ARSD 70:03:01:02, or $250 for a book of 10 self-issuing permits. Overweight loads add 2 cents per ton per mile for weight over 40,000 to 95,000 lb depending on axle count, with a $1 minimum. By our arithmetic, a 5-axle load at 120,000 lb on a 300-mile trip pays $108 plus the $25 permit. Annual permits are $60.

Can oversize loads move on weekends and holidays in South Dakota?

Yes. SDHP's FAQ states that South Dakota does not have weekend or holiday restrictions, and ARSD 70:03:01 contains none. Daylight rules still apply to loads over 10 ft wide, over 14 ft 6 in high or needing an escort. The one seasonal event limit is the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug 6 to 16, 2026, in five Black Hills counties.

When does South Dakota require an escort for a wide load?

On the Interstate, over 16 ft wide; on most other state highways, over 20 ft wide (ARSD 70:03:01:20). Since May 1, 2023 the line drops to 10 ft on listed Black Hills routes such as US-16A, SD-87 and SD-244, and to 16 ft on others such as US-16 west of Keystone. No length or height escort trigger is published, and no escort-driver certification is required.

Is night travel allowed for South Dakota permit loads?

Only on the Interstate, and only if no escort is required and the load stays within 10 ft of width, 14 ft 6 in of height and, as a combination, 110 ft of length, among the other limits in ARSD 70:03:01:07. On other state highways more than 2 miles from an Interstate interchange the rule requires daylight, though the Handbook allows some overweight loads at night. The hours printed on the permit decide.

What are the Sturgis Rally oversize restrictions?

From Aug 6 to 16, 2026, computed from the Handbook rule, loads in Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington counties need approval from the SDDOT Rapid City Region Engineer at (605) 394-2244 if they need an escort, cannot keep within 10 mph of the limit, exceed 110 ft or exceed 10 ft or 14 ft wide by highway. Approved moves run from before sunrise to 10 AM.

When are South Dakota's spring load limits?

SDCL 32-22-24 sets the window at Feb 15 to Apr 30 each year, and road authorities post the actual limits. In 2026 SDDOT posted 14 state segments effective Feb 16 and 17 at 6, 7 or 8 tons per axle, covering 193.8 miles at 6 or 7 tons, and removed most of them on March 23 and March 30. Counties post their own roads.

Is a WIDE LOAD sign legal in South Dakota?

Yes. ARSD 70:03:01:14.01 accepts WIDE LOAD, LONG LOAD or OVERSIZED LOAD in place of OVERSIZE LOAD. The sign must be at least 18 in by 84 in with 10 in letters, black on yellow, front and rear, but it is required only over 12 ft wide, over 95 ft long or at night, and it must be covered or removed when not required.

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. SD Truck Info (SDHP/SDDOT/DOR trucking portal) home
  3. SD Truck Info: Permitting Information (permit types)
  4. South Dakota Automated Permitting System (SDAPS) login and bulletin
  5. SD Truck Info: Contact Us (Ports of Entry, Motor Carrier Services)
  6. SD Truck Info: FAQs (no weekend or holiday restrictions)
  7. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 6: Permits (2022 edition, web)
  8. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 5: Vehicle Size Regulations
  9. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 5: Vehicle Weight Regulations
  10. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 5: Routes with Special Restrictions (Sturgis Rally, tunnels)
  11. SD Commercial and Agricultural Vehicle Handbook 2022 (PDF, Dec. 6, 2021)
  12. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 2: SD City and County Permit Contacts
  13. SD Motor Carrier Handbook ch. 2: SD State Government Agencies
  14. SD Truck Info: Clearance and Route Restrictions
  15. SDDOT Temporary Route Restriction Report (dated 10/16/2026)
  16. SDDOT Bridge Vertical Clearance List
  17. SD Truck Info News: Dec. 18, 2025 oversized movement suspended statewide (wind)
  18. SD Truck Info: Spring Load Restrictions
  19. ARSD chapter 70:03:01, Movement of Oversize or Overweight Vehicles (full text)
  20. ARSD 70:03:01 table of contents
  21. SDCL chapter 32-22 Weight, Size and Load Restrictions (index)
  22. SDCL 32-22-3 (width)
  23. SDCL 32-22-14 (height)
  24. SDCL 32-22-8.1 (length on Interstate and state trunk system)
  25. SDCL 32-22-5 (45 ft single vehicle)
  26. SDCL 32-22-16 (axle and gross weight)
  27. SDCL 32-22-16.1 (bridge formula)
  28. SDCL 32-22-21 (tire limits, amended 2026)
  29. SDCL 32-22-2 (no overwidth loads at night on state trunk system)
  30. SDCL 32-22-6 (flagging and lighting extended loads)
  31. SDCL 32-22-38 (single trip permits, SDHP, SDDOT routes)
  32. SDCL 32-22-40 (local permits)
  33. SDCL 32-22-42 (Transportation Commission permit rules and fees)
  34. SDCL 32-22-42.16 (hay grinding equipment permit)
  35. SDCL 49-32-3 (structure moves under utility lines, 48 hours notice)
  36. Meade County Ordinance 59 Regulating Overweight and Over Dimension Vehicle Usage
  37. SDCL 32-22-24 (reduced load maximums Feb. 15-Apr. 30)
  38. SDCL 32-22-25 (reduced weight maximums on specific roads)
  39. SDCL 32-22-16.3 (5% farm tolerance not during spring restrictions)
  40. SDDOT Reminders for Upcoming 2026 Spring Load Restrictions (Feb. 12, 2026)
  41. 2026 State Spring Load Limit Restrictions, Press Release #1 (Feb. 13, 2026)
  42. 2026 Spring Load Limit Restrictions, Press Release #2 (Mar. 20, 2026)
  43. 2026 Spring Load Limit Restrictions, Press Release #3 (Mar. 27, 2026)
  44. SDDOT 2026 Current Spring Load Limit Restrictions Map (postings in effect Apr. 16, 2026)
  45. SDDOT 2026 Spring Load Restriction Summary and Historical Data
  46. 2026 County Load Limits

Moving oversize freight across South Dakota?

Open weekends make South Dakota quick to cross, but the Black Hills routes, the August rally and the spring postings can each change a plan. Tell us what the load is, what each axle carries and where it starts and ends, and we will check the SDAPS permit, SDDOT route approval and escorts before booking.

  • 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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