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Tennessee Oversize and Overweight Permit Rules

Tennessee Oversize and Overweight Permit Rules

TNTRIPS permits, the kingpin-measured 52 ft trailer, escort tiers by width and pavement, rush-hour counties and the escorted-load holiday notices

Quick answer

What do Tennessee oversize permits cost, and when can loads move?

TDOT's OS/OW Permit Office in Nashville sells single trips in TNTRIPS: $20 up to 14 ft wide, $30 to 16 ft plus $5 per foot beyond, and $20 plus 6 cents per ton-mile when overweight. Permits run 24/7 for 10 days, but loads over 12 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high or 90 ft long stay off Interstates at weekday rush hours in five counties.

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

Checked October 2026; the issued permit controls

Tennessee measures trailer length from the kingpin, not bumper to bumper: its 52 ft limit runs from the point of attachment to the rear of the towed unit (TCA 55-7-201(c), rewritten by 2020 Public Chapter 780). That is the first thing to check before comparing Tennessee with its neighbors in our oversize permits by state guide. TDOT's FAQ, its lights and flags diagrams and Rule 1680-07-01-.01 still print 50 ft, which predates the 2020 act, so we follow the statute and confirm the trailer on each permit.

As a licensed broker (MC 1178470), HTS arranges heavy haul loads through Tennessee by booking the carrier, ordering the TNTRIPS permit (TDOT takes no orders by phone or email) and booking the escorts or Tennessee Highway Patrol officers the permit calls for. TDOT's FAQ says routine single-trip and annual permits may take up to 3 days, and Rule .02(3) sets minimum lead times from 3 business days for an overdimensional load to 30 for 500,000 lb and up.

When Tennessee requires a permit and how to get one

The OS/OW Permit Office in TDOT's Traffic Operations Division issues permits through TNTRIPS, with bridge analysis by the Structures Division and police escorts by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. A single trip is valid 10 calendar days with no extension, and it can be amended once: TDOT's FAQ allows self-amendment in TNTRIPS within 72 hours of ordering and by form afterwards, while Rule .03(12) still says within 1 business day of issue and before the start date.

Permit weights run above the legal ones: generally 20,000 lb on each axle and 40,000 lb on a tandem, with no axle in it over 20,000 lb, and for a non-divisible load on a combination no wider than 10 ft, 23,000 lb single, 46,000 lb tandem and 60,000 lb tridem (Rule .09). A failed bridge analysis lists each bridge with its rating ratio, a pass needs 1.00, and a retry on the same route needs a scale ticket or axle photos (TDOT FAQ). The state permit covers state and federal routes only; carriers arrange local roads, and Memphis is the one city TDOT says requires its own permit.

Permit office

Issuing office
TDOT Traffic Operations Division, OS/OW Permit Office
Address
William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, 20th Floor, 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243
Phone
(615) 741-3821; permits are not ordered by phone
Hours
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Central, closed 12–1; customer pick-up 9 AM–3 PM
Roads covered
State and federal routes; local roads are the carrier's to arrange, and Memphis city streets need a city permit

Fees

TDOT single-trip fees (Rule 1680-07-01-.24; TDOT Permit Prices)
ChargeFee
Width up to 14 ft $20
Width over 14 ft, to 16 ft $30
Width over 16 ft $30 plus $5 for each foot or fraction over 16 ft
Excess length; excess height $20 each
Excess weight $20 plus $0.06 per ton-mile over 80,000 lb
Bridge and structure evaluation, over 165,000 to 250,000 lb $100 each time a different route is proposed
Bridge evaluation, over 250,000 to 500,000 lb; over 500,000 lb $300; actual cost
Tennessee Highway Patrol escort $65 per hour per officer plus $0.13 per mile; 2 officers and 4 hours minimum

Every category a load exceeds is charged separately (Rule .03(8)). TDOT's Weight Per Mile Price Sheet (rev. 12/09/16) puts a 100,000 lb load at $0.60 per Tennessee mile and a 120,000 lb load at $1.20.

TDOT annual permits, each for one specific vehicle
Annual permitFee
Overdimensional: up to 13 ft 10 in high, 90 ft long and 12 ft 6 in wide (13 ft 6 in with escorts) $100 by statute; the price page lists height, width and length at $100 each, so a two-dimension load may price at $200
Overweight up to 100,000 lb; 120,000 lb; 140,000 lb $750; $1,500; $2,250
Overweight up to 155,000 lb; 165,000 lb $3,000; $3,500
Fixed load (self-propelled), 150,000 lb $3,000
Ocean-going container $750
Roof truss; tow truck $500 each

Dimension and weight annuals are charged separately. An annual weight permit can be supplemented with a single-trip dimension permit, but not the reverse, and a low-clearance list comes with each annual permit (TDOT FAQ).

Worked example from the price sheet: a 15 ft wide, 120,000 lb load on a 200-mile Tennessee run pays $30 for width, plus $20 for weight and $1.20 × 200 = $240 in ton-mile charges, or $290. Payment is by card (TDOT's 2026 house move form states a 2.35% surcharge; the price page gives no rate), an escrow account opened with at least $1,000, or check, and permits are not refunded.

Escort and pilot car rules in Tennessee

TDOT counts escorts by width and, from 10 ft to 12 ft 6 in, by pavement: a two-lane road with at least 24 ft of pavement (paved shoulders excluded) needs no escort in that band, and a narrower one needs a lead car (Rule 1680-07-01-.06). Neither Rule .21 nor TDOT's pages set an escort-driver certification, so an escort driver without a certificate cannot continue into North Carolina or Virginia, which both require one; see our pilot car rules state by state.

Tennessee escort triggers (Rule 1680-07-01-.06, .10, .11, .12; TDOT FAQ)
LoadEscort requirement
Over 8 ft 6 in up to 10 ft wide No escort, special signs, lights or markings (.06(1))
Wider than 10 ft, up to 12 ft 6 in No escort on Interstates, 4-lane highways or 2-lane roads with at least 24 ft of pavement; 1 lead escort where pavement is narrower. Any load over 10 ft wide needs a flagperson at bridges with a roadway under 20 ft (.06(2))
Over 12 ft 6 in up to 13 ft 6 in wide 1 rear escort on Interstates and 4-lane highways; 1 front escort on 2-lane highways (.06(3))
Wider than 13 ft 6 in, to 16 ft Front and rear escorts on all highways, in radio contact with the load at all times (.06(4))
Over 16 ft wide A route survey before issue, front and rear escorts, radio contact and bridge flagpersons; TDOT may add escorts (.06(5), .12)
Over 15 ft high Front escort with a height pole at least as tall as the load, radioing the driver at every lower clearance (.10)
Over 75 ft up to 90 ft long No escort; OVERSIZE LOAD signs front and rear and a 360-degree amber light on the rear sign, visible 500 ft (.11(1))
Over 90 ft up to 120 ft long; over 120 ft 1 rear escort; 1 front and 1 rear (.11(2), (3))
Over 18 ft wide or 18 ft high, or an especially complex move Tennessee Highway Patrol escort on top of the private escorts, requested on the THP Escort Request Form at least 10 days ahead with a route survey and traffic control plan (TDOT FAQ; .12(4))

Houseboats, mobile homes, site-built houses and roof trusses have their own tiers in Rules .14 to .18, and site-built houses never use or cross an Interstate. Blades or sharp protrusions that make a load 10 ft 6 in to 13 ft 6 in wide must face the rear, and none are permitted wider (Rule .07).

The escort vehicle weighs over 2,000 lb with a GVWR under 18,000 lb and shows the company name and phone on 8 by 12 in placards on both sides, an amber light that shows 360 degrees at 500 ft, a yellow OVERSIZE LOAD sign with 10 in letters and two 18 in red or orange flags on the roof at 40 to 70 degrees. On board: two-way radios, two 5 lb extinguishers, an 18 in STOP/GO paddle, a safety vest, a hard hat, an 18 in red hand flag and triangles or cones (Rule .21).

Travel times, curfews and holidays

A Tennessee permit allows continuous movement, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week (TCA 55-7-205(l)(1); Rule 1680-07-01-.04). The exceptions are weekday rush hours in five counties, escorted-load holiday windows, weather, and four load types that move only in daylight.

  • Rush hour: permits do not allow vehicles over 12 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high or 90 ft long on the Interstate 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m., Monday–Friday, in counties over 250,000 people (Rule .04(1)). TDOT's FAQ names Davidson (Nashville), Rutherford (Murfreesboro), Knox (Knoxville), Shelby (Memphis) and Hamilton (Chattanooga), and says escorted loads must abide by those curfews without limiting them to Interstates, so we hold escorted loads on every road in those counties during the windows.
  • Daylight-only loads: superloads, houseboats and mobile homes (TDOT FAQ). Mobile homes move sunrise to sunset, Monday through Saturday (Rule .15(9)(a)), and site-built houses move in daylight unless local authorities set night moves.
  • Night lighting: from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, a permitted tractor-semitrailer load over legal width or length shows a red side marker lamp on each side at the maximum overhang, plus two red lamps and two red reflectors marking the rear width (Rule .20(2)(e)).
  • Weather and size: TDOT may restrict moves in inclement weather or weather emergencies but publishes no wind or visibility threshold (Rule .03(15), .04(4)), and it may restrict loads over 165,000 lb, 16 ft wide or 15 ft 6 in high by road and traffic conditions (Rule .04(5)).
  • Height routes: TDOT's Oversize Truck Route Maps close some roads to anything over 13 ft 6 in, including segments of the downtown Nashville loop (I-24, I-40 and I-65) and, in Memphis, I-55 south of downtown and the south and east I-240 loop.
  • Frost: Tennessee has no seasonal frost or thaw program; neither TDOT's OS/OW pages nor Rule 1680-07-01 contain one, and annual permits never override posted size, clearance and weight limits (Rule .03(5)).
TDOT 2026 holiday restrictions for escorted loads (2026 OS/OW Holiday Travel Restrictions)
HolidayNo escorted travel
Easter After 6:00 PM Thu Apr 2 through Sun Apr 5
Memorial Day After noon Fri May 22 through Mon May 25
Independence Day After noon Thu Jul 2 through Sat Jul 4
Labor Day After noon Fri Sep 4 through Mon Sep 7
Thanksgiving After noon Wed Nov 25 through Sun Nov 29
Christmas Thu Dec 24 and Fri Dec 25
New Year's Day 2027 Thu Dec 31, 2026 and Fri Jan 1, 2027

Loads that need no escort may travel through every holiday period under normal conditions. The statute and Rule .04(2) allow wider windows, such as Dec 24 through Jan 1, so the permit face decides. TDOT's 2026 sheet prints the Thanksgiving end as 'Sunday November 30', but the Sunday is Nov 29. Site-built houses and houseboats also stay off the road on each state holiday itself.

What catches carriers in Tennessee

Signs from 10 ft wide or 75 ft long

Any move over 10 ft wide or 75 ft long carries OVERSIZE LOAD signs front and rear, measuring 7 ft by 18 in or more and lettered in black 10 in high on yellow; the rule sets a 1 1/2 in stroke, while TDOT's FAQ and banner diagram show 1 5/8 in. Flags at least 18 in square mark the widest points and the extreme rear, red or fluorescent orange under the rule but solid red in TDOT's diagrams, so solid red meets both. Our page on sign and flag rules by state sets this beside other states' specs.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1680-07-01-.20; TDOT OS/OW FAQ; TDOT Lights, Reflectors, Flags and Banner Diagrams

No refunds and one amendment

TDOT refunds no permits and grants no extensions; the only credit is the ton-mile portion of a cancelled weight permit replaced for the same move. Permits are vehicle specific and can be amended once, so a second truck change means a new permit at full price.

Rule 1680-07-01-.03(12), (16); .05; .24(8)(d); TDOT FAQ

Insurance on file before the permit

Permittees carry liability of at least $300,000 per injured claimant and $1,000,000 per occurrence, with an ACORD certificate on file and 30 days' written notice of cancellation by certified mail, and TDOT may also require a surety bond or CPA-audited proof of solvency for road and bridge damage.

Rule 1680-07-01-.22, .23

Off-route travel suspends TNTRIPS

TDOT may immediately suspend permits or withhold new ones, TNTRIPS auto-issue included, for off-route travel, exceeding the permitted size or weight, or unpaid fees. Appeals go to the Commissioner within 10 business days.

Rule 1680-07-01-.25 (eff. May 15, 2018)

The I-40 gorge detour, superloads and Memphis and mountain routes

Tennessee's route limits come from TDOT's restriction lists and maps rather than the permit rule, and the Hurricane Helene repairs on I-40 still decide how wide loads reach North Carolina.

I-40 Pigeon River Gorge

TDOT's Hurricane Helene Recovery page shows I-40 from Cocke County to the North Carolina line open with restrictions and sends loads over 8.5 ft wide to I-81 and I-26 until restoration work is complete (map as of March 1, 2025). NCDOT's February 2025 releases name a different pairing, I-77 and I-81, for wide loads between the states, and NCDOT's May 22, 2026 update still estimated full reopening in late 2028. Neither agency had posted a notice lifting the restriction, so we route wide loads off I-40 at the state line and check TDOT SmartWay before dispatch.

Superloads

Over 165,000 lb gross, 16 ft wide or 15 ft 6 in high, a load is a superload ('super heavy' or 'extra-overdimensional'). The application adds a move proposal with a route survey, a vehicle and load sketch, tire sizes and contact pressures, axle spacings and loads, and a traffic control proposal, and TDOT issues at its sole engineering discretion (Rule .12). Minimum lead times are 10 business days for extra-overdimensional loads and 5, 15 or 30 business days at 165,000, 250,000 and 500,000 lb (Rule .02(3)). Route surveys use a pole set 6 in above the load, stay valid 15 calendar days, take up to 5 days to approve and must show at least 2 in of clearance at every obstruction.

Memphis river crossings

TDOT publishes no weight or width limit for the I-40 Hernando de Soto or I-55 Memphis-Arkansas bridges. Its restriction table lists I-55 clearances in Shelby County of 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft 0 in at railroad crossings, 14 ft 0 in at South Third St, 14 ft 2 in and 14 ft 3 in at BNSF crossings, 14 ft 7 in at E H Crump Blvd and 14 ft 9 in at Trigg Ave, so a tall load bound for Arkansas is planned structure by structure.

Monteagle, the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and posted bridges

TDOT has no OS/OW rule for the I-24 Monteagle grade, but structures nearby are listed: 15 ft 9 in at the US-64 (Grundy County) and Trussel Rd (Marion County) overpasses, 14 ft 5 in where US-72 passes under I-24, and an axle-weight limit with posted detours on the I-24 Sequatchie River bridge. The Cumberland Gap Tunnel into Kentucky is listed at 16 ft 3 in. The I-40 French Broad River bridge in Jefferson County is limited to 130,000 lb, with detours via Exits 424 and 432A, some of them limited to 14 ft 6 in high.

Sealed ocean containers

Ocean-going containers count as non-divisible with an international bill of lading signed by customs; an equipment interchange and inspection report can stand in for the signature. The rule calls for at least 5 load-bearing axles, 20,000 lb per axle and 100,000 lb gross at legal dimensions, with 24/7 travel, on a 10-day single trip or a $750 annual permit with no route restriction (Rule .17).

Crossing into a neighboring state

  • East into North Carolina: every escort driver needs North Carolina certification or a card from one of the 10 states NCDOT accepts, Tennessee not among them, and most NCDOT permits move only between sunrise and sunset. Our North Carolina oversize permit and escort rules list the reciprocal states and the I-40 gorge ban.
  • North into Kentucky: KYTC permits also run 24/7 and Kentucky lists no holiday restrictions, but Jefferson (Louisville), Fayette (Lexington) and the three Northern Kentucky counties hold OW/OD loads 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m. on weekdays. The Kentucky KAPS permit rules also cover the pending fee increase.
  • South into Mississippi from Memphis: MDOT's default is daylight travel, the first escort comes at 13 ft wide in daylight and at 10 ft after dark, and a codified rule still keeps loads over 12 ft wide out of the Memphis/Southaven area during the weekday morning (7:00–8:30) and evening (4:30–5:30) peaks. See Mississippi oversize permits.

Tennessee oversize permit questions

What does TDOT charge for a single-trip permit?

A single trip is $20 for width up to 14 ft, $30 over 14 ft to 16 ft, and $30 plus $5 per extra foot beyond 16 ft. Excess length and height are $20 each, and excess weight is $20 plus 6 cents per ton-mile over 80,000 lb. Every category exceeded is charged, so a 15 ft wide, 120,000 lb load on a 200-mile trip pays $290. Tennessee Highway Patrol escorts bill $65 per officer-hour plus 13 cents a mile.

Can oversize loads travel at night and on weekends in Tennessee?

Yes, for most loads. TCA 55-7-205(l)(1) and Rule 1680-07-01-.04 allow continuous movement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The exceptions are superloads, houseboats and mobile homes, which move in daylight; weekday rush hours in five counties; and the escorted-load holiday windows TDOT publishes each year. At night, wide or long loads must show red side marker and rear lamps.

Which Tennessee counties have oversize curfews?

Davidson (Nashville), Rutherford (Murfreesboro), Knox (Knoxville), Shelby (Memphis) and Hamilton (Chattanooga), the counties over 250,000 people. In the weekday rush hours, 7 to 9 in the morning and 4 to 6 in the afternoon, permits do not allow vehicles over 12 ft 6 in wide, 15 ft high or 90 ft long on the Interstate there, and TDOT's FAQ says escorted loads must keep to those hours.

How long can a trailer be in Tennessee without a permit?

Up to 52 ft measured from the kingpin to the rear of the trailer or load, under TCA 55-7-201(c) as rewritten by 2020 Public Chapter 780. Over 48 ft, the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rear tandem may not exceed 41 ft (44 ft to a single axle). TDOT's FAQ and rule still say 50 ft, but they predate the 2020 act.

When does a Tennessee load need a THP escort?

TDOT's FAQ calls for a Tennessee Highway Patrol escort, on top of the private escorts, for loads wider or taller than 18 ft and for especially complex moves. Request it on the THP Escort Request Form at least 10 days ahead with a route survey and traffic control plan. The minimum booking is 2 officers for 4 hours at $65 per hour each, plus 13 cents per mile.

Can wide loads use I-40 between Tennessee and North Carolina?

Not while the Hurricane Helene repairs continue. TDOT sends loads over 8.5 ft wide to I-81 and I-26, and NCDOT's releases name I-77 and I-81 for wide loads between the states. NCDOT's May 2026 update estimated full reopening in late 2028, and neither agency had posted a notice lifting the wide-load restriction as of October 2026.

How do I apply for a Tennessee oversize permit?

Permits are ordered in TNTRIPS at tntrips.tdot.tn.gov or through a third-party permit service; TDOT does not take orders by phone or email. Questions go to the OS/OW Permit Office at (615) 741-3821 or [email protected], Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Allow up to 3 days for routine permits and 10 business days for extra-overdimensional loads.

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. TDOT Oversize and Overweight Permits
  3. TDOT OS/OW Permit FAQs
  4. TDOT Permit Prices (single trip and annual)
  5. TDOT OS/OW Contacts
  6. TDOT OS/OW Resources and Policies
  7. TDOT Maps, Bridges and Restrictions
  8. TDOT Apply for OS/OW Permit (TNTRIPS)
  9. TNTRIPS permit portal
  10. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1680-07-01 (eff. May 15, 2018)
  11. Tennessee Secretary of State rules index, Title 1680
  12. TDOT 2026 OS/OW Holiday Travel Restrictions
  13. TDOT 2027 OS/OW Holiday Travel Restrictions (October 2026)
  14. TDOT Lights, Reflectors, Flags and Banner Diagrams
  15. TDOT Weight Per Mile Price Sheet (rev. 12/09/16)
  16. TDOT Oversize Truck Route Maps, Nashville and Memphis (undated)
  17. TDOT Statewide Vertical Clearances under 13 ft 10 in (2026)
  18. TDOT Parking Areas for Oversize
  19. TDOT Fixed Load Vehicle FAQ (2026)
  20. TDOT OS/OW Proposed Route Survey and Traffic Control Plan form
  21. TDOT-THP Escort Request Form
  22. TDOT 2026 Commercial House/Building Move Request Form
  23. TDOT Hurricane Helene Recovery (I-40 wide-load detour)
  24. 2020 Tenn. Pub. Acts ch. 780 (52 ft towed unit)
  25. Tennessee Secretary of State, 114th General Assembly public acts
  26. NCDOT press release, I-40 reopens in Pigeon River Gorge (Feb 27, 2025)
  27. TCA 55-7-201 (2025 Code, Justia copy)
  28. TCA 55-7-202 (2025 Code, Justia copy)
  29. TCA 55-7-203 (2025 Code, Justia copy)
  30. TCA 55-7-205 (2025 Code, Justia copy)

Running a wide load through Nashville, Knoxville or Memphis?

Those counties set the rush-hour clock, and the I-40 gorge still sends wide loads north to I-81. Tell us the width, height and weight with both addresses, and we will price the TNTRIPS permit, the escort count and the detour miles.

  • 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

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