Important! We are not a permit service. We do not arrange permits for carriers. The following is for informational purposes only. Always read your permits and provisions sheets carefully. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.
North Carolina DOT Phone Number
877-368-4968
PERMITS
North Carolina oversize permits are valid for ten days. A permit must be obtained prior to entering the state.
OPERATING TIME
Travel is allowed from sunrise to sunset, Monday through Saturday. No Sunday travel is allowed. Overweight vehicles not exceeding 112,000 pounds gross (or 94,500 for sealed ship containers) and traveling only on Interstate routes may operate 24/7, but this must be requested with the permit order.
RESTRICTED TRAVEL
Loads over 10 feet wide are restricted within a 10-mile radius of the following cities: Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Loads over 14 feet in height are subject to speed and escort restrictions in I-40 tunnels near the Tennessee line. No travel on major holidays or holiday weekends is allowed. Please check with the permit office for holiday restrictions.
LEGAL DIMENSIONS
Length
53' trailer on designated highways
48' trailer on all other roads
No overall designated legal length on all highways for 48' trailer, 60' overall on non-designated
For 53' trailer, no overall designated length on Interstates or federally designated highways
In NC, only Interstates and a few sections of 4-lane US Highways are considered federally designated highways. On other routes, including most US Highways, the legal overall length is 60 feet.
53' semitrailer must not exceed 41' center of kingpin to center of rear tandem
Overhang
Front - 5'
Rear - 5'
Note: There are length restrictions for non-designated routes on 53' trailers.
Width
8’6" on Interstate and designated highways
8' on other roads
Height
13’6"
Weight
Gross - 80,000
Single - 20,000
Tandem - 38,000
Tridem - depends on spacings
ROUTINE PERMIT LIMITS
Length
105'
Beams and girders maximum 120'
Width
15'
Height
No set limits - determined by route. Loads over 14' may require additional processing time.
Weight
Gross Weights:
5 axles - 112,000
6 axles - 120,000
7 axles - 132,000
Axle Weights:
Steer Axle - 20,000
Single - 25,000
Tandem - 50,000
Tridem - 60,000
Quad - 68,000
Weights over 132,000 or widths over 15' are considered superloads. A letter from the shipper must be included with a superload application.
ESCORTS
Length
Over 110' - 1 escort
Over 150' - 2 escorts
Overhang
Over 15' front or rear - 1 escort
Width
Over 12' - 1 escort
Over 14' - 2 escorts on 2 lane or 2 way roads
Over 15' wide may require police escorts
Height
Over 14’5" - 1 escort with high pole
Note: For I-40 tunnels near TN line:
Eastbound and over 13’11" - 1 escort with height pole
Westbound and over 14’2" - 1 escort with height pole
Weight
Over 149,999 pounds - 1 escort.
MISCELLANEOUS
Blades and buckets which cannot be angled to not exceed 14 feet in width must be removed. A blade or bucket, if it is part of the original equipment being hauled, may be detached and hauled with the equipment without being considered a divisible load. Beams, poles, pipes, structural materials don't require a permit up to 85 feet long, but must be hauled during daylight only, on Interstates and designated roads.
Multiple pieces rule: NC does not allow or permit for multiple pieces on an overlength vehicle/load (over 60’ overall length) on “non-designated” highways. If you are hauling two farm tractors end-to-end and your overall length is 70 feet, a NC permit cannot be obtained except for Interstate and “designated” US routes (mainly 4-lane US highways). If your route is on other highways (including most US Highways), NC will not grant a permit unless it is claimed for a single piece.
SIGNS, FLAGS & LIGHTS
“Oversize Load” signs are required at the front and rear for all loads exceeding 10 feet wide. Flags are required on each corner and at the widest point of the load for all loads over 8’6″ wide. However, the flags "...shall be so mounted as to not increase the overall width of the load." Rear overhang in excess of 4 feet requires a flag, or at night a red or amber light visible for at least 200 feet.