Alaska Oversize Load Permit Requirements
Legal truck dimensions, oversize load travel hours, pilot car and escort requirements, and how to order an oversize/overweight permit from Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office).
AK, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Alaska
Oversize permit required in Alaska
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Alaska Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Alaska highways without an oversize permit. Exceed any one of them and you need a permit before you move.
| Legal width | 8 ft 6 in |
|---|---|
| Legal height | 15 ft 0 in |
| Legal length | Cargo-carrying semitrailer/trailer 53 ft; truck + one trailer or tractor + two units 75 ft overall; tractor + single semitrailer has no overall limit; power unit 45 ft (17 AAC 25). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Alaska Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Over-width loads restricted to daylight hours unless equipped with required lighting and retroreflective tape (Hours of Darkness attachment); permits may carry peak-traffic restrictions in urban areas (Anchorage, Fairbanks, etc.).
- Weekend movement
- Permits may be issued with weekend restrictions: no movement after noon Saturday or any time Sunday (loads over 10 ft 6 in wide etc.); exception north/east of Fox Weigh Station Oct 1 to Apr 15.
- Holiday restrictions
- Administrative Permit Manual sec. 14: oversize/overweight movement prohibited for Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day; for Sunday/Monday holidays restricted 84 hours beginning noon the previous Friday; for Friday/Saturday holidays 84 hours beginning noon the previous Thursday (end is roughly midnight after the holiday). See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Alaska Pilot Car Requirements
Over 10 ft 6 in to 12 ft wide needs one pilot car; over 12 to 14 ft needs two; over 14 to 18 ft needs three; over 17 ft high needs a front pilot car with height pole; combinations over 85 ft need one pilot car.
| First pilot car (width) | 10 ft 6 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 12 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 17 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 85 ft 0 in long and over |
How to order a Alaska oversize permit
Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office)
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Alaska without Alaska apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Alaska Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Alaska?
- Over-width loads restricted to daylight hours unless equipped with required lighting and retroreflective tape (Hours of Darkness attachment); permits may carry peak-traffic restrictions in urban areas (Anchorage, Fairbanks, etc.). Weekends: Permits may be issued with weekend restrictions: no movement after noon Saturday or any time Sunday (loads over 10 ft 6 in wide etc.); exception north/east of Fox Weigh Station Oct 1 to Apr 15.
- When is a pilot car required in Alaska?
- Over 10 ft 6 in to 12 ft wide needs one pilot car; over 12 to 14 ft needs two; over 14 to 18 ft needs three; over 17 ft high needs a front pilot car with height pole; combinations over 85 ft need one pilot car. Height: 17 ft 0 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Alaska?
- The standard legal width in Alaska is 8 ft 6 in (102 inches), the federal minimum width allowed on the National Network of highways. A load wider than that needs an oversize permit.
- How tall can a truck be in Alaska without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Alaska is 15 ft 0 in, measured from the road surface to the highest point of the vehicle or load. Taller loads need an oversize permit and a surveyed route for bridge and wire clearances.
- Can oversize loads move on holidays in Alaska?
- Administrative Permit Manual sec. 14: oversize/overweight movement prohibited for Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day; for Sunday/Monday holidays restricted 84 hours beginning noon the previous Friday; for Friday/Saturday holidays 84 hours beginning noon the previous Thursday (end is roughly midnight after the holiday).
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Alaska?
- Apply through Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office) (907-365-1200 (option 2); toll free 800-478-7636) or its online permit portal. Have your USDOT number, vehicle and load dimensions, axle weights and route ready. Permit expediting agents can file on your behalf if you need the permit the same day.
Regulations change. This page summarises published Alaska rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Gross weight null: Alaska uses bridge gross weight formulas in 17 AAC 25. Legal height 15 ft (17 ft Fox Weigh Station to Prudhoe Bay). Manual sec. 6: escorts statewide, no front/rear split stated beyond front when only one car. Height pole: manual 9.3.4 over 17 ft; General Info sheet also says over 16 ft 6 in on Glenn Hwy MP 0-27; not required north of Fox. Length: single units over 65 ft one escort, over 85 ft two; combinations over 85-100 ft one, 100-150 two, over 150 three. Online permit portal akswoop.com.