Alaska Pilot Car Requirements

When Alaska requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office).

AK, reviewed October 2026

The short answer for Alaska

Loads wider than 10 ft 6 in need a pilot car in Alaska, and wider than 12 ft 0 in need two. A height-pole escort is required at 17 ft 0 in tall.

Alaska asks for a first pilot car at 10 ft 6 in wide, as early as any of the 45 states that publish a width.

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.

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 escort thresholds

Alaska pilot car thresholds by dimension
First pilot car10 ft 6 in wide and over
Second pilot car12 ft 0 in wide and over
Height-pole escort17 ft 0 in tall and over
Length escort85 ft 0 in long and over

Pilot cars by load width in Alaska

Escorts to plan for at each width, from the thresholds above. The permit sets front and rear positions.

Pilot cars needed by load width in Alaska
Load widthPilot cars
8 ft 6 in (legal width)None required for width
9 ft 0 inNone required for width
10 ft 0 inNone required for width
11 ft 0 in1 pilot car
12 ft 0 in2 pilot cars
13 ft 0 in2 pilot cars
14 ft 0 in2 pilot cars
15 ft 0 in2 pilot cars
16 ft 0 in2 pilot cars

Height pole by load height in Alaska

Height pole escort by load height in Alaska
Load heightPermit neededHeight pole car
13 ft 6 inNoNot required
14 ft 0 inNoNot required
14 ft 6 inNoNot required
15 ft 0 inNoNot required
15 ft 6 inYesNot required
16 ft 0 inYesNot required

Before you book an escort

  • Read the escort conditions on your Alaska permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
  • Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office) (907-365-1200 (option 2); toll free 800-478-7636).
  • See the full Alaska oversize guide for legal dimensions, travel hours and holiday limits. New to the terms? The glossary covers pilot car and height pole.

Sources

Alaska Pilot Car FAQs

How wide can a load be in Alaska before it needs a pilot car?
Alaska requires the first pilot car at 10 ft 6 in wide and a second at 12 ft 0 in wide. Loads up to the 8 ft 6 in legal width travel without a width escort.
When does Alaska require a height pole car?
A height-pole escort is required at 17 ft 0 in tall and over in Alaska. The pole is set just above the load so the escort driver finds low wires and structures first.
Is a pilot car required for long loads in Alaska?
Alaska lists a length trigger of 85 ft 0 in for an escort. Check the permit for how many escorts a long load needs.
Do I need Alaska pilot car certification?
Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from Alaska DOT&PF Measurement Standards & Commercial Vehicle Compliance (Statewide OS/OW Permit Office) state who may escort a load, so confirm certification and insurance requirements there before you book an escort.
Where do the pilot car numbers on this page come from?
They are taken from Alaska's published permit rules and statutes, reviewed in October 2026, with the source links listed on this page. Where a figure could not be confirmed it is marked as not confirmed rather than estimated.

Summary of first pilot car at 10 ft 6 in wide, two at 12 ft 0 in, height pole at 17 ft 0 in, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.