Arkansas 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 Arkansas Highway Police Division, ARDOT Permit Section.
AR, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Arkansas
Oversize permit required in Arkansas
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Arkansas Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Arkansas 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 | 14 ft 0 in |
| Legal length | Not confirmed — check your permit conditions |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Arkansas Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Daylight hours only (NOAA); no movement through Greater Little Rock on I-30, I-40, I-630 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.; not valid when visibility under 500 ft or in inclement weather.
- Weekend movement
- Permits may be issued for Saturday and Sunday movement (daylight) unless the weekend is restricted by a Monday/Friday holiday.
- Holiday restrictions
- Rule 2.E.6-7: no permits for movement on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day; if the holiday is observed on Monday or Friday, weekend movement following a Friday observance or preceding a Monday observance is not allowed. Movement is daylight-only, so the restriction effectively ends at sunset on the holiday. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Arkansas Pilot Car Requirements
On Interstates and divided 4+ lane highways loads over 14 ft wide need one rear escort; on other roads over 12 to 14 ft needs a front escort and over 14 ft front and rear; over 15 ft high needs a front clearance-bar escort; 100 ft+ needs one escort.
| First pilot car (width) | 14 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Height-pole escort | 15 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 100 ft 0 in long and over |
Arkansas pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Oklahoma, Tennessee.
How to order a Arkansas oversize permit
Arkansas Highway Police Division, ARDOT Permit Section
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator, or browse motor carriers in Arkansas.
Crossing Arkansas without Arkansas apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Arkansas Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Arkansas?
- Daylight hours only (NOAA); no movement through Greater Little Rock on I-30, I-40, I-630 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.; not valid when visibility under 500 ft or in inclement weather. Weekends: Permits may be issued for Saturday and Sunday movement (daylight) unless the weekend is restricted by a Monday/Friday holiday.
- When is a pilot car required in Arkansas?
- On Interstates and divided 4+ lane highways loads over 14 ft wide need one rear escort; on other roads over 12 to 14 ft needs a front escort and over 14 ft front and rear; over 15 ft high needs a front clearance-bar escort; 100 ft+ needs one escort. Height: 15 ft 0 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Arkansas?
- The standard legal width in Arkansas 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 Arkansas without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Arkansas is 14 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 Arkansas?
- Rule 2.E.6-7: no permits for movement on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day; if the holiday is observed on Monday or Friday, weekend movement following a Friday observance or preceding a Monday observance is not allowed. Movement is daylight-only, so the restriction effectively ends at sunset on the holiday.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Arkansas?
- Apply through Arkansas Highway Police Division, ARDOT Permit Section (501-569-2381) 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 Arkansas rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Source is the 2023 ARDOT Permit Rules (linked from ARDOT page). Two-escort threshold on interstate/divided highways is not stated (one rear escort over 14 ft there; max interstate width 18 ft); on other highways over 14 ft needs two. Two-lane roads over 115 ft need front and rear. Manufactured homes have separate rules. Legal length not stated in the permit rules ('determined by trailer length as required by law'); legal width 8 ft 6 in, height 14 ft, 80,000 lb on 5+ axles per rules table.