Do Alabama and Mississippi require pilot cars at the same width?

Alabama requires a pilot car from 12 ft 0 in wide; Mississippi waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Alabama only.

Is the legal truck height the same in Alabama and Mississippi?

Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.

Do I need a separate permit for each state between Alabama and Mississippi?

Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from ALDOT Maintenance Bureau - Vehicle Enforcement (OS/OW Permit Office) and one from MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in Alabama and Mississippi?

Alabama: Daylight hours only; no night movement for permitted vehicles (ALDOT Rule 450-3-1-.04). Mississippi: Daylight hours only for most oversize loads: sunrise to sunset for loads 12 ft wide or less; 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset for loads over 12 ft. Limited night movement for loads up to 12 ft wide, 150,000 lb, 99 ft long. The conditions printed on the permit control.

Alabama vs Mississippi Oversize Load Rules

What changes for an oversize load between Alabama and Mississippi: legal height, pilot car triggers, height poles and travel hours.

I-10, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the Alabama and Mississippi border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: Alabama requires a pilot car from 12 ft 0 in wide; Mississippi waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Alabama only.
Height pole: Alabama requires a height-pole escort from 15 ft 6 in; Mississippi from 15 ft 7 in.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Alabama

Oversize permit required
No width escort

Mississippi

Oversize permit required
No width escort

11 ft 0 in wide, 14 ft 0 in tall. Length is not checked here.

Side by side

Alabama and Mississippi oversize load rules compared
Rule	Alabama	Mississippi
Legal width	8 ft 6 in	8 ft 6 in
Legal height	13 ft 6 in	13 ft 6 in
Legal length	Single vehicle 40 ft; semitrailer in tractor-semitrailer 57 ft; each unit of doubles 28.5 ft; max 5 ft overhang front/rear (Code of Ala. 32-9-20).	53 ft trailer; 99 ft overall; overhang 3 ft front, 14 ft 11 in rear (28 ft forest products).
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
First pilot car at	12 ft 0 in	13 ft 0 in
Second pilot car at	14 ft 0 in	Not confirmed
Height pole at	15 ft 6 in	15 ft 7 in
Length escort at	90 ft 0 in	99 ft 0 in
Travel hours	Daylight hours only; no night movement for permitted vehicles (ALDOT Rule 450-3-1-.04).	Daylight hours only for most oversize loads: sunrise to sunset for loads 12 ft wide or less; 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset for loads over 12 ft. Limited night movement for loads up to 12 ft wide, 150,000 lb, 99 ft long.
Weekends	No permitted travel on Sundays; Saturdays allowed in daylight.	No general weekend ban found in the MDOT manual; Special Heavy Equipment Blanket permits allow 24/7 movement of loads up to 12 ft wide, with daylight Monday-Saturday moves for loads over 12 to 14 ft wide.
Trip permit	$20.00	$25.00
Permit office	800-499-2782 (ALDOT Maintenance Bureau - Vehicle Enforcement (OS/OW Permit Office))	MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division

Go deeper

Pilot car detail: Alabama, Mississippi
Full guides: Alabama, Mississippi
Running through both without local plates? Estimate the trip permit cost
Moving over a holiday? Check holiday restrictions

Alabama and Mississippi FAQs

Do Alabama and Mississippi require pilot cars at the same width?: Alabama requires a pilot car from 12 ft 0 in wide; Mississippi waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Alabama only.
Is the legal truck height the same in Alabama and Mississippi?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between Alabama and Mississippi?: Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from ALDOT Maintenance Bureau - Vehicle Enforcement (OS/OW Permit Office) and one from MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in Alabama and Mississippi?: Alabama: Daylight hours only; no night movement for permitted vehicles (ALDOT Rule 450-3-1-.04). Mississippi: Daylight hours only for most oversize loads: sunrise to sunset for loads 12 ft wide or less; 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset for loads over 12 ft. Limited night movement for loads up to 12 ft wide, 150,000 lb, 99 ft long. The conditions printed on the permit control.

Compiled from each state's published permit rules, reviewed October 2026. Not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.