Do Delaware and Maryland require pilot cars at the same width?

Both states require the first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide.

Is the legal truck height the same in Delaware and Maryland?

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

Do I need a separate permit for each state between Delaware and Maryland?

Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from DelDOT Hauling Permit Office and one from MDOT State Highway Administration (SHA) Hauling Permit Office, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in Delaware and Maryland?

Delaware: Oversize and overweight loads (Load Codes 1, 2, 4) move sunrise to sunset. Loads up to 75 ft long, 12 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 120,000 lb may be approved for night moves 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday-Friday. Other night moves need special lighting and possibly escorts or State Police. Maryland: Loads up to and including 225k GVW, 13 ft 11 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 139 ft long may move 24/7. Loads 14 ft wide or more: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on any highway. Superloads (over 150,000 lb): day moves 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., night moves 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. Toll, bridge and tunnel curfews noted on permit. The conditions printed on the permit control.

Delaware vs Maryland Oversize Load Rules

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

I-95, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the Delaware and Maryland border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: Both states require the first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide.
Height pole: Maryland sets a height-pole trigger at 14 ft 6 in; Delaware does not publish one, so check the permit.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Delaware

Oversize permit required
No width escort

Maryland

Oversize permit required
No width escort

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

Side by side

Delaware and Maryland oversize load rules compared
Rule	Delaware	Maryland
Legal width	8 ft 6 in	8 ft 6 in
Legal height	13 ft 6 in	13 ft 6 in
Legal length	Single motor vehicle 40 ft; semitrailer 53 ft on Interstate/US routes (60 ft combination limit on other roads, 29 ft trailer in tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination).	Semi-trailers over 48 ft up to 53 ft are allowed on interstates and the Maryland truck route system; indivisible loads over 70 ft need a permit (pilings, poles and mill logs over 75 ft); load extensions max 3 ft front and 6 ft rear.
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
First pilot car at	13 ft 0 in	13 ft 0 in
Second pilot car at	14 ft 0 in	14 ft 0 in
Height pole at	Not confirmed	14 ft 6 in
Length escort at	90 ft 0 in	85 ft 0 in
Travel hours	Oversize and overweight loads (Load Codes 1, 2, 4) move sunrise to sunset. Loads up to 75 ft long, 12 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 120,000 lb may be approved for night moves 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday-Friday. Other night moves need special lighting and possibly escorts or State Police.	Loads up to and including 225k GVW, 13 ft 11 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 139 ft long may move 24/7. Loads 14 ft wide or more: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on any highway. Superloads (over 150,000 lb): day moves 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., night moves 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. Toll, bridge and tunnel curfews noted on permit.
Weekends	Standard oversize and overweight permits allow movement Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset; DelDOT may restrict moves case by case.	No weekend ban stated on the SHA page; curfews noted on the permit apply.
Trip permit	Fee not confirmed	Fee not confirmed
Permit office	DelDOT Hauling Permit Office	1-800-846-6435 (MDOT State Highway Administration (SHA) Hauling Permit Office)

Go deeper

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

Delaware and Maryland FAQs

Do Delaware and Maryland require pilot cars at the same width?: Both states require the first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide.
Is the legal truck height the same in Delaware and Maryland?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between Delaware and Maryland?: Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from DelDOT Hauling Permit Office and one from MDOT State Highway Administration (SHA) Hauling Permit Office, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in Delaware and Maryland?: Delaware: Oversize and overweight loads (Load Codes 1, 2, 4) move sunrise to sunset. Loads up to 75 ft long, 12 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 120,000 lb may be approved for night moves 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday-Friday. Other night moves need special lighting and possibly escorts or State Police. Maryland: Loads up to and including 225k GVW, 13 ft 11 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 139 ft long may move 24/7. Loads 14 ft wide or more: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on any highway. Superloads (over 150,000 lb): day moves 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., night moves 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. Toll, bridge and tunnel curfews noted on permit. 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.