Do Delaware and New Jersey require pilot cars at the same width?

Delaware requires a pilot car from 13 ft 0 in wide; New Jersey waits until 14 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Delaware only.

Is the legal truck height the same in Delaware and New Jersey?

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

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

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 NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in Delaware and New Jersey?

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. New Jersey: Oversize permits not valid from sunset to sunrise, when visibility is under 500 ft, or in hazardous conditions (night waiver possible with an extra escort). Overweight-only permits travel 24 hours, 7 days. The conditions printed on the permit control.

Delaware vs New Jersey Oversize Load Rules

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

I-95, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the Delaware and New Jersey border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: Delaware requires a pilot car from 13 ft 0 in wide; New Jersey waits until 14 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Delaware only.
Second pilot car: Delaware adds a second escort at 14 ft 0 in wide; New Jersey at 16 ft 0 in.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Delaware

Oversize permit required
No width escort

New Jersey

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 New Jersey oversize load rules compared
Rule	Delaware	New Jersey
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).	Single vehicle 40 ft (50 ft for indivisible poles/pilings); semi-trailer 53 ft; combinations with two trailers have separate limits under N.J.S.A. 39:3-84.
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
First pilot car at	13 ft 0 in	14 ft 0 in
Second pilot car at	14 ft 0 in	16 ft 0 in
Height pole at	Not confirmed	Not confirmed
Length escort at	90 ft 0 in	100 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.	Oversize permits not valid from sunset to sunrise, when visibility is under 500 ft, or in hazardous conditions (night waiver possible with an extra escort). Overweight-only permits travel 24 hours, 7 days.
Weekends	Standard oversize and overweight permits allow movement Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset; DelDOT may restrict moves case by case.	No weekend ban found for oversize permits; restrictions are holiday and daylight based.
Trip permit	Fee not confirmed	Not confirmed
Permit office	DelDOT Hauling Permit Office	NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC)

Go deeper

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

Delaware and New Jersey FAQs

Do Delaware and New Jersey require pilot cars at the same width?: Delaware requires a pilot car from 13 ft 0 in wide; New Jersey waits until 14 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Delaware only.
Is the legal truck height the same in Delaware and New Jersey?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between Delaware and New Jersey?: 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 NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in Delaware and New Jersey?: 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. New Jersey: Oversize permits not valid from sunset to sunrise, when visibility is under 500 ft, or in hazardous conditions (night waiver possible with an extra escort). Overweight-only permits travel 24 hours, 7 days. 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.