Do Illinois and Indiana require pilot cars at the same width?

Indiana requires a pilot car from 12 ft 4 in wide; Illinois waits until 14 ft 6 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Indiana only.

Is the legal truck height the same in Illinois and Indiana?

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

Do I need a separate permit for each state between Illinois and Indiana?

Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from IDOT Bureau of Operations, Permit Office and one from Indiana Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services (OSOW unit), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in Illinois and Indiana?

Illinois: Legal-size overweight: 24/7. Up to 12 ft wide, 13'6" high, 200 ft long: 24/7 (extra civilian escort at night). Up to 14'6" wide, 15 ft high, 200 ft long: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. Up to 16 ft wide, 17 ft high: sunrise-sunset Mon-Fri and until noon Saturday. Wider/taller than 16/17 ft: 9 am to 3 pm Mon-Fri. Indiana: Up to 110 ft long, 10 ft wide, 13'6" high and under 200,000 lbs: continuous 7 days. Over 110 ft long or 10-14'4" wide up to 15 ft high: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. 14'4" to 16 ft wide: same hours, Mon-Fri. Over 16 ft wide, over 15 ft high or over 200,000 lbs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The conditions printed on the permit control.

Illinois vs Indiana Oversize Load Rules

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

I-70, I-80, I-90, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the Illinois and Indiana border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: Indiana requires a pilot car from 12 ft 4 in wide; Illinois waits until 14 ft 6 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Indiana only.
Height pole: Indiana sets a height-pole trigger at 14 ft 6 in; Illinois does not publish one, so check the permit.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Illinois

Oversize permit required
No width escort

Indiana

Oversize permit required
No width escort

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

Side by side

Illinois and Indiana oversize load rules compared
Rule	Illinois	Indiana
Legal width	8 ft 6 in	8 ft 6 in
Legal height	13 ft 6 in	13 ft 6 in
Legal length	Semitrailer 53 ft on Class I/II designated highways; single truck 42 ft; tractor-semitrailer overall 65 ft on non-designated highways (no overall limit on Class I/II); doubles 28.5 ft per trailer on Class I/II (IDOT OPER 753).	Semi-tractor-semitrailer combination 53 ft; two-vehicle combinations totaling 60 ft or more are not eligible for OSOW permits unless a registered tractor-trailer or a fifth-wheel travel trailer.
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
First pilot car at	14 ft 6 in	12 ft 4 in
Second pilot car at	Not confirmed	14 ft 4 in
Height pole at	Not confirmed	14 ft 6 in
Length escort at	110 ft 0 in	110 ft 0 in
Travel hours	Legal-size overweight: 24/7. Up to 12 ft wide, 13'6" high, 200 ft long: 24/7 (extra civilian escort at night). Up to 14'6" wide, 15 ft high, 200 ft long: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. Up to 16 ft wide, 17 ft high: sunrise-sunset Mon-Fri and until noon Saturday. Wider/taller than 16/17 ft: 9 am to 3 pm Mon-Fri.	Up to 110 ft long, 10 ft wide, 13'6" high and under 200,000 lbs: continuous 7 days. Over 110 ft long or 10-14'4" wide up to 15 ft high: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. 14'4" to 16 ft wide: same hours, Mon-Fri. Over 16 ft wide, over 15 ft high or over 200,000 lbs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Weekends	Loads up to 14'6" wide/15 ft high move 7 days a week in daylight; up to 16 ft wide/17 ft high Saturday until noon only; loads over 200 ft long or over 16 ft wide/17 ft high have no Saturday or Sunday movement unless the permit says otherwise.	Loads up to 110 ft x 10 ft x 13'6" move continuously 7 days; 10-14'4" wide loads move 7 days in daylight; 14'4"-16 ft wide Monday-Friday only; over 16 ft wide Monday-Friday 8:30-3:30; mobile homes 8'6"-14'4" wide Mon-Fri and Saturday until noon.
Trip permit	Fee not confirmed	Fee not confirmed
Permit office	(217) 785-1477 (IDOT Bureau of Operations, Permit Office)	317-615-7200 (Indiana Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services (OSOW unit))

Go deeper

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

Illinois and Indiana FAQs

Do Illinois and Indiana require pilot cars at the same width?: Indiana requires a pilot car from 12 ft 4 in wide; Illinois waits until 14 ft 6 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Indiana only.
Is the legal truck height the same in Illinois and Indiana?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between Illinois and Indiana?: Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from IDOT Bureau of Operations, Permit Office and one from Indiana Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services (OSOW unit), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in Illinois and Indiana?: Illinois: Legal-size overweight: 24/7. Up to 12 ft wide, 13'6" high, 200 ft long: 24/7 (extra civilian escort at night). Up to 14'6" wide, 15 ft high, 200 ft long: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. Up to 16 ft wide, 17 ft high: sunrise-sunset Mon-Fri and until noon Saturday. Wider/taller than 16/17 ft: 9 am to 3 pm Mon-Fri. Indiana: Up to 110 ft long, 10 ft wide, 13'6" high and under 200,000 lbs: continuous 7 days. Over 110 ft long or 10-14'4" wide up to 15 ft high: 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset, 7 days. 14'4" to 16 ft wide: same hours, Mon-Fri. Over 16 ft wide, over 15 ft high or over 200,000 lbs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. 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.