Do Kentucky and Ohio require pilot cars at the same width?

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

Is the legal truck height the same in Kentucky and Ohio?

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

Do I need a separate permit for each state between Kentucky and Ohio?

Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits and one from ODOT Special Hauling Permits Office, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in Kentucky and Ohio?

Kentucky: OW/OD moves (except mobile homes) may travel 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted on the permit. Mobile homes: Monday-Saturday daylight hours only. No travel in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Fayette and Jefferson counties or at the Owensboro KY 2155 bridge Mon-Fri 7-9 am and 4-6 pm. Ohio: Daylight only, one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Loads over 12 ft wide are barred 6:30-9:00 am and 4:30-6:00 pm Monday to Friday in 22 listed counties (including Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Summit, Montgomery, Lucas). The conditions printed on the permit control.

Kentucky vs Ohio Oversize Load Rules

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

I-75, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the Kentucky and Ohio border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: Kentucky requires a pilot car from 12 ft 0 in wide; Ohio waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Kentucky only.
Second pilot car: Kentucky adds a second escort at 14 ft 0 in wide; Ohio at 14 ft 6 in.
Height pole: Ohio requires a height-pole escort from 14 ft 6 in; Kentucky from 14 ft 11 in.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Kentucky

Oversize permit required
No width escort

Ohio

Oversize permit required
No width escort

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

Side by side

Kentucky and Ohio oversize load rules compared
Rule	Kentucky	Ohio
Legal width	8 ft 6 in	8 ft 6 in
Legal height	13 ft 6 in	13 ft 6 in
Legal length	Max 53 ft trailer on interstates, parkways and designated highways; 65 ft overall (truck, trailer and load) on non-designated highways. Car haulers 14 ft height.	Semitrailer in a tractor-semitrailer combination 53 ft (ORC 5577.05); combination length limits not captured here.
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	14 ft 6 in
Height pole at	14 ft 11 in	14 ft 6 in
Length escort at	110 ft 0 in	90 ft 0 in
Travel hours	OW/OD moves (except mobile homes) may travel 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted on the permit. Mobile homes: Monday-Saturday daylight hours only. No travel in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Fayette and Jefferson counties or at the Owensboro KY 2155 bridge Mon-Fri 7-9 am and 4-6 pm.	Daylight only, one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Loads over 12 ft wide are barred 6:30-9:00 am and 4:30-6:00 pm Monday to Friday in 22 listed counties (including Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Summit, Montgomery, Lucas).
Weekends	7 days a week allowed for OW/OD loads unless noted on the permit; mobile homes may not move on Sunday.	Loads over 12 ft wide: no movement Saturday 3 pm to one-half hour before sunrise Sunday, Sunday 3 pm to one-half hour before sunrise Monday, and Friday 3 pm to one-half hour before sunrise Saturday (April 1 to November 30). Narrower loads may move Sunday through Saturday in daylight.
Trip permit	Fee not confirmed	$15.00
Permit office	Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits	614-351-2300 (ODOT Special Hauling Permits Office)

Go deeper

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

Kentucky and Ohio FAQs

Do Kentucky and Ohio require pilot cars at the same width?: Kentucky requires a pilot car from 12 ft 0 in wide; Ohio waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in Kentucky only.
Is the legal truck height the same in Kentucky and Ohio?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between Kentucky and Ohio?: Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits and one from ODOT Special Hauling Permits Office, each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in Kentucky and Ohio?: Kentucky: OW/OD moves (except mobile homes) may travel 24 hours a day unless otherwise noted on the permit. Mobile homes: Monday-Saturday daylight hours only. No travel in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Fayette and Jefferson counties or at the Owensboro KY 2155 bridge Mon-Fri 7-9 am and 4-6 pm. Ohio: Daylight only, one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Loads over 12 ft wide are barred 6:30-9:00 am and 4:30-6:00 pm Monday to Friday in 22 listed counties (including Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Summit, Montgomery, Lucas). 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.