Do New York and Pennsylvania require pilot cars at the same width?

New York requires a pilot car from 12 ft 1 in wide; Pennsylvania waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in New York only.

Is the legal truck height the same in New York and Pennsylvania?

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

Do I need a separate permit for each state between New York and Pennsylvania?

Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from NYSDOT Central Permit Office and one from PennDOT Central Permit Office (Hauling Permits), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.

Which travel hours apply in New York and Pennsylvania?

New York: Monday to Friday, daylight only (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset); no night travel unless specified on the permit. Loads 14 ft+ wide/high or 90 ft+ long are barred from business districts 7-9 am and 4-6 pm; loads 16 ft wide, 15 ft high or 100 ft long are barred statewide 7-9 am and 4-6 pm. Pennsylvania: Not permitted sunset to sunrise. In urbanized areas only 3-7:30 a.m. (with extra lighting and pilot cars front and rear), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to sunset; tunnels in Allegheny County 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The conditions printed on the permit control.

New York vs Pennsylvania Oversize Load Rules

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

I-90, reviewed October 2026

What changes at the New York and Pennsylvania border

Legal height: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
First pilot car: New York requires a pilot car from 12 ft 1 in wide; Pennsylvania waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in New York only.
Height pole: New York requires a height-pole escort from 14 ft 0 in; Pennsylvania from 14 ft 6 in.

Check one load against both states

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

New York

Oversize permit required
No width escort
Height pole car

Pennsylvania

Oversize permit required
No width escort

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

Side by side

New York and Pennsylvania oversize load rules compared
Rule	New York	Pennsylvania
Legal width	8 ft 6 in	8 ft 6 in
Legal height	13 ft 6 in	13 ft 6 in
Legal length	Single trailer 48 ft on state highways, 53 ft on qualifying/access highways; combination 65 ft on state highways, unlimited on qualifying highways; single vehicle 40 ft; twin trailers 28.5 ft each (VTL 385, per NYSDOT PERM 30).	Single vehicle 40 ft; single trailer towed by a truck or tractor 53 ft; two-trailer combinations 28.5 ft each trailer; no overall length limit for tractor-semitrailer.
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
First pilot car at	12 ft 1 in	13 ft 0 in
Second pilot car at	16 ft 0 in	Not confirmed
Height pole at	14 ft 0 in	14 ft 6 in
Length escort at	80 ft 0 in	90 ft 0 in
Travel hours	Monday to Friday, daylight only (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset); no night travel unless specified on the permit. Loads 14 ft+ wide/high or 90 ft+ long are barred from business districts 7-9 am and 4-6 pm; loads 16 ft wide, 15 ft high or 100 ft long are barred statewide 7-9 am and 4-6 pm.	Not permitted sunset to sunrise. In urbanized areas only 3-7:30 a.m. (with extra lighting and pilot cars front and rear), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to sunset; tunnels in Allegheny County 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Weekends	No movement on Sundays. No movement on Saturdays, except loads within 12 ft wide, 85 ft long and legal height that maintain normal highway speed may be permitted from one-half hour before sunrise until 12 noon Saturday.	No movement Saturday after 12 noon or any time Sunday (67 Pa. Code 179.10(7)); PA Turnpike has its own rules.
Trip permit	$18.75	$73.00
Permit office	888-783-1685 (NYSDOT Central Permit Office)	PennDOT Central Permit Office (Hauling Permits)

Go deeper

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

New York and Pennsylvania FAQs

Do New York and Pennsylvania require pilot cars at the same width?: New York requires a pilot car from 12 ft 1 in wide; Pennsylvania waits until 13 ft 0 in. A load between those widths needs an escort in New York only.
Is the legal truck height the same in New York and Pennsylvania?: Both states use the same legal height, 13 ft 6 in.
Do I need a separate permit for each state between New York and Pennsylvania?: Yes. Oversize and overweight permits are issued by each state, so a move through both needs a permit from NYSDOT Central Permit Office and one from PennDOT Central Permit Office (Hauling Permits), each with its own route, hours and escort conditions.
Which travel hours apply in New York and Pennsylvania?: New York: Monday to Friday, daylight only (one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset); no night travel unless specified on the permit. Loads 14 ft+ wide/high or 90 ft+ long are barred from business districts 7-9 am and 4-6 pm; loads 16 ft wide, 15 ft high or 100 ft long are barred statewide 7-9 am and 4-6 pm. Pennsylvania: Not permitted sunset to sunrise. In urbanized areas only 3-7:30 a.m. (with extra lighting and pilot cars front and rear), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and 7 p.m. to sunset; tunnels in Allegheny County 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 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.