Connecticut Oversize Load Permit Requirements
Legal truck dimensions, oversize load travel hours, pilot car and escort requirements, and how to order an oversize/overweight permit from CTDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office (applications via CT DMV CVO WebPortal).
CT, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Connecticut
Oversize permit required in Connecticut
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Connecticut Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Connecticut highways without an oversize permit. Exceed any one of them and you need a permit before you move.
| Legal width | 8 ft 6 in |
|---|---|
| Legal height | 13 ft 6 in |
| Legal length | Single vehicle 45 ft; trailers with 43 ft kingpin-to-rear-axle limit 53 ft (CTDOT FAQ legal dimensions table). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Connecticut Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Single trip permits are valid for one trip and return over a three-day period, during daylight hours. Superloads are nighttime only with State Police escort. CTDOT may add restrictions (time of day, construction) on the permit.
- Weekend movement
- Standard single-trip permits are daylight weekday moves; weekend permits (Saturday and Sunday only, daylight to noon) are available on request for loads up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 80 ft long and 160,000 lb.
- Holiday restrictions
- 2026 CTDOT list: New Year's Day (Jan 1); Good Friday (Fri Apr 3 until daylight Mon Apr 6); Memorial Day (begin Fri May 22 at 12:00 noon until daylight Tue May 26); Independence Day (Sat Jul 4); Labor Day (begin Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 noon until daylight Tue Sep 8); Thanksgiving (begin Wed Nov 25 at 12:00 noon until daylight Mon Nov 30); Christmas (begin Thu Dec 24 at 12:00 noon until daylight Sat Dec 26). Good Friday is also restricted. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Connecticut Pilot Car Requirements
Civilian escort over 12 ft wide (rear on divided highways, front on undivided); front and rear over 13 ft 6 in; front pole car over 14 ft high; rear escort over 100 ft long; State Police may be added at permit issuance.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 13 ft 6 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 14 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 100 ft 0 in long and over |
Connecticut pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with New York, Rhode Island.
How to order a Connecticut oversize permit
CTDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office (applications via CT DMV CVO WebPortal)
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Connecticut without Connecticut apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Connecticut Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Connecticut?
- Single trip permits are valid for one trip and return over a three-day period, during daylight hours. Superloads are nighttime only with State Police escort. CTDOT may add restrictions (time of day, construction) on the permit. Weekends: Standard single-trip permits are daylight weekday moves; weekend permits (Saturday and Sunday only, daylight to noon) are available on request for loads up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 80 ft long and 160,000 lb.
- When is a pilot car required in Connecticut?
- Civilian escort over 12 ft wide (rear on divided highways, front on undivided); front and rear over 13 ft 6 in; front pole car over 14 ft high; rear escort over 100 ft long; State Police may be added at permit issuance. Height: 14 ft 0 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Connecticut?
- The standard legal width in Connecticut is 8 ft 6 in (102 inches), the federal minimum width allowed on the National Network of highways. A load wider than that needs an oversize permit.
- How tall can a truck be in Connecticut without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Connecticut is 13 ft 6 in, measured from the road surface to the highest point of the vehicle or load. Taller loads need an oversize permit and a surveyed route for bridge and wire clearances.
- Can oversize loads move on holidays in Connecticut?
- 2026 CTDOT list: New Year's Day (Jan 1); Good Friday (Fri Apr 3 until daylight Mon Apr 6); Memorial Day (begin Fri May 22 at 12:00 noon until daylight Tue May 26); Independence Day (Sat Jul 4); Labor Day (begin Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 noon until daylight Tue Sep 8); Thanksgiving (begin Wed Nov 25 at 12:00 noon until daylight Mon Nov 30); Christmas (begin Thu Dec 24 at 12:00 noon until daylight Sat Dec 26). Good Friday is also restricted.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Connecticut?
- Apply through CTDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office (applications via CT DMV CVO WebPortal) or its online permit portal. Have your USDOT number, vehicle and load dimensions, axle weights and route ready. Permit expediting agents can file on your behalf if you need the permit the same day.
Regulations change. This page summarises published Connecticut rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Escort table on the CTDOT FAQ was parsed from a flattened table: for manufactured goods over 12 ft up to 13 ft 6 in the layout indicates rear escort on divided highways and front escort on undivided highways (consistent with CGS 14-270 summary by CGA OLR, which says one civilian escort precedes loads 12-13.5 ft wide on undivided highways); at 13 ft 6 in and wider both front and rear on all highways; at 15 ft or wider the table shows two rear escorts; State Police escort need is decided by CTDOT at permit issuance. Height: the CTDOT table shows a front escort over 14 ft and the FAQ text says a front pole car at 14 ft 6 in or higher; the lower 14 ft is used because the table itself shows 14 ft. Confirm with CTDOT. Length: over 80 ft front escort on undivided; over 100 ft rear (divided and undivided); over 119 ft 11 in both. Legal 80,000 lb applies to 5+ axle combos with 51 ft+ wheelbase; lesser configurations have lower limits. Base permit fee $30 plus $12 electronic fee. CTDOT phone for permit office not shown on official page (only email dot.osowpermits@ct.gov).