Delaware 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 DelDOT Hauling Permit Office.
DE, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Delaware
Oversize permit required in Delaware
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Delaware Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Delaware 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 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). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Delaware Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- 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.
- Weekend movement
- Standard oversize and overweight permits allow movement Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset; DelDOT may restrict moves case by case.
- Holiday restrictions
- Reg 4.2.4: permitted vehicles and loads are prohibited from traveling on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Movement may also be prohibited on other days or hours; exact days and times are on DelDOT's OSOW system Holiday Restrictions page (not retrievable here). See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Delaware Pilot Car Requirements
Over 13 ft wide needs one escort (rear on multilane, front on two-lane); over 14 ft front and rear; over 15 ft adds State Police; 90 ft long needs a rear escort, 100 ft front and rear.
| First pilot car (width) | 13 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 14 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Length escort | 90 ft 0 in long and over |
Delaware pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Maryland, New Jersey.
How to order a Delaware oversize permit
DelDOT Hauling Permit Office
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Delaware without Delaware apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Delaware Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in 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. Weekends: Standard oversize and overweight permits allow movement Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset; DelDOT may restrict moves case by case.
- When is a pilot car required in Delaware?
- Over 13 ft wide needs one escort (rear on multilane, front on two-lane); over 14 ft front and rear; over 15 ft adds State Police; 90 ft long needs a rear escort, 100 ft front and rear.
- What is the legal truck width in Delaware?
- The standard legal width in Delaware 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 Delaware without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Delaware 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 Delaware?
- Reg 4.2.4: permitted vehicles and loads are prohibited from traveling on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Movement may also be prohibited on other days or hours; exact days and times are on DelDOT's OSOW system Holiday Restrictions page (not retrievable here).
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Delaware?
- Apply through DelDOT Hauling Permit Office 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 Delaware rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Source is 2 DE Admin Code 2405 (policy manual). Height: two escorts (front and rear) at 15 ft or more, State Police added at 17 ft 6 in; no explicit height-pole requirement found. Length: 90 ft rear, 100 ft front+rear, 120 ft adds DSP; rear overhang 15 ft needs rear escort; loads over 120,000 lb need two escorts. Escorts for loads 12 ft or less may still be required if they cannot move with traffic flow. Legal height is 13 ft 6 in; legal weight table is 40,000 (2-axle), 65,000 (3-axle), 73,280 (4-axle), 80,000 (5+ axles). Some third-party sites say weekend travel is not allowed; the regulation text says Monday through Sunday, so verify on the permit. Escort-requirement removal of Delaware State Police was mentioned in a DelDOT news snippet but not confirmed; reg text still lists DSP.