Delaware Pilot Car Requirements
When Delaware requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by DelDOT Hauling Permit Office.
DE, reviewed October 2026
The short answer for Delaware
Loads wider than 13 ft 0 in need a pilot car in Delaware, and wider than 14 ft 0 in need two.
Delaware asks for a first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide. 16 of the 45 states that publish a width wait until a wider load, and 24 start earlier; 4 more match it.
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.
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 escort thresholds
| First pilot car | 13 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Second pilot car | 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 |
Pilot cars by load width in Delaware
Escorts to plan for at each width, from the thresholds above. The permit sets front and rear positions.
| Load width | Pilot cars |
|---|---|
| 8 ft 6 in (legal width) | None required for width |
| 9 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 10 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 11 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 12 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 13 ft 0 in | 1 pilot car |
| 14 ft 0 in | 2 pilot cars |
| 15 ft 0 in | 2 pilot cars |
| 16 ft 0 in | 2 pilot cars |
Before you book an escort
- Read the escort conditions on your Delaware permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
- Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at DelDOT Hauling Permit Office.
- See the full Delaware oversize guide for legal dimensions, travel hours and holiday limits. New to the terms? The glossary covers pilot car and height pole.
Crossing a border? Compare Delaware with a neighbor: Maryland, New Jersey.
Delaware Pilot Car FAQs
- How wide can a load be in Delaware before it needs a pilot car?
- Delaware requires the first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide and a second at 14 ft 0 in wide. Loads up to the 8 ft 6 in legal width travel without a width escort.
- When does Delaware require a height pole car?
- Delaware does not publish a single height at which a pole car is required in the sources we reviewed. Confirm it with DelDOT Hauling Permit Office; permit conditions often set it per route.
- Is a pilot car required for long loads in Delaware?
- Delaware lists a length trigger of 90 ft 0 in for an escort. Check the permit for how many escorts a long load needs.
- Do I need Delaware pilot car certification?
- Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from DelDOT Hauling Permit Office state who may escort a load, so confirm certification and insurance requirements there before you book an escort.
- Where do the pilot car numbers on this page come from?
- They are taken from Delaware's published permit rules and statutes, reviewed in October 2026, with the source links listed on this page. Where a figure could not be confirmed it is marked as not confirmed rather than estimated.
Summary of first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide, two at 14 ft 0 in, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.