Kentucky 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 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits.
KY, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Kentucky
Oversize permit required in Kentucky
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Kentucky Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Kentucky 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 | 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. |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Kentucky Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- 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.
- Weekend movement
- 7 days a week allowed for OW/OD loads unless noted on the permit; mobile homes may not move on Sunday.
- Holiday restrictions
- Kentucky does not have any holiday restrictions unless otherwise noted on the permit (KYTC OW/OD FAQ). See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Kentucky Pilot Car Requirements
Multilane: rear escort over 12 ft wide or 110 ft long, front and rear over 14 ft wide, 2 front and 2 rear over 16 ft; two-lane: front and rear over 12 ft wide, front over 75 ft long; front height-pole escort over 14 ft 11 in high.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 14 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 14 ft 11 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 110 ft 0 in long and over |
Kentucky pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Ohio, Tennessee.
How to order a Kentucky oversize permit
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Kentucky without Kentucky apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Kentucky Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in 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. Weekends: 7 days a week allowed for OW/OD loads unless noted on the permit; mobile homes may not move on Sunday.
- When is a pilot car required in Kentucky?
- Multilane: rear escort over 12 ft wide or 110 ft long, front and rear over 14 ft wide, 2 front and 2 rear over 16 ft; two-lane: front and rear over 12 ft wide, front over 75 ft long; front height-pole escort over 14 ft 11 in high. Height: 14 ft 11 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Kentucky?
- The standard legal width in Kentucky 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 Kentucky without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
- Kentucky does not have any holiday restrictions unless otherwise noted on the permit (KYTC OW/OD FAQ).
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Kentucky?
- Apply through Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers - Overweight/Over-Dimensional Permits 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 Kentucky rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Escort values are for multilane highways: rear escort at >12 ft, front+rear (two escorts) at >14 ft, 2 front + 2 rear at >16 ft. On two-lane roads front+rear escorts start at >12 ft. Height pole: front escort with height pole over 14 ft 11 in (14.9167 ft); route survey form over 15 ft 6 in. Rear escort also needed for overhang over 10 ft. Legal width 8 ft on non-designated highways, 8 ft 6 in on interstates/designated. Single trip OW/OD permit $60, valid 10 days. No permit phone on the fetched pages (permits are portal only, not issued by phone).