Mississippi 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 MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division.
MS, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Mississippi
Oversize permit required in Mississippi
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Mississippi Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Mississippi 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 | 53 ft trailer; 99 ft overall; overhang 3 ft front, 14 ft 11 in rear (28 ft forest products). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Mississippi Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Daylight hours only for most oversize loads: sunrise to sunset for loads 12 ft wide or less; 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset for loads over 12 ft. Limited night movement for loads up to 12 ft wide, 150,000 lb, 99 ft long.
- Weekend movement
- No general weekend ban found in the MDOT manual; Special Heavy Equipment Blanket permits allow 24/7 movement of loads up to 12 ft wide, with daylight Monday-Saturday moves for loads over 12 to 14 ft wide.
- Holiday restrictions
- Movement will not be allowed after 12:00 noon on days preceding or on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, unless otherwise permitted. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Mississippi Pilot Car Requirements
In daylight, loads 13 ft wide or more need a rear escort on divided highways (front escort on two-lane roads); over 99 ft long needs front and/or rear escort; superloads 15 ft 7 in tall need a height pole.
| First pilot car (width) | 13 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Height-pole escort | 15 ft 7 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 99 ft 0 in long and over |
Mississippi pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Alabama, Louisiana.
How to order a Mississippi oversize permit
MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Mississippi without Mississippi apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Mississippi Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Mississippi?
- Daylight hours only for most oversize loads: sunrise to sunset for loads 12 ft wide or less; 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset for loads over 12 ft. Limited night movement for loads up to 12 ft wide, 150,000 lb, 99 ft long. Weekends: No general weekend ban found in the MDOT manual; Special Heavy Equipment Blanket permits allow 24/7 movement of loads up to 12 ft wide, with daylight Monday-Saturday moves for loads over 12 to 14 ft wide.
- When is a pilot car required in Mississippi?
- In daylight, loads 13 ft wide or more need a rear escort on divided highways (front escort on two-lane roads); over 99 ft long needs front and/or rear escort; superloads 15 ft 7 in tall need a height pole. Height: 15 ft 7 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Mississippi?
- The standard legal width in Mississippi 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 Mississippi without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Mississippi 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 Mississippi?
- Movement will not be allowed after 12:00 noon on days preceding or on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, unless otherwise permitted.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Mississippi?
- Apply through MDOT Office of Law Enforcement - Permits/Motor Carrier Division 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 Mississippi rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Two-lane roads: 13 ft wide needs front escort; police (blue light) escort may be required at 18 ft+. Height pole at 15 ft 7 in comes from the superload section only; superload starts at 17 ft wide. Two blue light escorts at 160 ft length or 300,000 lb. Holiday end time not stated. Permit portal is ExpressPass (permits.mdot.ms.gov), not fetched.