Missouri 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 MoDOT Motor Carrier Services.
MO, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Missouri
Oversize permit required in Missouri
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Missouri Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Missouri 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 | 14 ft 0 in |
| Legal length | Trailer and load 53 ft; truck-trailer combination 65 ft; auto/boat transporter 75 ft (80 ft stinger-steered) plus overhangs; towed units 65 ft; single units 45 ft. Tractor-semitrailer overall limit not clearly stated. |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Missouri Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Night movement allowed for loads up to 12 ft 6 in wide, legal height and up to 110 ft long. Mon-Fri curfews in St. Louis, St. Charles, Kansas City and Springfield metro (about 6:30-9:00 a.m. and 3:30-6:30 p.m.; KC and Springfield 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.).
- Weekend movement
- Since March 31, 2025 loads up to 16 ft wide may travel on weekends. No Saturday/Sunday movement in Lake of the Ozarks (May 25-Labor Day) and Branson (May 1-Nov 30) areas.
- Holiday restrictions
- Restrictions begin 12:00 noon on the last business day preceding the holiday and continue until one-half hour before sunrise on the first business day following observation (New Year's, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Independence Day on Saturday is observed Friday; on Sunday, Monday. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Missouri Pilot Car Requirements
Over 12 ft 6 in wide needs a rear escort on divided highways (front too on two-lane); over 16 ft needs front and rear; over 15 ft 6 in needs a front height-detection escort; over 125 ft long needs a rear escort.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 6 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 15 ft 6 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 125 ft 0 in long and over |
Missouri pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Illinois, Iowa, Kansas.
How to order a Missouri oversize permit
MoDOT Motor Carrier Services
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing Missouri without Missouri apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Missouri Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Missouri?
- One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Night movement allowed for loads up to 12 ft 6 in wide, legal height and up to 110 ft long. Mon-Fri curfews in St. Louis, St. Charles, Kansas City and Springfield metro (about 6:30-9:00 a.m. and 3:30-6:30 p.m.; KC and Springfield 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.). Weekends: Since March 31, 2025 loads up to 16 ft wide may travel on weekends. No Saturday/Sunday movement in Lake of the Ozarks (May 25-Labor Day) and Branson (May 1-Nov 30) areas.
- When is a pilot car required in Missouri?
- Over 12 ft 6 in wide needs a rear escort on divided highways (front too on two-lane); over 16 ft needs front and rear; over 15 ft 6 in needs a front height-detection escort; over 125 ft long needs a rear escort. Height: 15 ft 6 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Missouri?
- The standard legal width in Missouri 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 Missouri without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Missouri is 14 ft 0 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 Missouri?
- Restrictions begin 12:00 noon on the last business day preceding the holiday and continue until one-half hour before sunrise on the first business day following observation (New Year's, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Independence Day on Saturday is observed Friday; on Sunday, Monday.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Missouri?
- Apply through MoDOT Motor Carrier Services (1-866-831-6277) 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 Missouri rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Escort values per MoDOT Escort Requirements table (regs effective 3/31/2025) for DIVIDED highways. On undivided/two-lane roads, two escorts (front and rear) are needed above 14 ft, and a rear escort is needed above 110 ft length on non-divided highways. Legal height 14 ft on interstates/designated system, 15 ft inside commercial zones. Legal length table partly ambiguous in extraction. Phone from MoDOT forms (Ask MoDOT also 888-275-6636).