Nebraska 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 Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Motor Carrier Permit Section.
NE, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for Nebraska
Oversize permit required in Nebraska
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
Nebraska Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel Nebraska 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 6 in |
| Legal length | Semi-trailer 53 ft; semi plus trailer 65 ft; single vehicle 40 ft; combination overall 65 ft (excluding truck-tractor for trailer limits). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
Nebraska Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Over-dimensional moves: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Overweight-only moves may travel 24 hours, 7 days.
- Weekend movement
- No general weekend ban found in 408 NAC 3; daylight hours apply. Weekend holiday periods are restricted (see holiday).
- Holiday restrictions
- Per NDOT 2026 schedule: Memorial Day restricted noon Fri May 22 to sunrise Tue May 26; July 4 noon July 3 to sunrise July 6; Labor Day noon Fri Sept 4 to sunrise Tue Sept 8; Thanksgiving noon Wed Nov 25 to sunrise Mon Nov 30; Christmas noon Dec 24 to sunrise Dec 26; New Year's noon Dec 31 to sunrise Jan 2. Exact hours are posted yearly and printed on each permit. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
Nebraska Pilot Car Requirements
One escort for loads 12 to 16 ft wide or 125 to 150 ft long; two (front and rear) over 16 ft wide or over 150 ft long; a pole car may be required over 14'6" high and is required at 16 ft high or more.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 14 ft 6 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 125 ft 0 in long and over |
Nebraska pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Iowa, Wyoming.
How to order a Nebraska oversize permit
Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Motor Carrier Permit Section
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator, or browse motor carriers in Nebraska.
Crossing Nebraska without Nebraska apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
Nebraska Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in Nebraska?
- Over-dimensional moves: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Overweight-only moves may travel 24 hours, 7 days. Weekends: No general weekend ban found in 408 NAC 3; daylight hours apply. Weekend holiday periods are restricted (see holiday).
- When is a pilot car required in Nebraska?
- One escort for loads 12 to 16 ft wide or 125 to 150 ft long; two (front and rear) over 16 ft wide or over 150 ft long; a pole car may be required over 14'6" high and is required at 16 ft high or more. Height: 14 ft 6 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in Nebraska?
- The standard legal width in Nebraska 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 Nebraska without a permit?
- The legal height limit in Nebraska is 14 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 Nebraska?
- Per NDOT 2026 schedule: Memorial Day restricted noon Fri May 22 to sunrise Tue May 26; July 4 noon July 3 to sunrise July 6; Labor Day noon Fri Sept 4 to sunrise Tue Sept 8; Thanksgiving noon Wed Nov 25 to sunrise Mon Nov 30; Christmas noon Dec 24 to sunrise Dec 26; New Year's noon Dec 31 to sunrise Jan 2. Exact hours are posted yearly and printed on each permit.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in Nebraska?
- Apply through Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Motor Carrier Permit Section (402-471-0034) 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 Nebraska rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Rule PDF extraction ran numbers together; reading of 003.19B as '12 to 16 ft wide' and '125 to 150 ft long' is inferred and should be double-checked. Escort position: front on undivided, rear on divided highways (rear escort can be waived on freeways/expressways with rear amber lighting). Legal gross is 80,000 on Interstate and 94,000 on US/state routes. Pole car required with route survey at 16 ft height or more.