New Jersey 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 NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC).
NJ, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for New Jersey
Oversize permit required in New Jersey
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
New Jersey Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel New Jersey 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 | Single vehicle 40 ft (50 ft for indivisible poles/pilings); semi-trailer 53 ft; combinations with two trailers have separate limits under N.J.S.A. 39:3-84. |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
New Jersey Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Oversize permits not valid from sunset to sunrise, when visibility is under 500 ft, or in hazardous conditions (night waiver possible with an extra escort). Overweight-only permits travel 24 hours, 7 days.
- Weekend movement
- No weekend ban found for oversize permits; restrictions are holiday and daylight based.
- Holiday restrictions
- Oversize permits invalid on New Year's Day, Memorial Day and the Friday before, Independence Day, Labor Day and the Friday before, Thanksgiving Day and the Wednesday before, and Christmas Day. Holiday on Sunday bars the following Monday; on Saturday bars the preceding Friday (N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.11). See this year's holiday dates for all states.
New Jersey Pilot Car Requirements
One escort over 14 ft wide or 100 ft long (rear on 4+ lane highways, front on fewer); two (front and rear) over 16 ft wide or 120 ft long; height over 14 ft is handled under N.J.S.A. 39:4-28.
| First pilot car (width) | 14 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Length escort | 100 ft 0 in long and over |
New Jersey pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania.
How to order a New Jersey oversize permit
NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC)
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
New Jersey Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in New Jersey?
- Oversize permits not valid from sunset to sunrise, when visibility is under 500 ft, or in hazardous conditions (night waiver possible with an extra escort). Overweight-only permits travel 24 hours, 7 days. Weekends: No weekend ban found for oversize permits; restrictions are holiday and daylight based.
- When is a pilot car required in New Jersey?
- One escort over 14 ft wide or 100 ft long (rear on 4+ lane highways, front on fewer); two (front and rear) over 16 ft wide or 120 ft long; height over 14 ft is handled under N.J.S.A. 39:4-28.
- What is the legal truck width in New Jersey?
- The standard legal width in New Jersey 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 New Jersey without a permit?
- The legal height limit in New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
- Oversize permits invalid on New Year's Day, Memorial Day and the Friday before, Independence Day, Labor Day and the Friday before, Thanksgiving Day and the Wednesday before, and Christmas Day. Holiday on Sunday bars the following Monday; on Saturday bars the preceding Friday (N.J.A.C. 13:18-1.11).
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in New Jersey?
- Apply through NJDOT SUPERLOAD Permit Office (on behalf of NJ MVC) 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 New Jersey rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Escort position differs by lane count (see Table 6 in the NJDOT commercial vehicle guide): width over 14 ft needs rear escort on 4+ lane highways, front on fewer; over 16 ft needs both. Night waiver adds one escort. No height pole requirement stated. Trip permit status unverified; treat as unknown.