North Carolina 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 NCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Unit (Central Permit Office).
NC, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for North Carolina
Oversize permit required in North Carolina
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
North Carolina Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel North Carolina 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 | Single vehicle 40 ft; vehicle combination 60 ft; tractor with 53-ft semi-trailer has no overall length limit on all roads (NCDOT Permit Handbook). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
North Carolina Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Sunrise to sunset, Monday through Sunday, for general commodities. Loads over 12 ft wide are barred 7-9 am and 4-6 pm within 10 miles of the city limits of Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Continuous 24/7 travel only for permits up to 112,000 lbs with no overdimension.
- Weekend movement
- Weekend travel permitted (Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset) apart from holiday restrictions.
- Holiday restrictions
- Permitted vehicles over 112,000 lbs and/or overdimensional in width, length or height cannot travel on Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day from noon on the weekday before the holiday until noon on the weekday after the holiday. Other holidays are open. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
North Carolina Pilot Car Requirements
Over 12 ft wide needs a front escort on two-lane roads and a rear escort on multilane highways; over 14 ft on two-lane roads needs front and rear; over 14 ft 5 in high needs a front height-pole escort; over 110 ft long needs a rear escort, front and rear at 150 ft.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 1 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 14 ft 1 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 14 ft 5 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 110 ft 0 in long and over |
North Carolina pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.
How to order a North Carolina oversize permit
NCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Unit (Central Permit Office)
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing North Carolina without North Carolina apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
North Carolina Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in North Carolina?
- Sunrise to sunset, Monday through Sunday, for general commodities. Loads over 12 ft wide are barred 7-9 am and 4-6 pm within 10 miles of the city limits of Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. Continuous 24/7 travel only for permits up to 112,000 lbs with no overdimension. Weekends: Weekend travel permitted (Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset) apart from holiday restrictions.
- When is a pilot car required in North Carolina?
- Over 12 ft wide needs a front escort on two-lane roads and a rear escort on multilane highways; over 14 ft on two-lane roads needs front and rear; over 14 ft 5 in high needs a front height-pole escort; over 110 ft long needs a rear escort, front and rear at 150 ft. Height: 14 ft 5 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in North Carolina?
- The standard legal width in North Carolina 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 North Carolina without a permit?
- The legal height limit in North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
- Permitted vehicles over 112,000 lbs and/or overdimensional in width, length or height cannot travel on Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day from noon on the weekday before the holiday until noon on the weekday after the holiday. Other holidays are open.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in North Carolina?
- Apply through NCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Unit (Central Permit Office) (1-888-221-8166) 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 North Carolina rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Handbook lists legal height as 14 ft in the laws section but defines 'overheight' as over 13 ft 6 in in the glossary and uses 13 ft 6 in for annual house-moving permits; 14 ft used here. Handbook also requires a front escort for permitted weight over 149,999 lbs and says additional escorts may be required per permit. Single-trip permit line 1-888-574-6683; local (919) 814-3700. Multilane 14 ft 1 in to 15 ft width needs one escort (two on two-lane), 15 ft is max width. Resume time after holiday is noon on the weekday after.