North Dakota Pilot Car Requirements
When North Dakota requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by North Dakota Highway Patrol Motor Carrier / NDDOT Permit Office.
ND, reviewed October 2026
The short answer for North Dakota
Loads wider than 16 ft 0 in need a pilot car in North Dakota, and wider than 16 ft 0 in need two. A height-pole escort is required at 18 ft 0 in tall.
North Dakota asks for a first pilot car at 16 ft 0 in wide. 1 of the 45 states that publish a width wait until a wider load, and 42 start earlier; 1 more match it.
Over 14 ft 6 in to 16 ft wide needs one lead pilot car on two-lane roads only; over 16 ft needs a lead and rear on two-lane highways and a rear pilot car on four-lane divided; over 120 ft long a rear pilot car; over 18 ft high a lead pilot car.
Check your load for North Dakota
Oversize permit required in North Dakota
- 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 Dakota escort thresholds
| First pilot car | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Second pilot car | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 18 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 120 ft 0 in long and over |
Pilot cars by load width in North Dakota
Escorts to plan for at each width, from the thresholds above. The permit sets front and rear positions.
| Load width | Pilot cars |
|---|---|
| 8 ft 6 in (legal width) | None required for width |
| 9 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 10 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 11 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 12 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 13 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 14 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 15 ft 0 in | None required for width |
| 16 ft 0 in | 2 pilot cars |
Height pole by load height in North Dakota
| Load height | Permit needed | Height pole car |
|---|---|---|
| 13 ft 6 in | No | Not required |
| 14 ft 0 in | No | Not required |
| 14 ft 6 in | Yes | Not required |
| 15 ft 0 in | Yes | Not required |
| 15 ft 6 in | Yes | Not required |
| 16 ft 0 in | Yes | Not required |
Before you book an escort
- Read the escort conditions on your North Dakota permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
- Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at North Dakota Highway Patrol Motor Carrier / NDDOT Permit Office (701-328-2621).
- See the full North Dakota oversize guide for legal dimensions, travel hours and holiday limits. New to the terms? The glossary covers pilot car and height pole.
North Dakota Pilot Car FAQs
- How wide can a load be in North Dakota before it needs a pilot car?
- North Dakota requires the first pilot car at 16 ft 0 in wide and a second at 16 ft 0 in wide. Loads up to the 8 ft 6 in legal width travel without a width escort.
- When does North Dakota require a height pole car?
- A height-pole escort is required at 18 ft 0 in tall and over in North Dakota. The pole is set just above the load so the escort driver finds low wires and structures first.
- Is a pilot car required for long loads in North Dakota?
- North Dakota lists a length trigger of 120 ft 0 in for an escort. Check the permit for how many escorts a long load needs.
- Do I need North Dakota pilot car certification?
- Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from North Dakota Highway Patrol Motor Carrier / NDDOT Permit Office state who may escort a load, so confirm certification and insurance requirements there before you book an escort.
- Where do the pilot car numbers on this page come from?
- They are taken from North Dakota's published permit rules and statutes, reviewed in October 2026, with the source links listed on this page. Where a figure could not be confirmed it is marked as not confirmed rather than estimated.
Summary of first pilot car at 16 ft 0 in wide, two at 16 ft 0 in, height pole at 18 ft 0 in, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.