Ohio Pilot Car Requirements

When Ohio requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by ODOT Special Hauling Permits Office.

OH, reviewed October 2026

The short answer for Ohio

Loads wider than 13 ft 0 in need a pilot car in Ohio, and wider than 14 ft 6 in need two. A height-pole escort is required at 14 ft 6 in tall.

Ohio asks for a first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide. 16 of the 45 states that publish a width wait until a wider load, and 24 start earlier; 4 more match it.

One lead escort (rear on multilane highways) for width over 13 ft; lead and rear over 14 ft 6 in wide or over 14 ft 10 in high; lead escort with height sensing device over 14 ft 6 in high; one rear escort over 90 ft long.

Check your load for Ohio

Oversize permit required in Ohio

  • Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.

No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.

Ohio escort thresholds

Ohio pilot car thresholds by dimension
First pilot car13 ft 0 in wide and over
Second pilot car14 ft 6 in wide and over
Height-pole escort14 ft 6 in tall and over
Length escort90 ft 0 in long and over

Pilot cars by load width in Ohio

Escorts to plan for at each width, from the thresholds above. The permit sets front and rear positions.

Pilot cars needed by load width in Ohio
Load widthPilot cars
8 ft 6 in (legal width)None required for width
9 ft 0 inNone required for width
10 ft 0 inNone required for width
11 ft 0 inNone required for width
12 ft 0 inNone required for width
13 ft 0 in1 pilot car
14 ft 0 in1 pilot car
15 ft 0 in2 pilot cars
16 ft 0 in2 pilot cars

Height pole by load height in Ohio

Height pole escort by load height in Ohio
Load heightPermit neededHeight pole car
13 ft 6 inNoNot required
14 ft 0 inYesNot required
14 ft 6 inYesRequired
15 ft 0 inYesRequired
15 ft 6 inYesRequired
16 ft 0 inYesRequired

Before you book an escort

  • Read the escort conditions on your Ohio permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
  • Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at ODOT Special Hauling Permits Office (614-351-2300).
  • See the full Ohio oversize guide for legal dimensions, travel hours and holiday limits. New to the terms? The glossary covers pilot car and height pole.

Crossing a border? Compare Ohio with a neighbor: Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania.

Sources

Ohio Pilot Car FAQs

How wide can a load be in Ohio before it needs a pilot car?
Ohio requires the first pilot car at 13 ft 0 in wide and a second at 14 ft 6 in wide. Loads up to the 8 ft 6 in legal width travel without a width escort.
When does Ohio require a height pole car?
A height-pole escort is required at 14 ft 6 in tall and over in Ohio. 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 Ohio?
Ohio lists a length trigger of 90 ft 0 in for an escort. Check the permit for how many escorts a long load needs.
Do I need Ohio pilot car certification?
Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from ODOT Special Hauling Permits 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 Ohio'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 13 ft 0 in wide, two at 14 ft 6 in, height pole at 14 ft 6 in, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.