South 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 SCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office.
SC, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for South Carolina
Oversize permit required in South 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.
South Carolina Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel South 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 | 13 ft 6 in |
| Legal length | Single motor vehicle 40 ft; tractor-semitrailer on Interstate and qualifying routes: semitrailer max 53 ft, no overall length limit; trailers in 3-unit combinations 28.5 ft each. |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
South Carolina Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Loads up to 12 ft wide: sunrise to sunset; over 12 to 15 ft wide: sunrise to sunset except near large urban areas 7-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. on school days (4:30-6 p.m. otherwise); over 15 to 16 ft wide: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (school days) or 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; overweight loads up to 130,000 lb may travel continuously on request.
- Weekend movement
- Travel allowed Monday through Sunday under the hours above; Saturday and Sunday movement is prohibited east of I-95 on Myrtle Beach area routes from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- Holiday restrictions
- No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Permit Director may restrict travel from 12 noon the day before a holiday until 12 noon the day after, depending on route and load dimensions. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
South Carolina Pilot Car Requirements
Width over 12 to 14 ft: one front escort on two-lane highways; over 14 to 16 ft: front and rear escort on all roads; over 16 ft adds police escorts; height 16 ft+ needs a front escort with height pole; length 125 ft+ needs a rear escort.
| 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 | 16 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 125 ft 0 in long and over |
South Carolina pilot car requirements by load width and height. Crossing a border? Compare with Georgia, North Carolina.
How to order a South Carolina oversize permit
SCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
Crossing South Carolina without South Carolina apportioned plates? Estimate the temporary trip permit cost with the trip permit cost estimator.
South Carolina Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in South Carolina?
- Loads up to 12 ft wide: sunrise to sunset; over 12 to 15 ft wide: sunrise to sunset except near large urban areas 7-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. on school days (4:30-6 p.m. otherwise); over 15 to 16 ft wide: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (school days) or 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; overweight loads up to 130,000 lb may travel continuously on request. Weekends: Travel allowed Monday through Sunday under the hours above; Saturday and Sunday movement is prohibited east of I-95 on Myrtle Beach area routes from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- When is a pilot car required in South Carolina?
- Width over 12 to 14 ft: one front escort on two-lane highways; over 14 to 16 ft: front and rear escort on all roads; over 16 ft adds police escorts; height 16 ft+ needs a front escort with height pole; length 125 ft+ needs a rear escort. Height: 16 ft 0 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in South Carolina?
- The standard legal width in South 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 South Carolina without a permit?
- The legal height limit in South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
- No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Permit Director may restrict travel from 12 noon the day before a holiday until 12 noon the day after, depending on route and load dimensions.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in South Carolina?
- Apply through SCDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Office 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 South Carolina rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Source is the SCDOT OSOW guidelines (Rev. 8/2021), which may be superseded by newer SCDOT guidance. Escort trigger widths are 'exceeding' values; on multilane roads no escort is listed for 12-14 ft loads, the front escort applies to two-lane highways. The 80,000 lb gross weight was not read from the statute directly. Frame buildings and loads over 16 ft wide need 4 escorts including police and have separate 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekday-only rules.