South Dakota Pilot Car Requirements
When South Dakota requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by South Dakota Highway Patrol Permit Center / SDDOT (SD Truck Info).
SD, reviewed October 2026
The short answer for South Dakota
Loads wider than 16 ft 0 in need a pilot car in South Dakota.
South 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.
Escort vehicles are required for vehicles wider than 16 feet on the Interstate system and wider than 20 feet on other state highways; escorts run in front on undivided highways and behind on divided highways, and more may be required by route or traffic.
Check your load for South Dakota
Oversize permit required in South 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.
South Dakota escort thresholds
| First pilot car | 16 ft 0 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Second pilot car | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Height-pole escort | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
| Length escort | Not confirmed: check your permit conditions |
Pilot cars by load width in South 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 | 1 pilot car |
Before you book an escort
- Read the escort conditions on your South Dakota permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
- Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at South Dakota Highway Patrol Permit Center / SDDOT (SD Truck Info).
- See the full South Dakota 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 South Dakota with a neighbor: Minnesota, Wyoming.
Sources
- https://sdtruckinfo.sd.gov/rules-regulations/motor-carrier-handbook/chapter-6/permits/
- https://sdtruckinfo.sd.gov/permits/
- https://sdtruckinfo.sd.gov/imdfaqs/can-i-move-an-oversize-load-on-weekends-and-holidays/
- https://sdtruckinfo.sd.gov/rules-regulations/motor-carrier-handbook/chapter-5/vehicle-size-regulations/
South Dakota Pilot Car FAQs
- How wide can a load be in South Dakota before it needs a pilot car?
- South Dakota requires the first pilot car at 16 ft 0 in wide. Loads up to the 8 ft 6 in legal width travel without a width escort.
- When does South Dakota require a height pole car?
- South Dakota does not publish a single height at which a pole car is required in the sources we reviewed. Confirm it with South Dakota Highway Patrol Permit Center / SDDOT (SD Truck Info); permit conditions often set it per route.
- Do I need South Dakota pilot car certification?
- Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from South Dakota Highway Patrol Permit Center / SDDOT (SD Truck Info) 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 South 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, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.