How wide can a load be in Utah before it needs a pilot car?

Utah requires the first pilot car at 14 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 Utah require a height pole car?

Utah does not publish a single height at which a pole car is required in the sources we reviewed. Confirm it with UDOT Motor Carrier Division; permit conditions often set it per route.

Is a pilot car required for long loads in Utah?

Utah 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 Utah pilot car certification?

Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from UDOT Motor Carrier Division 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 Utah'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.

Utah Pilot Car Requirements

When Utah requires a pilot car, how many, and when a height pole car is needed. Set by UDOT Motor Carrier Division.

UT, reviewed October 2026

The short answer for Utah

Loads wider than 14 ft 0 in need a pilot car in Utah, and wider than 16 ft 0 in need two.

Utah asks for a first pilot car at 14 ft 0 in wide. 6 of the 45 states that publish a width wait until a wider load, and 29 start earlier; 9 more match it.

One pilot escort over 12 ft wide (secondary highways) or 14 ft (freeway) and over 105 ft long (secondary) or 120 ft (freeway); two pilots over 14 ft (secondary) or 16 ft (freeway) wide, 120 ft long on secondary, or 16 ft high.

Check your load for Utah

Load width (ft)

Load height (ft)

Overall length (ft)

Oversize permit required in Utah

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

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

Utah escort thresholds

Utah pilot car thresholds by dimension
First pilot car	14 ft 0 in wide and over
Second pilot car	16 ft 0 in wide and over
Height-pole escort	Not confirmed: check your permit conditions
Length escort	120 ft 0 in long and over

Pilot cars by load width in Utah

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 Utah
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	1 pilot car
15 ft 0 in	1 pilot car
16 ft 0 in	2 pilot cars

Before you book an escort

Read the escort conditions on your Utah permit. They control over any summary, including this one.
Ask about certification and insurance rules for escort drivers at UDOT Motor Carrier Division.
See the full Utah 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 Utah with a neighbor: Nevada, Wyoming.

Sources

Utah Pilot Car FAQs

How wide can a load be in Utah before it needs a pilot car?: Utah requires the first pilot car at 14 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 Utah require a height pole car?: Utah does not publish a single height at which a pole car is required in the sources we reviewed. Confirm it with UDOT Motor Carrier Division; permit conditions often set it per route.
Is a pilot car required for long loads in Utah?: Utah 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 Utah pilot car certification?: Escort driver certification and reciprocity rules differ by state and change often. The permit conditions from UDOT Motor Carrier Division 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 Utah'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 14 ft 0 in wide, two at 16 ft 0 in, reviewed October 2026. Regulations change and this is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control.