West Virginia 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 WV Division of Highways (WVDOT) Permit Section.
WV, reviewed October 2026
Check your load for West Virginia
Oversize permit required in West Virginia
- Width 10 ft 0 in exceeds the 8 ft 6 in legal limit.
No width-based pilot car at 10 ft 0 in wide.
West Virginia Truck Legal Width, Height & Length
A truck and load at or under these dimensions can travel West Virginia 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 unit 40 ft; semitrailer 53 ft; no overall combination length limit on Interstate/National Network highways (other routes have combination limits per DOH table). |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
West Virginia Oversize Load Travel Hours
- Daily movement window
- Oversize loads may not travel from sunset to sunrise. Loads 14 ft wide or less (any length/height) may travel sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week when weekend travel is requested (WV Turnpike excepted). Wider loads: sunrise to sunset Monday-Friday. Charleston-area curfews: 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. blocked for escorted loads (daylight time); school-bus-hour curfews on two-lane highways.
- Weekend movement
- Weekend travel is granted on request for loads not over 14 ft wide (not on the WV Turnpike unless within turnpike limits, or low-impact). Loads over 14 ft wide: Monday-Friday only (16 ft+ loads Sunday morning until noon on some routes). Turnpike: 14 ft 1 in-18 ft wide Mon-Thu sunrise to sunset; 18 ft 1 in-24 ft 6 in Sundays before noon.
- Holiday restrictions
- No travel is permitted on holidays. The 2024 High Travel Days list blocks Memorial Day and Labor Day from Saturday through Monday, and Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day on the day itself. See this year's holiday dates for all states.
West Virginia Pilot Car Requirements
On 4-lane roads one rear escort for loads 12 ft 1 in to 14 ft wide, front and rear from 14 ft 1 in; front pole car above 15 ft high; rear escort for 4-lane lengths from 95 ft 1 in; overhang over 10 ft needs an escort.
| First pilot car (width) | 12 ft 1 in wide and over |
|---|---|
| Two pilot cars (width) | 14 ft 1 in wide and over |
| Height-pole escort | 15 ft 0 in tall and over |
| Length escort | 95 ft 1 in long and over |
West Virginia pilot car requirements by load width and height.
How to order a West Virginia oversize permit
WV Division of Highways (WVDOT) Permit Section
Overweight as well? Check axle limits with the bridge formula calculator.
West Virginia Oversize Load FAQs
- What are the oversize load travel hours in West Virginia?
- Oversize loads may not travel from sunset to sunrise. Loads 14 ft wide or less (any length/height) may travel sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week when weekend travel is requested (WV Turnpike excepted). Wider loads: sunrise to sunset Monday-Friday. Charleston-area curfews: 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. blocked for escorted loads (daylight time); school-bus-hour curfews on two-lane highways. Weekends: Weekend travel is granted on request for loads not over 14 ft wide (not on the WV Turnpike unless within turnpike limits, or low-impact). Loads over 14 ft wide: Monday-Friday only (16 ft+ loads Sunday morning until noon on some routes). Turnpike: 14 ft 1 in-18 ft wide Mon-Thu sunrise to sunset; 18 ft 1 in-24 ft 6 in Sundays before noon.
- When is a pilot car required in West Virginia?
- On 4-lane roads one rear escort for loads 12 ft 1 in to 14 ft wide, front and rear from 14 ft 1 in; front pole car above 15 ft high; rear escort for 4-lane lengths from 95 ft 1 in; overhang over 10 ft needs an escort. Height: 15 ft 0 in and taller (height-pole escort).
- What is the legal truck width in West Virginia?
- The standard legal width in West Virginia 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 West Virginia without a permit?
- The legal height limit in West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
- No travel is permitted on holidays. The 2024 High Travel Days list blocks Memorial Day and Labor Day from Saturday through Monday, and Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day on the day itself.
- How do I get an oversize or overweight permit in West Virginia?
- Apply through WV Division of Highways (WVDOT) Permit Section (304-558-9547) 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 West Virginia rules as reviewed October 2026 and is not legal advice; the conditions printed on your permit control. Note: Permit Information PDF (updated 3/17/2023) tables were extracted with scrambled layout; 2-lane vs 4-lane columns reconstructed: width 10 ft 6 in-12 ft = front escort on 2-lane, none on 4-lane; 12 ft 1 in-14 ft = front+rear on 2-lane, rear on 4-lane; 14 ft 1 in-15 ft = front+rear; 15 ft 1 in-16 ft non-interstate two front + one rear, interstate two rear + one front; over 16 ft as required by permit. Height-pole car above 15 ft high (front, in addition to other escorts). Length: 2-lane rear escort 75-95 ft, front+rear 95 ft 1 in+; 4-lane none to 95 ft. Holiday list is from the 2024 High Travel Days PDF; check current year. Districts and Parkway may impose additional requirements. Legal limits taken from PDF table (also scrambled): 80,000 lb GVW, 13 ft 6 in height. Mobile-home and blanket rules differ.