Oversize / Overweight Permits in Arizona
Arizona Oversize/Overweight Regulations
According to Arizona law, any load exceeding the following weight and size limits is considered an oversize/overweight load:
Legal Size Limit:
- Width: 8′ 6″ (from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices); 8′ for roadways less than 12′
- Height: 13’6″ (from the roadbed to the highest point of the load or vehicle, whichever is higher)
- Length: single vehicle – 40′; truck semi trailer – 57’6″
- Overhang: front – 3′; rear – 6′
Legal Weight Limit:
- Maximum gross weight: 80,000 lb. (including the weight of the load)
- Single axle: 20,000 lb.
- Tandem axle: 34,000 lb.
- Tridem axle: 42,000 lb.
Arizona Single Trip Oversize/Overweight Permits
The permit fee is based on the travel distance within the state.
Commercial vehicles with GVWR of 12,000 pounds or more:
- $12 for less than 50 miles
- $48 for over 50 miles
Road tractors, truck tractors, trucks, and passenger-carrying vehicles with GVWR of more than 26000 pounds:
- $15 for less than 50 miles
- $65 for over 50 miles
Note: The permit expires after 96 hours or upon exiting the state.
For more details:
Arizona Annual Oversize/Overweight Permits
To obtain an annual permit, a load must meet the following requirements:
- maximum gross weight: 250,000 pounds
- maximum width – 14′
- maximum height – 16′
- maximum length – 120′ (at least 4 axles are a must)
A trip fee ranges from $750 for an oversize only to $1,500 for both overweight and oversize.
Arizona Wide Load Requirements
All loads wider than 8′ 6″ (8′ for roadways less than 12′) require an oversized permit issued by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Oversize Load Flag Requirements:
All extremities of oversized loads must be marked with red or fluorescent orange 18″ square flags.
Oversize Load Banner Requirements:
“Oversize load” signs are a must for all loads wider than 9′.
Oversize Load Sign Requirements:
6′ long signs with 1′ high black letters on the yellow background.
Oversize Load Lighting Requirements:
Red warning lights at 4 corners of the load’s extremities and on the top extremity.
Oversize Pilot Cars or Escort Vehicles Requirements:
- At least one front escort vehicle is required if the load’s width, height, or length is over 14′, 16′, or 120′, respectively
- 1 front and 1 rear escort car for loads wider than 12′
- 1 front or rear escort car for front overhang 20’ and rear overhang 20’, respectively
Note: One escort vehicle per load is required for two or more oversize/overweight special permitted vehicles traveling together.
Arizona Wide Load Restrictions
All OSOW loads are subject to the following restrictions:
Oversize Holiday Restrictions:
Oversize loads are not allowed to move on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Oversize Legal Travel Times Restrictions:
Oversized loads (10′ wide, 14′ high, and 10′ rear overhang) are allowed to transport from half an hour before sunrise till half an hour after sunset.
Oversized loads (over 14′ wide, 16′ high, 120′ long, and 250,000 lbs) are allowed to travel 3:00 a.m. – 00:00 on weekends on interstate roads.
Oversize Road and Bridge Restrictions:
Arizona does not provide specific bridge restrictions as the Federal Bridge Formula determines them. As for the oversize road restrictions, they come as the following:
- driving through work zones that are under construction
- neglecting warning signals when driving through work zones
- not giving traffic priority to law enforcement, emergency vehicles, etc
Oversize Seasonal Weight Restrictions:
While the Frost Law is applied in many states and provinces of Canada, no specific seasonal restrictions are provided by the state of Arizona. However, they may appear in Arizona oversize load permits, arising from the nature and type of the load.
Arizona Wide Load Limits
Arizona sticks to the Federal legal width limit of 8′ 6″. Everything wider requires a permit to be moved on public roads.
Maximum Load Limits Until a Trucking Permit Is Required:
8′ 6″ (from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices); 8′ for roadways less than 12′
Axle Weight Limits:
Legal axle weight limit:
- Single axle: 20,000 lb.
- Tandem axle: 34,000 lb.
- Tridem axle: 42,000 lb.
The maximum permitted axle weight limit:
- single axle – 28,000 lbs
- tandem axle – 46,200 lbs
- triple axle – 56,700 lbs
Note: The permitted weight is determined by the special formula provided by the Arizona DOT. Loads exceeding 250,000 lbs require employing a special permit applicant.
Oversize Tire Regulations:
Tires must be in normal operating condition, properly inflated, and feature the minimum tread depth of 2/32″ (4/32″ for the steering axle).
Tires must not feature protuberances of any material other than rubber unless their use is required for safety.
Arizona Trip Permits
The state of Arizona issues three types of IRP permits, including a 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day permit. All commercial vehicles obtaining permits must be registered in another state or jurisdiction. The real weight must not exceed the declared one.
Arizona Fuel Permits
IFTA permits are necessary for diesel motor vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a GVWR greater than 26,000 pounds and with three and more axles. The fee varies on the permit’s longevity and ranges from $130 to $780.
Arizona Specialty Permits
The need for special permits may arise from your load’s nature, size, and weight.
Class C Permits:
Class C licenses are mandatory for transporting loads that exceed 250,000 pounds or surpass specific dimensions, such as a length exceeding 120′, a height exceeding 16′, or a width exceeding 14′. Additionally, individuals can obtain “Easy” C Mobile Home Permits for convenient mobile home transportation.
“Easy” C Mobile Home Permits:
The criteria for obtaining an “Easy” C Mobile Home Permit resemble those of a standard Class C permit, with the exception that an engineering analysis for bridges is not necessary. This particular permit is exclusively granted to vehicles that do not surpass the following weight and size thresholds: 16′ wide, 16′ high, 120′ long, 80,000 lbs weight.
For more information about specialty permits:
https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_17/17-06.pdf
Oversize/Overweight Load Fines in Arizona
Oversize and overweight fines in Arizona start at $100 and can reach over $1,400. Their size depends on the weight exceeding the maximum legal weight and the number of offenses since the first one within the same year.
Oversize/Overweight Permits Costs in Arizona
The cost of Arizona OSOW permits varies depending on the load type, its nature, and its excessive weight and size. It starts at $12 for a single-trip permit and can exceed $1,500 for an annual permit.
Trucking Permit Service
Express Permits provides a full spectrum of trucking permit services, assisting motor carriers in obtaining the appropriate oversize and overweight permits, coordinating with authorities, and ensuring compliance with state regulations, saving valuable time, effort, and potential penalties. You can rely on us regardless of your load’s type, nature, and destination.