Oversize / Overweight Permits in California
California Oversize/Overweight Regulations
According to California 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)
- Height: 14′ (from the roadbed to the highest point of the load or vehicle, whichever is higher)
- Length: 53′
- Front overhang: 3′
- Rear overhang: 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.
California Single Trip Oversize/Overweight Permits
A general single-trip permit is issued for non-divisible oversize and overweight loads exceeding the legal weight and size limits. It covers one movement from point A to point B by the shortest route during the running times specified in the permit. The permit is valid for 7 consecutive days.
A single trip permit is authorized at:
- maximum width of 14’0”
- maximum overall length of 135’0″
- maximum rear overhang of 35’0” measured from last point of support
- maximum front overhang of 30’0” measured from the front bumper
- maximum height of no less than 3″
For more details:
California Annual Oversize/Overweight Permits
To obtain an annual permit, a load must meet the following requirements:
- maximum width – 12′
- maximum height – 14′
A basic fee is $90, yet it may be higher depending on the type of load and other permit conditions.
California Wide Load Requirements
All loads wider than 8′ 6″ require an oversized permit issued by the California Department of Transportation.
Oversize Load Flag Requirements:
All extremities(corners) of oversized loads and their projections exceeding 4′ must be marked with red or fluorescent orange square flags.
Oversize Load Banner Requirements:
California requires trailers and vehicles hauling oversized loads to be equipped with “Wide load”, “Oversize load”, “Long load”(over 100′ overall), “Excessive front overhang”, or “Excessive rear overhang” signs that describe the extremities of the load.
Oversize Load Sign Requirements:
“Oversize Load” signs are necessary for the front and rear of oversized loads(vehicles).
Oversize Load Lighting Requirements:
Vehicles transporting oversize loads must be equipped with a strobing amber light on the top of the cab and two red warning lights on the rear sides of the load or projections exceeding 4′.
Oversize Pilot Cars or Escort Vehicles Requirements:
- One pilot car for two-lane or three-lane conventional roads
- One pilot car for all roads if the rear overhang reaches 25′
- Two pilot cars for loads wider 15′
California Wide Load Restrictions
All loads wider than 8′ 6″ are subject to the following restrictions:
Oversize Holiday Restrictions:
Unless otherwise mentioned in California wide load permits, 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:
Unless otherwise mentioned in the permit, oversized loads are allowed to transport 24/7, excluding 6am-9am in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and San Francisco.
Oversize Road and Bridge Restrictions:
California sticks to the Federal Bridge Formula that determines bridge restrictions. 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 California. However, they may appear in California oversize load permits, arising from the nature and type of the load.
California Wide Load Limits
California 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)
Axle Weight Limits:
Legal axle weight limit:
- single axle – 20,000 lbs
- tandem axle – 34,000 lbs
- triple axle – 51,450 lbs (axle spacing is not more than 10′ 4″)
The maximum permitted axle weight limit:
From the fifteenth day of September to the fifteenth day of March annually, tandem axle cotton trucks that satisfy specific requirements are granted a supplementary allowance of 6,000 pounds beyond the standard Federal limit of 34,000 pounds.
Oversize Tire Regulations:
Between November 1st and April 30th, it is permissible to use pneumatic tires equipped with metal-type studs (the amount of metal in contact with the road surface must never exceed 3%).
The tires on the steering axle must have a tread depth of at least 4/32 of an inch in all major grooves, while all other tires on the vehicle’s axles must have a tread depth of at least 2/32 of an inch in all major grooves.
California Trip/Fuel Permits
Vehicles registered outside the state may obtain $30 California trip permits to enter the state and travel for 4 consecutive days. The vehicles must meet the following requirements:
- 2 axles and the GVW exceeding 26,000 pounds
- 3 or more axles regardless of the weight
- combined GVW exceeding 26,000 pounds
California Specialty Permits
The need for special permits may arise from your load’s nature, size, and weight.
Manufactured Home Permits:
- maximum width: 16′
- maximum length of the building: 80′
- combination vehicle length: 105′
- height: minimum 3″ vertical clearance of the lowest structure on the permitted route
- maximum weight per axle: 6,000 lbs.
Permits are available only to transporters, licensed manufacturers, and dealers.
Military Equipment Permits:
- width: 11’4″ maximum for unladen from base to base
- length: legal
- height: legal
- weight: legal, may exceed 80,000 pounds if moved from base-to-base only
- overhang; legal
For more information about specialty permits:
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/traffic-operations/transportation-permits
Oversize/Overweight Load Fines in California
Oversize and overweight fines in California start at $20 for the first offense and can reach over $2,000. Their size depends on the weight exceeding the maximum legal weight and the number of offenses since the first one within a year.
In some cases, such offenses (considered criminal offenses) can lead to up to 6 months of imprisonment.
Oversize/Overweight Permits Costs in California
The cost of California OSOW permits varies depending on the load type, its nature, and its excessive weight and size. It starts at $25+ for a single-trip permit and can exceed several hundred dollars 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.