Oversize / Overweight Permits in North Carolina

North Carolina Oversize/Overweight Regulations

According to North Carolina 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: 13′ 6″(from the roadbed to the highest point of the load or vehicle, whichever is higher)
Overall length: 60′ (from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further)
Length of a single vehicle: 40′

Note: Truck/53′ semi-trailer combination with no overall length limitation is allowed on all roads.

Legal Weight Limit:

Maximum gross weight: 80,000 lb. (including the weight of the load)
Single axle: 20,000 lb.
Tandem axle: 38,000 lb.

North Carolina Single Trip Oversize/Overweight Permits

A general single-trip permit is issued for non-divisible oversize and overweight loads exceeding the legal limits. It covers one movement from point A to point B during the running times specified in the permit. A general single-trip permit is valid for ten days and costs $12 to $48.

Requirements:

maximum width: 16′
maximum length for mobile homes/total combination:105′

Maximum axle weight:

steer axle: 20,000 lbs
single axle: 25,000 lbs
tandem axles: 50,000 lbs
tridem axles: 60,000 lbs
four or more axle grouping: 68,000 lbs.

Maximum GVW:

5 axles: 94,500 lbs (112,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)
6 axles: 108,000 lbs(120,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)
7 axles: 122,000 lbs (132,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)

For more details:

https://connect.ncdot.gov/business/trucking/Documents/Oversize%20Overweight%20Permit%20Handbook.pdf

North Carolina Annual Oversize/Overweight Permits

To obtain an annual non-route-specific vehicle-specific permit, a non-divisible load must meet the following requirements:

maximum width – 12′(14’ for farm equipment)
maximum height – 13′ 6”
maximum length of one item commodity or truck tractor/53′ semi-trailer combination hauling multiple commodities in line: 105′
maximum length of truck/trailer combination hauling multiple commodities in line: 60′
maximum length of toter/mobile home combination: 105′

maximum GVW:

5, 6 or 7 axles: 90,000 lbs (not to move on posted roads and posted bridges)
5 axles: may be permitted up to 112,000 lbs
6 axles: 108,000 lbs
7 axles: 122,000 lbs

Note: Minimum 51′ wheelbase, vehicle combinations are qualified up to 90,000 lbs. (not allowed on posted roads or posted bridges). Over 90,000 lbs require route specifications.

Note: The cost of a standard annual permit is $100 per vehicle or $200 per mobile home.

North Carolina Wide Load Requirements

All loads wider than 8′ 6″ require an oversized permit issued by the North Carolina 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:

North Carolina requires OSOW trailers and vehicles wider than 10′ to be equipped with “oversize load” or “wide load” banners on the front and rear.

Oversize Load Sign Requirements:

All signs must be 18” high and 7′ wide and feature black letters 10” high and 1.5” wide letters on the yellow background.

Mobile/modular home combination on top of a 16-foot-wide mobile/modular home escort must bear the legend “WIDE ____ FT. LOAD” or “OVERSIZE ____ FT. LOAD” to identify the nominal width of the unit in transport.

Oversize Load Lighting Requirements:

All escort vehicles are required to move with flashing amber lights.

Mobile homes must have functioning lights installed at each corner, positioned 72” above the road surface.

Self-propelled vehicles approved for continuous travel must have lights of a specific size, with a minimum of 800-watt candle power, installed on any front or rear overhang.

Oversize Pilot Cars or Escort Vehicles Requirements:

Width over 12′:

one front escort on 2-lane highways
one front escort and rear escort on multi-lane highways

Width over 14′:

one front escort and rear escort on 2-lane highways

Note: 16′ mobile/modular homes are subject to other escort requirements

Length over 110′:

one rear escort

Length 150′ and greater:

one front escort and rear escort

Weight exceeding 149,999 lbs:

one front escort

Height exceeding 14′ 5”:

front pole car escort equipped with height pole indicator

Note: Additional escort may be required depending on the nature of the load. All escort operators must be officially certified.

North Carolina Wide Load Restrictions

All loads wider than 8′ 6″ are subject to the following restrictions:

Oversize Holiday Restrictions:

Unless otherwise mentioned in North Carolina wide load permits, oversize/overweight loads exceeding 112,000 lbs are not allowed to be moved from noon the weekday before until noon on the weekday after New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Oversize Legal Travel Times Restrictions:

Oversized loads are allowed to transport from sunrise till sunset Monday through Sunday. You may need to obtain special permission to travel on Sunday.

16′ mobile/modular homes can move from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

Vehicles wider than 12′ are not allowed to travel within a 10-mile area surrounding the city boundaries of Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.

Oversize Road and Bridge Restrictions:

North Carolina adheres to the Federal Bridge Formula that provides specific bridge restrictions. As for the oversize road restrictions, they include but are not limited to 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 North Carolina. However, they may appear in North Carolina oversize load permits, arising from the nature and type of the load.

North Carolina Wide Load Limits

North Carolina 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:

Maximum gross weight: 80,000 lb. (including the weight of the load)
Single axle: 20,000 lb.
Tandem axle: 38,000 lb.

The maximum permitted axle weight limit:

steer axle: 20,000 lbs
single axle: 25,000 lbs
tandem axles: 50,000 lbs
tridem axles: 60,000 lbs
four or more axle grouping: 68,000 lbs.
5 axles: 94,500 lbs (112,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)
6 axles: 108,000 lbs(120,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)
7 axles: 122,000 lbs (132,000 lbs with minimum 51-foot wheelbase)

Oversize Tire Regulations:

Tires must be in normal operating condition, properly inflated, and feature the minimum legal tread depth of 2/32 of an inch.

Tires must not feature tire chains or protuberances of any material other than rubber unless their use is required for safety and permitted. Such studs must not project more than 1/16 of an inch beyond the tread.

Note: A permit shall not be granted for any vehicle or combination of vehicles not equipped with pneumatic tires.

North Carolina Trip Permits

The state of North Carolina issues a 10-day IRP permit for the cost of $15. There is also a fee for handling and processing your permit.

Note: The trip permit is limited to Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota. The original permit must be carried in the cab.

North Carolina Fuel Permits

IFTA permits are necessary for all interstate motor carriers driving in or through North Carolina. The permit is valid for 72 hours. There is also a fee for handling and processing your permit.

Note: The original permit must be carried in the cab.

North Carolina Specialty Permits

The need for special permits may arise from your load’s nature, size, and weight.

Superloads:

Loads with the GVW over 132,000 lbs or steering axle weight over 20,000 lbs, or width exceeding 16′ require a superload permit.

Note: A non-refundable application fee is $100. The state fee ($12 – $48) is charged in addition to $3 per 1,000 lbs over 132,000 lbs gross weight.

For more information about specialty permits:

https://connect.ncdot.gov/business/trucking/Pages/overpermits.aspx

Oversize/Overweight Load Fines in North Carolina

Oversize and overweight fines in North Carolina start at $100 for the first offense and can reach $1,500 for operating without the proper number of certified escorts. Their size depends on the weight exceeding the maximum legal weight and the number of violations since the first one within the same year. The size of the penalties varies from $0.01 per unpermitted pound to $0.10 per unpermitted pound plus the fixed penalty.

Note: In some cases, the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety may assess a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars.

Oversize/Overweight Permits Costs in North Carolina

The cost of North Carolina OSOW permits varies depending on the load type, its nature, and its excessive weight and size. It starts at $12 for a general single-trip permit and can reach $200 for annual and superload permits.

You may also be charged an application fee for processing your permit request.

For more details:
https://connect.ncdot.gov/business/trucking/Pages/overpermits.aspx

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.