RouteAllArizona Oversize Load Requirements: Permits, Escorts, Hours
Last verified October 14, 2026 against the Arizona rules linked below.
An Arizona load needs a special permit once it is wider than 8 feet 6 inches on interstates and designated highways (8 feet elsewhere), taller than 14 feet, or past the length and 80,000-pound limits. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) issues single-trip size-only permits through ADOT ePRO for $15, valid 96 hours, or $75 when the load is also overweight.
On This Page
Arizona lets smaller oversize loads move around the clock and closes Phoenix and Tucson freeways at rush hour. This page covers both.
What are Arizona's legal size limits?
On state highways, Arizona's permit table starts at 8 feet 6 inches wide and 14 feet high. The general statute is lower, 8 feet wide and 13 feet 6 inches high, so restricted routes trigger a permit sooner. Gross weight stops at 80,000 pounds.
Both the rule and the statute are listed, because they differ.
| Dimension | Legal limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 feet 6 inches on state highways; 8 feet in general | R17-6-102; A.R.S. 28-1093 |
| Height | 14 feet on state highways; 13 feet 6 inches in general | R17-6-102; 28-1094 |
| Length | 40-foot single vehicle; 57-foot-6-inch semitrailer | 28-1095 |
| Weight | 80,000 pounds gross; 20,000 single axle; 34,000 tandem | 28-1100 |
How do you get an Arizona oversize permit?
Apply through ADOT ePRO, run by the ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division. A single-trip oversize permit costs $15 and is valid 96 hours at most. The Class A ceiling is 14 feet wide, 16 feet high, 120 feet long and 250,000 pounds on state routes.
The ADOT permit overview separates state-route permits from local permissions. Obtain permits for city or county roads from the responsible local authority. Check the Arizona permit reading checklist before reviewing the issued route.
| Permit | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single trip, oversize | $15, valid 96 hours | 28-1105(A)(1) |
| 30-day, oversize | $30 | 28-1105(A)(1) |
| Annual, oversize | $360 | 28-1105(A)(1) |
| Single trip, overweight | $75 | 28-1105(A)(2) |
| Single trip, oversize and overweight | $75 | 28-1105(A)(3) |
RouteAll reads the permit you upload and drives the route it names, so the roads on the screen are the roads ADOT approved.
When does Arizona require a pilot car?
ADOT sets daytime escorts on each permit, weighing the road, the size and the time of travel. The rules write numeric triggers for night moves and long overhangs. Over 20 feet of overhang, the escort goes on that end. A police escort needs 12 hours' notice to the Department of Public Safety.
| Load | Escorts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Night, over 11 to 14 feet wide | One, at the rear | R17-6-402(D) |
| Night, over 14 to 16 feet wide | Front and rear | R17-6-402(D) |
| Night, over 15 feet high | Front, with a height pole | R17-6-402(D) |
| Overhang over 20 feet | One on the overhang end | R17-6-307(C) |
| Daytime, other loads | As the permit specifies | R17-6-305 |
Escort drivers must be certified by a program that meets Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance standards, and repeat it at least every four years (A.R.S. 28-1110). See pilot car requirements by state.
When can an oversize load move in Arizona?
Loads within 10 feet wide, 14 feet 6 inches high, 120 feet long, 10 feet of overhang and 250,000 pounds may move 24 hours a day. Larger loads move from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Some may start at 3 a.m. on listed routes.
- Metro curfew: over 10 feet wide, no movement 7 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays on Phoenix I-10, I-17, SR 51, US 60 and SR 143, and on Tucson I-10, I-19 and SR 77 (R17-6-404).
- Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, stopping at noon the day before (R17-6-403).
- Spacing: larger daylight loads keep 2,000 feet from other permitted loads.
- Time zone: Mountain Standard Time, except tribal lands that observe daylight saving time.
What signs, flags and lights does Arizona require?
At 9 feet wide or more, Arizona requires an OVERSIZE LOAD sign on the front or roof of the power unit and on the rear. The rule's drawing sets at least 6 feet by 1 foot for the load vehicle, with 6-inch black letters on yellow. Hide the sign when you are not hauling.
"A permittee or driver shall ensure that an oversize or overweight vehicle or load displays an "OVERSIZE LOAD" sign if the vehicle or load is nine feet or more in width." — Ariz. Admin. Code R17-6-303(A). Verified October 14, 2026.
Flags are red or fluorescent orange, at least 18 inches square (R17-6-302). Compare states in sign requirements by state.
What is a superload in Arizona?
Arizona's rules do not use the word. A Class C permit, pre-approved by ADOT, is required above 14 feet wide, 16 feet high, 120 feet long or 250,000 pounds (R17-6-211). Review fees run $15 to $25, plus engineering review by route length.
Use This Check In RouteAll
After receiving the issued permit, use RouteAll’s permit-to-GPS workflow to compare its highway sequence with a reviewable map. Keep local permissions, travel windows and escort instructions available separately. RouteAll does not issue permits or amend the authorized roads.
Before you roll
Check the load against 8 feet 6 inches and 14 feet, buy the $15 size permit ($75 with excess weight) through ADOT ePRO, and hang the sign at 9 feet wide. Within 10 feet wide and the other limits, you may run around the clock. Over 10 feet wide, stay off the Phoenix and Tucson freeways at weekday rush hour.
Common questions
How much is an Arizona oversize permit?
A single-trip oversize permit costs $15 under A.R.S. 28-1105 and is valid up to 96 hours. A 30-day oversize permit costs $30 and an annual oversize permit $360. Overweight permits, including oversize loads that are also overweight, cost $75 a trip.
Can oversize loads travel at night in Arizona?
Yes, within 10 feet wide, 14 feet 6 inches high, 120 feet long and 250,000 pounds. Larger loads move in daylight, though some may start at 3 a.m. on listed routes with escorts set by width and height.
When is an OVERSIZE LOAD sign required in Arizona?
At 9 feet wide or more, under R17-6-303. The sign goes on the front or roof of the power unit and on the rear, at least 6 feet by 1 foot with 6-inch letters. It must not be visible when you are not hauling the load.
Further reading
Sources
- A.R.S. 28-1093, 28-1094, 28-1095, 28-1100, 28-1105 and 28-1110.
- Ariz. Admin. Code Title 17, Chapter 6, official text (June 30, 2022), including R17-6-303 Illustration 2 and R17-6-402.
- ADOT, oversize and overweight permits, and ADOT ePRO.
RouteAll reads the permit you provide. It does not issue permits or guarantee compliance. The driver remains responsible for the load. Arizona rules change, and your permit can be stricter than the rule; verify against the permit and the Arizona permit office before every move.