RouteAllMissouri Oversize Load Permits: Carrier Express, Escorts
Last verified November 3, 2026 against the Missouri rules linked below.
A Missouri load needs an oversize/overweight (OSOW) permit once it is wider than 102 inches, taller than 14 feet on Interstates (13 feet 6 inches on other highways) or heavier than 80,000 pounds. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) takes applications only through MoDOT Carrier Express. A single-trip oversize permit costs $15, and the move must finish in seven moving days.
On This Page
Holiday bans begin at noon on the last business day before the holiday. This page covers that and the rest, each linked to the rule.
What are Missouri's legal size limits?
Missouri allows 102 inches wide and 80,000 pounds gross without a permit. Height is 14 feet on Interstates and routes the commission designates, and 13 feet 6 inches on every other highway. A semitrailer may be 53 feet.
The table lists each limit with the source it comes from.
| Dimension | Legal limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 102 inches, required lights and mirrors excluded | RSMo 304.170.1 |
| Height | 14 feet on Interstates and designated routes; 13 feet 6 inches elsewhere | 304.170.2 |
| Single vehicle | 45 feet | 304.170.3 |
| Semitrailer | 53 feet | 304.170.5 |
| Weight | 80,000 pounds gross; 20,000 single axle; 34,000 tandem | 304.180.1, MoDOT table |
Routine permits go up to 16 feet wide, 16 feet high, 150 feet long and 160,000 pounds (MoDOT legal and permit maximums). Past any of those, the move is a superload.
How do you get a Missouri OSOW permit?
Apply in MoDOT Carrier Express, the only channel MoDOT Motor Carrier Services accepts for oversize/overweight applications. The system runs 24 hours a day, even on the holidays the Jefferson City office closes; the office answers at 1-866-831-6277 (MoDOT OSOW page). A single-trip oversize permit costs $15.
Each single-trip permit covers one load from one origin to one destination, and the move must finish in seven moving days (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(H)).
The load must be non-reducible: anything built to come off with hand tools comes off before a permit is granted (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(B)). Routine moves need $750,000 of combined single limit liability insurance, and superloads $2,000,000 (7 CSR 10-25.020(2)(A)).
The application shows overall width, length, height and trailer-and-load length. An overweight application adds every axle load and the center-to-center spacing between axles (7 CSR 10-25.020(4)(A)).
| Permit | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single-trip oversize | $15 | (4)(B)1 |
| Single-trip oversize over 16 feet wide, 16 feet high or 150 feet long | $15 plus a $250 movement feasibility fee | (4)(B)2 |
| Single-trip overweight up to 160,000 pounds | $15 plus $20 per 10,000 pounds over legal gross | (4)(B)4 |
| Single-trip overweight over 160,000 pounds | As above, plus a bridge and roadway analysis: $425 up to 50 miles, $625 for 51 to 200, $925 over 200 | (4)(B)5 |
| Annual blanket oversize, one commodity | $128, prorated quarterly | (4)(B)7 |
| Annual blanket oversize, multiple commodities | $400, prorated quarterly | (4)(B)8 |
| 30-day blanket | $300 | (4)(B)12 |
| Amendment | $2 | (4)(B)17 |
Fees are not refunded when a permit becomes invalid. A single-trip permit can be amended only within two business days of its start date, and once it is in effect the permittee, origin, destination and commodity cannot change ((4)(B)).
Annual blanket permits cover loads up to 12 feet 6 inches wide and 150 feet long at legal height and weight, on state highways only, and expire at midnight on January 1 (7 CSR 10-25.020(6)). The trade-off is covered in annual vs single-trip oversize permits, and the permit's own layout in how to read a Missouri oversize permit.
RouteAll reads the permit you upload and keeps you on the roads it names. It never reroutes you off them. MoDOT voids a permit when the load leaves the prescribed route without its say-so.
What are Missouri's route and bridge rules?
MoDOT picks the route on safety, structure capacity, clearances, road width and traffic, not on time or cost (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(D)). Your permit can set maximum and minimum speeds and lane positions for crossing a structure (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(G)). Roads off the state system need approval from the agency that owns them.
"In any event, departure from a prescribed route ... renders the permit void" — 7 CSR 10-25.020(3)(A)6. Verified November 3, 2026.
- Service stops: you may go up to 1 mile onto another state highway for food, fuel, repairs and rest. No structure may be crossed, no posted weight exceeded, and overhead clearance must be safe (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(J)).
- Posted bridges: a blanket permit never crosses a structure posted for less weight, and the load stops traffic when it exceeds half a bridge's roadway width (7 CSR 10-25.020(6)(A)).
- Flagging: required when an overwidth load is as wide as the lane on a two-lane bridge, or spills into the next lane (7 CSR 10-25.020(9)(I)).
- Over 12 feet 6 inches wide: two-lane bridges under 28 feet wide may need traffic stopped, and oversize vehicles keep 1,000 feet apart (7 CSR 10-25.020(13)(A)). Over 14 feet, the bridge figure is 32 feet, and two-lane moves stop when dirt shoulders are wet (7 CSR 10-25.020(14)(C)).
- Overhead: the permittee checks every structure and wire for clearance, and lifting or pushing an overhead obstruction is prohibited (7 CSR 10-25.020(10)(C)).
Current restrictions are on MoDOT's Oversize Overweight Restriction & Commercial Zone Map. What follows a wrong turn is covered in what happens if you leave your permitted route; terms are in the oversize load terms glossary.
When does Missouri require a pilot car?
Missouri requires one escort over 12 feet 6 inches wide: in front on two-lane highways, behind on divided and multi-lane undivided highways. From 14 to 16 feet wide, you need front and rear, except a rear escort alone on divided highways. Over 15 feet 6 inches high, a height-detection vehicle leads.
| Load | Escorts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Over 12 feet 6 inches to 14 feet wide | One; front on two-lane, rear on divided and multi-lane undivided | (13)(B) |
| Over 14 to 16 feet wide | Front and rear on two-lane and multi-lane undivided; rear on divided | (14)(B) |
| Over 16 feet wide | Front and rear on divided and multi-lane undivided; Highway Patrol on two-lane highways; over 18 feet, on every highway | (15)(G) |
| Over 15 feet 6 inches high | Height-detection vehicle in front, in two-way contact with the truck | (9)(G)3 |
| Over 110 feet long | Rear, except on divided highways; over 125 feet, rear on all | (9)(G)2 |
| Over 350,000 pounds | Front and rear civilian escorts | (15)(G)1 |
Escorts run about 300 feet ahead of or behind the load, and convoys are not allowed ((9)(G), (H)). No more than two front and two rear civilian escorts are required, except for unusually complex moves. An escort operator must be licensed and at least 18 ((8)(A)); the rest is in Missouri pilot car qualifications.
Two MoDOT documents disagree on Highway Patrol escorts. The rule book requires one over 17 feet high or 150 feet long. MoDOT's separate Escort Requirements Table lists 18 feet and 200 feet. Your permit states the escorts it requires.
When can an oversize load move in Missouri?
An oversize load moves from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset (7 CSR 10-25.020(9)(B)). Up to 12 feet 6 inches wide, at legal height and no more than 110 feet long, it may also move at night (7 CSR 10-25.020(10)(F)). Overweight-only loads within those sizes run day and night (7 CSR 10-25.020(11)(A)).
- Weather: no movement on snow- or ice-covered roads, in hazardous crosswinds, or when visibility is under 500 feet (7 CSR 10-25.020(9)(B)).
- Metro peak hours, weekdays: St. Louis City and County, all routes but Route 370, close 6:30 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Kansas City area and Springfield close 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., with shorter windows on Springfield's I-44, US 60 and US 65. Overweight-only loads are exempt (7 CSR 10-25.020(9)(E)).
- Over 12 feet 6 inches wide: daylight on Interstates and divided highways. Every other state route closes weekdays 6:30 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 to 6 p.m. (7 CSR 10-25.020(13)(A)).
- Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The ban runs from noon on the last business day before to half an hour before sunrise on the first business day after (7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(I)).
- 2026 holiday periods: MoDOT lists Thanksgiving as November 25 to 27, Christmas as December 24 to 28, and New Year as December 31 to January 4 (MoDOT OSOW page).
- Weekends: open up to 16 feet wide since March 31, 2025 (MoDOT). Lake of the Ozarks routes 5, 42 and Business 54 close Saturday and Sunday from May 25 through Labor Day, and Branson routes 76 and 13 from May 1 through November 30 (7 CSR 10-25.020(9)(D)).
Every state's windows are side by side in oversize load travel restrictions by state.
What signs, flags and lights does Missouri require?
Over 10 feet 6 inches wide, Missouri requires OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD signs front and rear. Each is at least 7 feet by 18 inches, with 10-inch black letters of 1 5/8-inch stroke on yellow. A combination over 110 feet or a single unit over 50 feet takes a rear sign (7 CSR 10-25.020(10)(A)).
Flags at least 18 inches square, red, yellow or fluorescent orange, go on the ends and projections of every overwidth and overlength load. At night, signs must be lighted or reflective, with clearance lights in place of flags (7 CSR 10-25.020(10)(F)). Escort signs are 5 feet by 1 foot (7 CSR 10-25.020(8)(D)). Details are in Missouri oversize load signs, flags and lights, and other states in sign requirements by state.
What is a superload in Missouri?
A load past the routine limits, generally over 16 feet wide, 16 feet high, 150 feet long or 160,000 pounds (7 CSR 10-25.020(15)(A)). Allow at least two weeks for the route evaluation, and MoDOT may hold $425 in escrow for the bridge analysis. Over 17 feet high, bring a written approval from the utility to disturb its lines. Over 350,000 pounds, a second power unit goes with the load (7 CSR 10-25.020(15)(C)-(D)).
Over 150 feet long, someone must drive the route, or model it in MoDOT-approved software, before the permit issues (7 CSR 10-25.020(3)(A)5).
Use This Check In RouteAll
After Carrier Express issues the permit, use RouteAll’s permit-to-GPS workflow to compare its highway sequence with a reviewable map. Keep travel windows, holiday periods and escort instructions available separately. RouteAll does not issue permits or amend the authorized roads.
Before you roll
Over 12 feet 6 inches wide, plan a daylight move with an escort, clear of the St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield peak hours. Check the calendar for a holiday period that starts at noon the business day before. Plan fuel and rest stops no more than 1 mile off the route on a state highway, such as TA Oak Grove at I-70 Exit 28 in the Missouri truck stop guide, and cross no structure to reach them.
Common questions
How much is a Missouri oversize permit?
A single-trip oversize permit costs $15 under 7 CSR 10-25.020(4)(B). A load over 16 feet wide, 16 feet high or 150 feet long adds a $250 movement feasibility fee. An overweight permit adds $20 for each 10,000 pounds over the legal gross weight.
Can oversize loads travel at night in Missouri?
Yes, up to 12 feet 6 inches wide if the load is legal height and no more than 110 feet long. Signs must be lighted or reflective, with clearance lights in place of flags. Wider loads move from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
Can oversize loads travel on weekends in Missouri?
Yes, up to 16 feet wide under the rules MoDOT made effective March 31, 2025. Weekend moves stay closed on listed Lake of the Ozarks routes from May 25 through Labor Day, on listed Branson routes from May 1 through November 30, and in holiday periods.
When does Missouri require a pilot car?
Over 12 feet 6 inches wide, one escort: in front on two-lane highways, behind on divided and multi-lane undivided highways. Over 14 feet wide, front and rear except on divided highways. Over 15 feet 6 inches high, a height-detection vehicle leads. Over 110 feet long, a rear escort except on divided highways.
When are the Missouri holiday restrictions?
On New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The ban runs from noon on the last business day before the holiday until half an hour before sunrise on the first business day after it.
What happens if I leave my Missouri permitted route?
The permit is void unless MoDOT Motor Carrier Services authorized the change, under 7 CSR 10-25.020(3)(A)6. The one allowance is up to 1 mile onto another state highway for food, fuel, repairs or rest, with no structure crossed.
Further reading
Sources
- Missouri Revised Statutes 304.170 (width, height, length) and 304.180 (weight).
- 7 CSR 10-25.020, MoDOT Oversize/Overweight Permit Regulations, effective March 31, 2025, with its General Regulation and Fees sections.
- MoDOT, Oversize Overweight Legal & Permit Maximums.
- MoDOT, Escort Requirements Table.
- MoDOT Motor Carrier Services, Oversize Overweight page: Carrier Express, the March 31, 2025 rule changes and the 2026 holiday restriction periods.
RouteAll reads the permit you provide. It does not issue permits or guarantee compliance. The driver remains responsible for the load. Missouri rules change, and your permit can be stricter than the rule; verify against the permit and MoDOT Motor Carrier Services before every move.