RouteAllOhio Oversize Load Requirements: Permits, Escorts, Hours
Last verified October 14, 2026 against the Ohio rules linked below.
An Ohio load needs a permit once it is wider than 102 inches, taller than 13 feet 6 inches, or past the length and 80,000-pound limits. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) issues single-trip permits through the Ohio Hauling Permit System (OHPS) for $75, valid up to 5 days.
On This Page
Loads over 12 feet wide face extra weekend and rush-hour bans. This page covers each rule with its source.
What are Ohio's legal size limits?
Ohio allows 102 inches wide, 13 feet 6 inches high and 80,000 pounds gross without a permit. A semitrailer may be 53 feet, other combinations 65 feet and a single vehicle 50 feet. Exceed any number and you need a permit.
The table lists each limit from the Ohio Revised Code.
| Dimension | Legal limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 102 inches including load | ORC 5577.05 |
| Height | 13 feet 6 inches | ORC 5577.05(D) |
| Length | 53-foot semitrailer; 65 feet other combinations; 50 feet single vehicle | ORC 5577.05(C) |
| Weight | 80,000 pounds gross; 20,000 single axle | ORC 5577.04 |
How do you get an Ohio oversize permit?
Apply through OHPS, the Ohio Hauling Permit System, signing in with OH|ID. ODOT's Special Hauling Permits Section answers at (614) 351-2300. A single trip costs $75 up to 14 feet wide and 14 feet 6 inches high, and $145 above that. It lasts up to 5 days.
The state permit covers state routes only.
| Permit | Fee | Covers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single trip | $75 | Up to 14 feet wide, 14 feet 6 inches high; 5 days | 5501:2-1-05 |
| Single trip, larger | $145 | Over 14 feet wide or 14 feet 6 inches high | 5501:2-1-05 |
| Continuing annual | $980 | Same two points, same route, 365 days | 5501:2-1-05 |
The Ohio Turnpike, counties, townships and cities issue their own permits for their roads (Form OS-1A). RouteAll reads the permit you upload and drives the route it names, so the roads on the screen are the roads ODOT approved.
When does Ohio require a pilot car?
Ohio requires one escort over 13 feet wide, leading the load, or following it on a multi-lane highway. A load over 90 feet long needs a rear escort. Over 14 feet 6 inches high, a lead escort carries a height-sensing device. Two triggers at once, or larger sizes, mean two escorts.
"One lead (rear on multiple lane highways) escort vehicle shall be required for the transportation of any vehicle/load with a permitted width in excess of 13 feet." — ODOT Form OS-1A, Private Escort Vehicles, item 3. Verified October 14, 2026.
| Load | Escorts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Over 90 feet long | One, at the rear | OS-1A |
| Over 13 feet wide | One lead; rear on multi-lane highways | OS-1A |
| Over 14 feet 6 inches high | One lead with a height-sensing device | OS-1A |
| Over 14 feet 6 inches wide, or 14 feet 10 inches high, or two triggers | Two: one lead, one rear | OS-1A |
Ohio sets no escort certification; the driver must be licensed and able to flag (5501:2-1-04(L)). Escorts carry a 5-foot by 12-inch OVERSIZE LOAD sign and an amber roof light. Other states are in pilot car requirements by state.
When can an oversize load move in Ohio?
In daylight, half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, Sunday through Saturday. Night movement needs the permit to allow it. Loads over 12 feet wide also lose weekend afternoons and weekday rush hours in 22 counties.
- Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, from noon the day before to half an hour before sunrise the day after (OS-1A).
- Weekends over 12 feet wide: no movement from 3 p.m. Saturday or 3 p.m. Sunday until half an hour before the next sunrise; from April 1 to November 30, Friday from 3 p.m. too.
- Rush hour over 12 feet wide: no movement 6:30 to 9 a.m. or 4:30 to 6 p.m. on weekdays in 22 counties, including Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Lucas, Montgomery and Summit.
- Weather: the permit is void when police judge conditions unsafe (5501:2-1-04(E)).
The travel restrictions by state guide compares other states.
What signs, flags and lights does Ohio require?
An OVERSIZE LOAD sign at least 7 feet by 18 inches, with 10-inch black letters on yellow, goes front and rear when the load is over legal length, 10 feet wide or more, or over 14 feet 6 inches high. Flags are 18 inches square, red or orange. Headlights stay on.
- Flags: one at each corner and two at the widest points of every oversize load; a rear flag when overhang is 4 feet or more.
- Lights: headlights on during every oversize move; amber beacons only if the permit requires them (5501:2-1-04(J)).
- Sign trigger wording: the rule joins the three sizes with "and", while Form OS-1A uses "or". Follow OS-1A.
Other states' sign sizes are in sign requirements by state.
What is a superload in Ohio?
No ODOT rule uses the word. The fee schedule raises the price above 14 feet wide, 14 feet 6 inches high or 120,000 pounds (5501:2-1-05). Over 14 feet 10 inches high, you must coordinate with the owners of overhead signs and utilities.
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 102 inches, 13 feet 6 inches and 80,000 pounds, then buy the permit through OHPS. Over 12 feet wide, plan around weekend afternoons and rush hour in the 22 named counties. Over 13 feet wide, book the escort before you book the load.
Common questions
How much is an Ohio oversize permit?
A single-trip permit costs $75, a $20 processing fee plus $55, for loads up to 14 feet wide and 14 feet 6 inches high. Larger loads pay $145. A continuing annual permit between the same two points costs $980.
When do you need a pilot car in Ohio?
Over 13 feet wide, over 90 feet long, or over 14 feet 6 inches high, you need one escort. Over 14 feet 6 inches wide or 14 feet 10 inches high, or with two triggers at once, you need two: one lead and one rear.
Can wide loads travel on weekends in Ohio?
Yes, but loads over 12 feet wide stop at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and on Friday from April 1 to November 30, until half an hour before the next sunrise. Holidays close movement from noon the day before.
Further reading
Sources
- Ohio Revised Code 5577.04 and 5577.05.
- Ohio Admin. Code 5501:2-1-03, -04 and -05.
- ODOT Form OS-1A (Rev. 01/18), special hauling permit conditions.
- ODOT Ohio Hauling Permit System.
RouteAll reads the permit you provide. It does not issue permits or guarantee compliance. The driver remains responsible for the load. Ohio rules change, and your permit can be stricter than the rule; verify against the permit and the Ohio permit office before every move.