Alaska

Alaska Oversize Permits & Escorts Information

Do you need oversize load permits in the state of Alaska? Find out the maximum width and weight allowed on Alaska highways, the legal operating times, the oversize load signage rules, and when Alaska requires pilot cars. The following data is for informational purposes only. We are not a permit service, do not arrange permits for carriers, and do not answer permit and escort requirement questions.

Oversize Load Limits

Maximum load sizes before a permit is required:

• Length: 53′
• Width: 8’6″
• Height: 14′
• Weight: 80,000 lbs gross (depending on route)
• Overhang: 3′ in the front; 4′ off the rear

Permits

Alaska oversize permits are valid for five consecutive days. Permits are required prior to entering the state. For more information, visit the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Legal Operating Times

• Daylight only, Monday through Saturday.
• No travel on Sunday and select holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day).
• Vehicles less than 85′ in length, 16’ in width, or 16′ in height may only travel during daylight hours, Monday through Sunday.

Pilot Cars & Escort Vehicles

If the width of the shipment is between 10’6″ and 12 feet’, one pilot car or escort vehicle is required. One pilot car is required for lengths between 85′ and 100′. If the length is over 100′, or if the width is between 12′ and 14′ when special bridge conditions exist, two pilot cars are required. Widths between 14′ and 18′ require three pilot cars: two in the front and one in the rear. Widths between 18′ and 22′ require four pilot cars. Loads over 22′ in width require five pilot cars when road closures exist. If an overhang between 10′ and 20′ exits, one pilot car is required (an extended rear light bar may be used lieu of a rear pilot car). If the rear overhang is between 20′ and 35′, or the front overhang exceeds 60′, one pilot car is required. If the rear overhang is greater than 35 feet, two pilot cars are required.

Pilot Car and Escort Vehicle Requirements

Pilot cars and escort vehicles must weigh under 10,000 lbs and carry commercial vehicle insurance. They may be passenger trucks and cars. However, no passengers are allowed. Pilot cars and escort vehicles must not act as steer or tiller men for any load. All pilot cars must be equipped with the appropriate signage: oversize, wide load, or long load. The sign must be mounted on the roof along with a high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating, or strobing amber beacon light that is visible from at least 500′ in any direction. The sign on the lead pilot car must face towards the front of the pilot car or escort vehicle; the sign on the chasing pilot car must be faced towards the rear of the vehicle. The following items and equipment are required: a 24-inch stop slow paddle sign, three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles, a first aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, a red cone, a red hand flag, a 15 lbs fire extinguisher rated B and C, and an orange reflector rise vest, shirt, or jacket.

Oversize Load Sign Requirements

A standard oversize load sign is required on the front and rear of the load if it exceeds 8’6″ in width. The sign must be 48″ in width with a yellow background and black letters that are 10″ tall and 2″ wide. Acceptable signs shall read “OVERSIZE,” “OVERSIZE LOAD,” or “WIDE LOAD” for over-width vehicles; “OVERSIZE,” “OVERSIZE LOAD,” or “LONG LOAD” for over-length vehicles. The sign also must be affixed to the rear of shipment if the length of the load exceeds 60′. Loads with rear overhang that exceeds 10′ must have “OVERSIZE” or “OVERSIZE LOAD,” signs and an amber, high-intensity rotating, flashing, oscillating, or strobing beacon visible for at least 500 feet from the end of the load. Flags are required on loads wider than 10′ and if overhang exceeds the legal limits in any direction. They must be red and a minimum of 16”x16″.

Frost & Thaw Laws

Frost and thaw laws are in effect from March through June on major routes in South, Central, and interior Alaska. Contact the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for more information.

The data on this page is for informational purposes only, and we do not guarantee its accuracy.