North Carolina

North Carolina Oversize Permits & Escorts Information

Do you need oversize load permits in the state of North Carolina? Find out the maximum width and weight allowed on North Carolina highways, the legal operating times, the oversize load signage rules, and when North Carolina 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: 60′
• Width: 8’6″
• Height: 13’6″
• Weight: 80,000 lbs gross

Permits

North Carolina oversize permits are valid for ten days. Permits are required prior to entering the state. For more information, visit the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Legal Operating Times

• Sunrise to sunset, Monday through Saturday. No Sunday travel.
• No travel on major holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day) and holiday weekends.
• Continuous 24/7 travel allowed for overweight only loads not exceeding 112,000 lbs (or 94,500 lbs for sealed ship container) and traveling only on Interstate routes. Must be requested when ordering permit.
• Loads exceeding 10′ in width are restricted within a 10-mile-radius of Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill from 7:00 a.m.to 9:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Loads over 14′ in height are subject to speed and escort restrictions in I-40 tunnels near the Tennessee state line.

Pilot Cars & Escort Vehicles

Escort vehicle or pilot car required for heavy-haul or oversize loads if:

• Length: Over 110’ requires one rear escort.
• Width:  Over 12’ requires one front escort on two-lane roads and one rear escort on four-lane roads.  Over 14’ requires one front and one rear escort vehicle in front and one escort.
• Height: Over 14’6″ requires one escort with height pole.

Pilot Car and Escort Vehicle Requirements

Pilot cars and escort vehicles shall be a truck of not less than one-quarter ton-rated load capacity but not more than 17,000 lbs or a passenger vehicle of not less than 2,000 lbs. Escort vehicles are not permitted to pull a trailer of any kind. Yellow signs, 18″ high, must be mounted on bumper or roof bearing the legend “WIDE LOAD” or “OVERSIZE LOAD” in black 10” x 1.5” brush stroke lettering visible from the front or rear bumper as required by location of the escort vehicle. The banner shall extend the entire width of the escort vehicle or bumper. Rotating or strobe amber lights must be positioned on top of the escort vehicle, visible for at least 500′ in all directions by approaching traffic. Escort vehicle head lamps must be burning at all times during movement. A height pole indicator is required for front escort vehicle for over-height moves in excess of 14’5”. All pilot cars and escort vehicles must be equipped with a two-way radio and maintain contact with driver of oversize/overweight load and other escort driver(s), an octagonal “STOP”/”SLOW” paddle sign at least 18”x18” with 6″ high letters, an orange, yellow, or yellow-green high-visibility vest, shirt, or coat to be worn while flagging, at least three bi-directional retro-reflective triangles with minimum 17″ arm length and minimum arm width of 2″, a sign (minimum of 8” x 12” that is legible during daylight hours from a distance of 50′ displayed on each side of escort vehicle, and a five-lb type “BC” or “ABC” fire extinguisher. Escort vehicle operators must carry their certificate card while escorting a permitted load.

Oversize Load Sign Requirements

“OVERSIZE LOAD” signs are required at front and rear for all loads exceeding 10′ in width. Flags are required on each corner and at the widest point for all loads over 8’6″ wide. A rear overhang exceeding 4′ requires a flag and at night a red or amber light visible for at least 200′.

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