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Connecticut Oversize Permits

Legal size/weight limits, escort thresholds, travel restrictions, and permit office contact for Connecticut.

⚠ REFERENCE ONLY — NOT A PERMIT. VERIFY WITH THE STATE BEFORE YOU TRAVEL.

These figures are a reference summary of publicly published state rules, not a substitute for a state-issued permit and not legal advice. Rules change — always confirm current limits and requirements directly with the state permit office before you plan or run a move. Last verified: 2026-07-16. Oversize Ops is NOT responsible and CANNOT be held liable for decisions made from this reference. Official source ↗

Data confidence: Medium. We could not fully corroborate every figure on this page against a primary official source. Treat these numbers as a starting point and confirm with the permit office before you plan a move.
Legal dimensions, superload thresholds, portal and phone from the official CTDOT OSOW FAQ; the 12-ft base escort trigger from Regulations of CT State Agencies Sec.14-270-21 (1985). Detailed civilian-vs-State-Police escort width/height tiers vary between CTDOT FAQ summaries, so tier breakpoints medium confidence - verify with the CTDOT OSOW office. night_travel_allowed null (standard-load night rules not clearly published; only superload night-only rule explicit). holiday_blackouts null (not specified officially).

Legal Maximum Dimensions (no permit required)

Width: 8.5ft (102in)
Height: 13.5ft (162in)
Max semitrailer length: 53ft on designated routes · 48ft elsewhere
Max kingpin to rear axle: 43ft
Gross Weight: 80,000 lbs
Single Axle: 22,400 lbs
Tandem Axle: 36,000 lbs

Conn. Gen. Stat. 14-264: no vehicle whose height with its load exceeds 13 ft 6 in (162 in) may be operated on any highway or bridge without a special written permit from the Commissioner of Transportation under 14-270. Exception for a vehicle loaded with loose hay or straw. ⚠️ Violation carries a $1,500 fine.

Official source for this height limit →

Conn. Gen. Stat. 14-262. Connecticut INVERTS the usual pattern: 48 ft applies STATEWIDE and it is the 53 ft allowance that is route-restricted (listed routes plus one mile of access), conditional on kingpin-to-rear-axle of 43 ft or less. CT's designated list is broader than the National Network. No statutory overall limit for a tractor-semitrailer. ⚠️ CT's KPRA is 43 ft, NOT the federal 41 ft — older references carrying 41 for Connecticut are stale.

Kingpin-to-axle 43 ft or less is a condition of the 53 ft trailer allowance.

Official source for these length limits →

Escort / Pilot Car Thresholds (see glossary for terms, certification requirements for the driver)

These escort figures are route-dependent — they can change with road classification, lane width, two-lane vs multilane, and time of day. Confirm with the permit office before dispatching.

Front escort required over: 12ft wide
Rear escort required over: 12ft wide
Both escorts required over: 13.5ft wide
Height escort required over: 14.5ft tall

Base regulation Sec.14-270-21: all vehicles/loads exceeding 12 ft in width (or the lane width) require a pilot car; loads with >25 ft front/rear overhang require a pilot car; a single escort precedes on 2-3 lane roads and follows on 4+ lane divided roads; two-way radio required; escort min width 60in. Per CTDOT OSOW permit guidance: width >12'-13'6"=1 front + 1 rear civilian escort; width >13'6" (to 15') triggers CT State Police escort involvement; height >=14'6"=front pole car required; height >=15'1" combined with >=13'6" width, and length >119'11", require CT State Police escort(s). DOT (after consulting State Police) may require 2 State Police escorts for loads >8'6" wide in active construction zones.

Travel Restrictions

Night travel: Generally restricted
Weekend travel: Generally allowed
Sunday travel: Generally allowed

Superload moves are limited to nighttime only and typically require CT State Police (CSP) escorts. Route surveys required before permit for heights over 14 ft. Official CTDOT FAQ does not publish general daytime curfews or weekend/Sunday/holiday bans beyond the superload night-only rule; specific timing is set on the permit face.

Holiday blackouts: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Begins noon day before.

See how Connecticut compares to every state ›

Superload Thresholds

Width over: 16ft
Height over: 16ft
Length over: 150ft
Weight over: 200,000 lbs

Per CTDOT OSOW FAQ, a load is a superload when it exceeds any of: length 150 ft, width 16 ft, height 16 ft, or weight 200,000 lbs. Superloads are limited to nighttime moves and typically require CT State Police escorts.

Estimated Permit Cost Current

$30 + $12 electronic fee ($42 min) + $2 per 1,000 lb over 200,000 lbs

Source: CTDOT permit portal (Public Act 22-40 (2022)).

Permit fee only — does not include escort/pilot-car service costs (market-rate, arranged separately) or third-party permit-service fees. This is an estimate for planning purposes, not a quote.

Get a Permit

Online portal: https://cvoportal.ct.gov
Phone: 860-594-2560

CT has lower length limits on some routes. Bridge restrictions common.

Planning a move through Connecticut?

Enter your load's exact size to see whether it needs a permit or escort here, plan a truck-legal route, or find a transporter or escort.

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