Delaware Oversize Permits

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

⚠ 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 ↗

Legal Maximum Dimensions (no permit required)

Width: 8.5ft (102in)
Height: 13.5ft (162in)
Max semitrailer length: 53ft
Max overall combination length: 60ft
Gross Weight: 80,000 lbs
Single Axle: 22,400 lbs
Tandem Axle: 36,000 lbs

21 Del. C. § 4503: no vehicle including any load thereon shall exceed a height of 13 ft 6 in (162 in) on interstate highways, federal-aid primary system highways and United States numbered routes.

Official source for this height limit →

21 Del. C. Ch. 45: 53 ft semitrailer on the Interstate, federal-aid primary and US routes ONLY, with no overall limit there. On ALL other Delaware highways a 60 ft overall cap applies. ⚠️ A tractor plus a 53 ft trailer runs roughly 70 ft, so that rig is ILLEGAL on Delaware state routes such as DE 1 and DE 9 even though the trailer itself is a legal length.

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: 13ft wide
Rear escort required over: 13ft wide
Both escorts required over: 14ft wide
Height escort required over: 15ft tall
Weight escort required over: 120,000 lbs

Per DelDOT Escort Vehicle Requirements (Table 4.1): Width >13'=1 escort (rear on multi-lane highway, front on two-lane highway); >14'=front + rear; >15'=front + rear + a separate Delaware State Police (DSP) escort. Length >90'=1 rear; at 100'=front + rear; at 120'=front + rear + DSP. Height at 15'=front + rear; at 17'6"=front + rear + DSP. Weight >120,000 lbs=front + rear + DSP. Rear overhang >=15'=1 rear escort. Escort must be a single-unit non-permitted vehicle no smaller than a compact car, with visual contact and two-way radio. One DSP trooper may escort up to 2 loads. Loads that are overweight-only or <=12' wide generally need no escort.

Travel Restrictions

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

Standard oversize/overweight permits (Load Codes 1 & 2) travel Monday through Sunday, sunrise to sunset. Night movement (9:00pm-5:00am, Mon-Fri) is allowed only with prior approval and only for loads not exceeding 75 ft length, 12 ft width, 14 ft 6 in height, and 120,000 lbs. Authorized night moves may require added lights/company escorts/DSP escorts. Superloads follow Part 5 timing by type. DelDOT may impose case-by-case route/time limits.

Holiday blackouts: Travel prohibited on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas (Table 5.1 defines windows, e.g. Thanksgiving = Wednesday prior through the following Monday; New Year's = Dec 31-Jan 1).

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Superload Thresholds

Width over: 15ft
Height over: 15ft
Length over: 120ft
Weight over: 120,000 lbs

Superload (Load Code 3) = any one of: width >=15 ft, height >=15 ft, length >=120 ft, OR gross weight in excess of 120,000 lbs. Requires Part 5 processing (gate-keeping checklist + route survey) and typically 1 front escort + 1 rear escort + 1 contracted DSP trooper/patrol car.

Estimated Permit Cost Verify before relying

$30 min ($60 superload) + $10 per 8,000 lb over legal

Source: DelDOT OSOW Policy Manual (Oct 2015) — verify current fee with the permit office before budgeting a move.

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://www.deldot.gov/osow/application/login
Phone: 302-744-2700

Planning a move through Delaware?

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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