Minnesota Oversize Permits

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

⚠ 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: 75ft
Max kingpin to rear axle: 43ft
Gross Weight: 80,000 lbs
Single Axle: 20,000 lbs
Tandem Axle: 34,000 lbs

Minn. Stat. 169.81: no vehicle unladen or with load shall exceed a height of 13 ft 6 in (162 in). ⚠️ Exception: a double-deck bus may reach 14 ft 3 in, but the carrier must hold an annual permit from the commissioner and from each local authority whose highways it uses.

Official source for this height limit →

Statute 169.81 subd. 2(b) makes the 53 ft semitrailer allowance STATEWIDE (kingpin-to-rear-axle-group 43 ft or less). It is the combination figure that is conditional: subd. 3(a) sets 75 ft, but subd. 3(c) then permits a truck-tractor and semitrailer EXCEEDING 75 ft on divided highways of four or more lanes and other commissioner-designated highways. MN DPS publishes a flat "two-unit combinations: 75 feet" with no such qualifier. For Minnesota the safe single number is the semitrailer one, not the combination one.

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: 15ft wide
Rear escort required over: 15ft wide
Both escorts required over: 15ft wide
Height escort required over: 14ft tall

MnDOT ties escorts to width AND length, and measures width at BOTH bottom and top of load. Multi-lane DIVIDED roadway: one certified REAR escort when over 15 ft wide at the bottom (180 in) or 16 ft wide at the top (192 in), or over 110 ft long; certified FRONT AND REAR escorts when over 150 ft long. UNDIVIDED roadway: certified FRONT AND REAR escorts when over 15 ft (bottom) / 16 ft (top) wide, or over 110 ft long. Certified PEACE OFFICER lead escort (plus certified front and rear civilian escorts) required when any part of the load extends beyond the LEFT of centerline on an undivided roadway. No height-pole escort threshold in the official escort rules. Escort operators must hold current MN certification (or equivalent from CO, FL, NC, OK, UT, VA, or WA).

Travel Restrictions

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

General rule: travel is NOT restricted unless noted on the permit. Rush Hour (Twin Cities & Duluth metro): no travel weekdays 6:00am-8:30am and 3:30pm-6:00pm when over 14 ft 6 in wide or 110 ft long. Night Travel REQUIRED (Twin Cities seven-county metro): travel restricted to 12:00am-5:00am Monday-Friday when over 16 ft wide, unless the permit notes otherwise. Summer Weekend: no statewide travel 4:00pm-8:00pm on Fridays and Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day when over 12 ft 6 in wide or 110 ft long. Movement prohibited in hazardous weather/road conditions or visibility under 500 ft.

Holiday blackouts: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas (each 2:00pm day before to 2:00am day after); plus MN Fishing Opener weekend (2:00pm Fri to 2:00am Sat, and 2:00pm Sun to 2:00am Mon).

See how Minnesota compares to every state ›

Extreme-Load Escalation Triggers

This jurisdiction does not define a "superload" class. The figures below are triggers for other escalations — read the note beneath them before planning against these numbers.

MnDOT does not publish a single formally defined 'superload' tier with fixed thresholds. Permits above certain sizes/weights require ROUTE APPROVAL and route/trip preauthorization (annual permits require trip-log route preauthorization when over 11 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high, or overweight). Large single-trip permits (e.g. up to 16 ft wide, 15 ft high, 110 ft long, 155,000 lbs) are issued with 'Route approval required.' Handled case-by-case by the OSOW Permits Unit; no fixed numeric superload cutoff verifiable.

Estimated Permit Cost Current

$15 base + a per-axle-group damage assessment fee × miles

Source: MnDOT (2026).

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://mn.gotpermits.com
Phone: 651-296-6000

Frozen road weight increases allowed in winter on some routes. Spring thaw reductions widely applied.

Planning a move through Minnesota?

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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