Home › Permit Requirements › Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Oversize Permits

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

⚠ 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 single-unit vehicle length: 40ft
Max kingpin to rear axle: 41ft
Gross Weight: 80,000 lbs
Single Axle: 20,000 lbs
Tandem Axle: 34,000 lbs

75 Pa.C.S. 4922: no vehicle including load may exceed 13 ft 6 in (162 in). The section expressly does NOT require public authorities to provide sufficient vertical clearance for such vehicles. Operating above 13 ft 6 in without a valid permit carries a $500 fine on conviction.

Official source for this height limit →

75 Pa.C.S. 4923: 53 ft single trailer towed by a truck or truck tractor; PennDOT states there is NO overall combination limit ("the length of combinations is controlled by the length of the trailer"). ⚠️ 53 ft alone UNDER-describes Pennsylvania — the binding constraint in practice is often the 41 ft KINGPIN-TO-CENTERLINE-OF-REAR-AXLE limit, which a legal 53 ft trailer can still violate. 40 ft is the single motor vehicle limit (straight truck or tractor alone). Doubles 28 ft 6 in each. ⚠️ PA permit thresholds (90 ft pilot car, 95 ft book-permit cap, 67 Pa. Code 179.10/179.14) are PERMIT ADMINISTRATION thresholds, not legal maximums.

Kingpin to centerline of rear axle may not exceed 41 ft. In practice this is often the BINDING constraint in Pennsylvania rather than the 53 ft trailer length — a legal-length trailer can still violate it.

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: 13ft wide
Height escort required over: 14.5ft tall

PA (67 Pa. Code 179.10) uses ONE pilot car whose position depends on road type, not separate front/rear width rules. WIDTH > 13 ft (156 in): pilot car FOLLOWS on highways with two or more lanes same direction, PRECEDES on single-lane-each-direction highways; when a police escort is present the pilot car follows. LENGTH > 90 ft, OR load extends > 15 ft beyond rear: pilot car FOLLOWS. HEIGHT > 14 ft 6 in (174 in): pilot car PRECEDES by 1,000-3,000 ft using a height pole to detect overhead obstructions. POLICE ESCORT (uniformed State or local police) required for buildings exceeding 16 ft wide, for super loads, and where permit conditions require. Pilot cars must run amber flashing lights + OVERSIZE LOAD signage and keep two-way radio and visual contact.

Travel Restrictions

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

Oversize movement prohibited sunset to sunrise, Saturday after 12:00 noon, and all day Sunday (179.10(7)); Saturday travel allowed only up to noon. In urbanized/metropolitan areas movement limited to windows 3:00-7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.-sunset. In Allegheny County the Fort Pitt, Squirrel Hill, and Liberty Tunnels are restricted to 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Off-window/night travel may be authorized case-by-case on the permit. Exact per-route curfews set in APRAS at issuance.

Holiday blackouts: No oversize movement on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (travel typically also barred the day before).

See how Pennsylvania compares to every state ›

Superload Thresholds

Width over: 16ft
Length over: 160ft
Weight over: 201,000 lbs

Per 67 Pa. Code 179.1, a 'super load' has gross weight exceeding 201,000 lbs, total length exceeding 160 ft, OR total width exceeding 16 ft (192 in). Super loads require police escort and are not auto-issued in APRAS. Separately, supplemental Form M-936AS is required 3+ working days ahead when a combination exceeds 136,000 lbs gross or Table 8-1/8-2 limits. No height component in PA's super-load definition.

Estimated Permit Cost Current

$46 (under 14ft wide) / $97 (14ft+ wide) + $0.04 per ton-mile overweight; superload $68 + $12 per county

Source: PennDOT fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025).

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://apras.penndot.pa.gov/
Phone: 1-800-932-4600

Superload: >16ft wide or >201,000 lbs or >160ft — special routing/engineering study required. APRAS online portal for most permits.

Planning a move through Pennsylvania?

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.

Check my load in Pennsylvania Route Planner Find an Escort