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South Carolina Oversize Permits

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

⚠ 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

S.C. Code § 56-5-4060: no vehicle, unladen or with load, may exceed a height of 13 ft 6 in (162 in). ⚠️ Exception: an AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTER unit, or a heavy truck carrying one or more other heavy trucks in a SADDLE-MOUNT combination, may reach 14 ft — but only with a valid SCDOT routing permit (issued free on evidence of general liability cover, valid 12 months, specifying permitted routes). Neither the State nor any subdivision is liable for damage where reduced vertical clearance under 14 ft is properly posted. (§ 56-5-4030 is width, not height.)

Official source for this height limit →

S.C. Code 56-5-4070(A)(1): "No trailer or semitrailer may be operated in a two unit truck tractor-trailer or truck tractor-semitrailer combination in excess of fifty-three feet, inclusive of the load carried on it." ⚠️ THE 53 FT IS CONDITIONAL, NOT ABSOLUTE: "A fifty-three foot long trailer must be equipped with a rear underride guard, and the distance between the kingpin of the vehicle and the center of the rear axle assembly may be no greater than forty-one feet." Motorsports haulers get 46 ft kingpin-to-axle. A nominally legal 53 ft trailer with a non-compliant kingpin setting is ILLEGAL in South Carolina — a bare "53" hides that trap. Single vehicle 40 ft. The 53 ft applies on the National Network plus highways SCDOT designates under 56-5-4075, so there is a road-class dimension here too. ⚠️ OVERALL COMBINATION LENGTH IS NOT CONFIRMED: the current consolidated 56-5-4070 could not be retrieved from scstatehouse.gov (the chapter page truncates before the section) and a 1985 bill shows a SINCE-SUPERSEDED 60 ft overall limit. Secondary publishers say there is no overall limit, but that is not good enough for a safety figure. Confirm with SCDOT before relying on any South Carolina overall-length number.

A 53 ft trailer is lawful only if kingpin-to-rearmost-axle is 41 ft or less. 46 ft for trailers used exclusively or primarily to haul motorsports-competition vehicles. A 53 ft trailer with a 45 ft KPRA is legal in many states and ILLEGAL here.

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: 14ft wide
Both escorts required over: 14ft wide
Height escort required over: 16ft tall

By WIDTH (SCDOT Guidelines Section Q): over 12 ft (144 in) up to 14 ft = one FRONT escort required ONLY on a two-lane highway (SCDOT may also require rear). Over 14 ft (168 in) up to 16 ft = one FRONT and one REAR escort on all roadways. Over 16 ft (192 in) = one front + one rear CIVILIAN escort AND one front + one rear POLICE escort on all roadways. By HEIGHT: 16 ft (192 in) and greater = one front escort with a height-measuring pole for the entire move, plus a certified route survey before issuance. By LENGTH: overall length 125-150 ft = one rear civilian escort; greater than 150 ft = one front + one rear civilian escort. By OVERHANG: rear overhang over 15 ft = red flag plus one rear escort. FRAME BUILDINGS / loads over 16 ft wide (Section R) require a minimum of 4 escorts. A load-hauling vehicle may not also serve as an escort. Escorts not tied to weight.

Travel Restrictions

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

Oversize loads are daylight-only (sunrise to sunset). Up to 12 ft wide: Mon-Sun. Over 12 up to 15 ft wide: Mon-Sun EXCEPT prohibited near large urban areas 7-9 AM weekdays and 3-6 PM school days / 4:30-6 PM non-school days. Over 15 ft wide (and mobile homes over 14 ft box up to 16 ft): Mon-Sun only 9 AM-3 PM school days, 9 AM-4 PM other days. OVERWEIGHT-only legal-dimension loads up to 130,000 lbs may get CONTINUOUS (incl. night) travel on request. Summer coastal ban: no Saturday/Sunday movement East of I-95 from Memorial Day through Labor Day on named Myrtle Beach-area routes and US-17 from the NC line south to Georgetown. No movement in inclement weather.

Holiday blackouts: No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The Permit Director may additionally restrict travel from 12:00 noon the day before to 12:00 noon the day after, based on route and load dimensions.

See how South Carolina compares to every state ›

Superload Thresholds

Width over: 15ft
Length over: 150ft
Weight over: 130,000 lbs

Superload = any non-divisible load exceeding 130,000 lbs AND/OR any single-axle weight exceeding 20,000 lbs; requires additional routing analysis taking 3-5 business days. Tiers: over 180,000 lbs must submit a Certificate of Insurance (also required at 16 ft or wider); over 300,000 lbs must submit manufacturer docs and may require independent structural analysis; over 500,000 lbs assessed a megaload impact fee. No dedicated width/height/length superload threshold — trigger is weight/axle-load based.

Estimated Permit Cost Verify before relying

$30 + width surcharges $35–$50

Source: SCDOT Guidelines (rev. 8/2021) — 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://safehaul.scdot.org/ihaul/login/LoginMain!input.action
Phone: 803-737-6769

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