Virginia Oversize Permits

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

⚠ 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.
Escort requirements and superload thresholds quoted directly from official Virginia Administrative Code 24VAC20-82. Legal max width/height/weight are Virginia's standard statutory limits (Title 46.2). legal_max_length_ft null (configuration-specific). Night/weekend/Sunday/holiday values left null rather than guessed - VA sets time-of-travel per permit and locality.

Legal Maximum Dimensions (no permit required)

Width: 8.5ft (102in)
Height: 13.5ft (162in)
Max semitrailer length: 53ft
Max kingpin to rear axle: 41ft
Gross Weight: 80,000 lbs
Single Axle: 20,000 lbs
Tandem Axle: 34,000 lbs

Va. Code 46.2-1110: no loaded or unloaded vehicle shall exceed 13 ft 6 in (162 in). ⚠️ Nothing requires public authorities or railroads to provide vertical clearance over 12 FT 6 IN. Penalties are severe and mandatory: driver fined $1,000 (mandatory minimum), owner $2,500 (mandatory minimum) on a subsequent offence, and the violation is a moving violation for all purposes.

Official source for this height limit →

46.2-1112: "the length of a tractor truck semitrailer combination may exceed 65 feet in length, provided the semitrailer does not exceed 53 feet ... and the distance between the kingpin ... does not exceed 41 feet" — with NO road-class qualifier. So there is no overall limit for a tractor-semitrailer; the 65 ft general combination cap expressly exempts them. ⚠️ The 53 ft is CONDITIONAL, not absolute: 48 ft is the base and 53 ft only unlocks with KPRA of 41 ft or less. ⚠️ Virginia's own DMV109 CONTRADICTS ITSELF — its size tables say non-designated highways have "No overall length limitations except where prohibited", while its permit section says a permit is required when "Length of tractor trailer combination exceeds 65 feet and will travel on non-designated highways." The statute sides with the tables; do not trust the permit-trigger list. The Commissioner of Highways may still restrict over-65 ft on specific roads.

The 53 ft (VA) / 57 ft (FL) / 57 ft (AL) allowance is conditional on kingpin-to-rear-axle of 41 ft or less; in FL and AL a 49 CFR 393.86 rear underride guard is also required.

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: 12ft wide
Height escort required over: 14.4ft tall

ROUTE-DEPENDENT (24VAC20-82 Part V). WIDTH: Interstate - 1 rear escort over 12 ft, 1 front + 1 rear over 14 ft, 1 front + 2 rear over 16 ft. Non-interstate - 1 front + 1 rear over 12 ft, 2 front + 1 rear over 14 ft, 2 front + 2 rear over 16 ft. HEIGHT: 1 front escort with height pole (set 3 in above load) over 14 ft 5 in (173 in) on all routes. LENGTH: 1 rear escort over 90 ft (non-interstate) / over 120 ft (interstate); 1 front + 1 rear over 150 ft all routes. OVERHANG: 1 escort when front overhang over 10 ft or rear overhang over 15 ft. Escort operators must be Virginia-certified. (escort_both set to 144 = the non-interstate 1-front+1-rear over-12-ft trigger, the conservative case.)

Travel Restrictions

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

Travel-time restrictions are set on a per-permit basis and by locality; specific statewide night/weekend/Sunday curfew values were not confirmed from an official source in this research pass. Verify with VDMV Hauling Permit Section before relying on time-of-travel values.

Holiday blackouts: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day — noon day before through end of holiday.

See how Virginia compares to every state ›

Superload Thresholds

Width over: 18ft
Height over: 16ft
Length over: 200ft
Weight over: 250,000 lbs

A superload single trip permit is required for loads exceeding regular single trip permit limits (24VAC20-82-60), issued case-by-case only after VDOT engineering analysis, submitted at least 10 workdays in advance. Movements exceeding 18 ft wide, 16 ft high, 200 ft long, or 250,000 lbs may be required to submit a detailed travel plan.

Estimated Permit Cost Verify before relying

$20 base + $0.30 per mile if overweight/non-licensable

Typical processing: "one day or less" via EZ Haul

Source: Virginia DMV — 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.dmv.virginia.gov/businesses/hauling
Phone: 804-786-2787

Superload: >18ft wide or >250,000 lbs or >200ft or >16ft high — engineering review required. EZ Haul Virginia online portal.

Planning a move through Virginia?

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