California oversize and overweight rules
The short answer
Last checked
Without a permit, a load in California can be up to 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high and 80,000 lb gross, with the conditions in the legal limits table. The first pilot car is required for loads over 12 ft wide or over 120 ft long, with the conditions in the pilot car table. It treats a load as a superload when it is over 15 ft wide, over 17 ft high or over 135 ft long.
Jump to a section
Legal limits without a permit
| Limit | Up to | Roads | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 inSafety devices are excluded from the measurement, and a city or county may keep combinations over 96 inches off its roads. | All roads | Cal. Veh. Code § 35100(a) |
| Height | 14 ftHeights above 13 feet 6 inches are allowed only on highways the vehicle owner judges safe. | All roads | Cal. Veh. Code § 35250 |
| Length, semitrailer | 48 ftApplies on the Interstate, identified routes and federal-aid primary highways that qualify. A 53 foot semitrailer needs at least two rear axles, the last within 40 feet of the kingpin (38 for one axle). | Designated truck routes | Cal. Veh. Code § 35401.5(a)(1) |
| Length, single truck | 40 ft | All roads | Cal. Veh. Code § 35400(a) |
| Length, whole combination | 65 ftThe general limit. Tractor semitrailers and doubles within their trailer limits are exempt on the Interstate, qualifying federal-aid primary highways and identified routes. Doubles may be 75 feet with each trailer at most 28 feet 6 inches; cities or counties may bar combinations over 60 feet. | All roads | Cal. Veh. Code § 35401(a) |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbA state table can set a lower total by number of axles and overall axle spread, for instance 73,280 pounds for five axles spanning 42 to 44 feet. | All roads | Caltrans, Annual Permit Application instructions, Weight Class (Cal. Veh. Code §§ 35550, 35551) |
Source: Cal. Veh. Code § 35100, Cal. Veh. Code § 35250, Cal. Veh. Code § 35401.5, Cal. Veh. Code § 35400, Cal. Veh. Code § 35401, Caltrans, Annual Permit Application instructions, Weight Class
Axle weight limits
| Axle or group | Without a permit | With a permit | Roads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any single axle | 20,000 lbThe 20,000 pounds is for the whole axle; the wheels at each end of it are held to 10,500 pounds, except with a livestock load. | Not set | All roads |
| 2 axles in a group, spread 3 ft 6 in to 8 ft 5 in | 34,000 lbAxle spacing is measured to the nearest foot. At 9 feet apart the table allows 39,000 pounds, and from 10 feet apart 40,000 pounds. | Not set | All roads |
| 3 axles in a group, spread 3 ft 6 in to 8 ft 5 in | 34,000 lbCovers three axles in a row spaced 8 feet 5 inches or less overall; at 9 feet spacing, the table permits 42,500 pounds. | Not set | All roads |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbA state table can set a lower total by number of axles and overall axle spread, for instance 73,280 pounds for five axles spanning 42 to 44 feet. | Not set | All roads |
| Per inch of tire width | 620 lb an inchNot for the steering axle, which follows the tire’s own rated load; every wheel is also capped at that rating when it is lower. | Not set | All roads |
| Steering axle | Not set | Not a hard ceiling: over 20,000 pounds needs a Caltrans vehicle inspection report.20,000 lb | All roads |
| Single axle standing alone | Not set | 20,000 lbExceptions: a two axle tow truck’s drive axle may carry 22,500 pounds, and the lone axle on a mechanical distribution unit 28,000. No permit goes above 30,000 pounds on one axle. | All roads |
| 2 axles in a group, spread 3 ft 6 in to 8 ft | Not set | 60,000 lbNeeds axles 5 feet 9 inches apart or more, 10 feet wide, with 8 tires each. At 4 feet 6 inches apart: 46,725 pounds (8 foot axles, 4 tires) or 58,406 (10 foot axles, 8 tires). Tandems may be at most 8 feet long; bridge ratings apply. | All roads |
The California rules on file give no bridge formula for this page to apply to axle groups; the axle table and its source give the group limits. “With a permit” lists the state’s permit figures; read each row’s condition, since some are review thresholds rather than limits.
Source: Cal. Veh. Code § 35550, Cal. Veh. Code § 35551, Caltrans, Annual Permit Application instructions, Weight Class, Caltrans Transportation Permits FAQ, Q11, Caltrans TPM Appendix 20, Plate 25-5
Pilot cars and escorts
Each row is one rule. A load can meet several; the permit lists the escorts for your move.
| Load | Roads | Front | Rear | Height pole | Police | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| over 15 ft up to 16 ft wideOne pilot car leads and one follows. Over 16 feet the chart lists a CHP escort without saying whether pilot cars stay, so expect both. Counts are for yellow routes; other route colors can ask for more sooner.Legend, Pilot Car Requirements table, Yellow row, Width columns over 15 feet to 16 feet | All roads | 1 in front, 1 behind | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| over 16 ft wideA CHP escort is needed if opposing lanes are used or traffic slows to cross structures; the permit holder books it. Counts are for yellow routes; stricter classes may need CHP sooner.Legend, CHP Escort Table, Yellow row, Width over 16 feet, and the table’s Notes column | All roads | police escort | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| over 185 ft longA CHP escort is needed if opposing lanes are used or traffic slows to cross structures. Counts are for yellow routes; stricter classes may need CHP sooner.Legend, CHP Escort Table, Yellow row, Length over 185 feet, and the table’s Notes column | All roads | police escort | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| over 12 ft up to 15 ft wideThe pilot car leads on two-lane and three-lane conventional roads. Counts are for yellow routes; other route colors can call for more pilot cars or a CHP escort sooner.Legend, Pilot Car Requirements table, Yellow row, Width columns over 12 feet to 15 feet | Two-lane roads | 1 in front | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| over 120 ft longPilot car goes in front on two- and three-lane conventional roads. Counts are for yellow routes; stricter route classes may need more pilot cars or CHP sooner.Legend, Pilot Car Requirements table, Yellow row, Pilot Req’d for Length | Two-lane roads | 1 in front | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| over 12 ft up to 15 ft wideThe pilot car follows on freeways, divided highways and conventional roads of four or more lanes. Counts are for yellow routes; other route colors can call for more pilot cars or a CHP escort sooner.Legend, Pilot Car Requirements table, Yellow row, Width columns over 12 feet to 15 feet | Two or more lanes in your direction | 1 behind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| over 120 ft longThe pilot car follows on freeways, divided highways and conventional roads of four or more lanes. Counts are for yellow routes; other route colors can call for more pilot cars or a CHP escort sooner.Legend, Pilot Car Requirements table, Yellow row, Pilot Req’d for Length | Two or more lanes in your direction | 1 behind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Superloads
California treats a load as a superload when it is any one of these:
- over 15 ft wide
- over 17 ft high
- over 135 ft long
Source: Caltrans Transportation Permits, Single Trip Pilot Car Maps legend (June 2021), Caltrans Transportation Permits FAQ, Q7 and Q14
When you can travel
Holidays
Permit loads that must be escorted by a pilot car
Covers New Year’s Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Barred 4 p.m. to midnight the day before, and noon to midnight on the holiday and each day of the holiday weekend; travel is allowed midnight (or sunrise) to noon on those days. Thanksgiving 2026: 4 p.m. Wed Nov 25, then noon to midnight Nov 26 to Nov 29. Christmas: 4 p.m. Thu Dec 24, then noon to midnight Dec 25 to Dec 27. New Year 2027: 4 p.m. Thu Dec 31, then noon to midnight Jan 1 to 3. A holiday on Sat or Sun with neither Fri nor Mon a non-working day follows normal 24/7 conditions. Loads needing no pilot car are not held.
Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5, sec. 502.5 (2024 edition)Dates computed
Weekends
statewide (route colors)
Permit loads with a pilot car
Blue and brown routes: weekdays in daylight only for loads up to 15 ft wide; Saturday and Sunday travel from half hour before sunrise to noon. Green and yellow routes: weekends allowed in daylight. Red routes follow the Red Route Summary Table. Loads without a pilot car travel 24/7. Loads over 15 ft wide (green, blue, brown) or 16 ft (yellow) are CHP-escorted, with hours set by CHP.
Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5, sec. 502.4 (2024 edition)
Night
statewide (route colors)
Permit loads with a pilot car
Yellow routes: 24/7 until loaded width exceeds 16 ft. Green routes: darkness travel until width exceeds 14 ft (daylight to 15 ft). Blue and brown routes: no travel in darkness. Red routes: see the Red Route Summary Table. Loads needing no pilot car travel 24/7. The permit face may say no night travel.
Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5, sec. 502.4 (2024 edition)
Cities and rush hour
San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco and vicinity
Permit loads over 10 ft wide
No movement 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, inside the curfew-map areas. The CHP may set times for escorted variance loads.
Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5, sec. 502.2 (2024 edition)
Los Angeles and vicinity
Permit loads over 10 ft wide
No movement 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, inside the curfew-map area. The CHP may set times for escorted variance loads.
Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, ch. 5, sec. 502.2 (2024 edition)
Every state on one page: holiday, weekend, night and city restrictions by state. For this year’s holiday, see Thanksgiving 2026 restrictions.
Single trip permit fees
Within each kind of fee the largest that fits your load applies, and the kinds add up.
| Fee | When it applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Permit fee21 CCR 1411.3(a), $16.00 | Every single trip permit | $16 |
| Special service charge21 CCR 1411.3(b)(1) | over 14 ft wide | Not computed here, see the source |
| Special service charge21 CCR 1411.3(b)(2) | over 135 ft long | Not computed here, see the source |
Source: Cal. Code Regs. tit. 21, section 1411.3(a), (b) and (f)
Where to apply
California issues permits through Caltrans Transportation Permit System (CTPS). Start from the agency’s permit page, which leads to it.
What the rules don’t say
Where the sources are silent or say two things. Ask the state before you rely on these.
Legal limits
- On the Interstate, qualifying federal-aid primary highways and routes Caltrans or local authorities identify, a tractor and semitrailer combination is exempt from the overall length limit (Cal. Veh. Code § 35401.5). Ask Caltrans whether your route qualifies.
- Confirm the semitrailer length and kingpin spacing limits in Vehicle Code § 35400(b) with Caltrans before moving a long semitrailer off those routes without a permit.
Axle weights
- California uses its own group weight table in section 35551, not the federal Bridge Formula, and it differs at many spans. For example, three axles at 9 feet carry 42,500 pounds. Check your span and axle count against the table.
- Two consecutive tandems 36 feet or more apart may carry 34,000 pounds each. Some combinations may instead follow section 35551.5, with 18,000 pounds on a single axle and 12,500 on a steering axle. Ask which set applies.
- The legal limits in sections 35550 and 35551 already include all enforcement tolerances, so expect no scale allowance on top. The wheels at one end of an axle are held to 10,500 pounds (livestock loads excepted), and each tire to its rated load.
- Permit weights depend on span, tire count, axle width and the bridge rating of each structure on the route, so the 60,000 pound Purple permit tandem ceiling may not be reachable. No permit allows more than 30,000 pounds on a single axle. Ask for a route-specific figure.
- The Caltrans sources don’t state a gross ceiling for a routine permit; the Purple chart sets weight by axle group span. Loads on special hauling equipment above Caltrans’ standard weight classification need a variance. Ask for the gross your route allows.
- Axles 97 to 101 inches apart are still held to 34,000 pounds as a pair. Log trucks may carry 1,500 pounds more on a tandem off the Interstate under section 35552.
- Lift axles get no extra permit weight and must be raised, and spring suspension axles must each stay within 10 percent of the group average.
Pilot cars and superloads
- California sets pilot cars and CHP escorts by route color. The rules here are for the least restrictive yellow routes. Green, blue and brown routes can require escorts sooner, on brown from 10 feet wide, so check the Caltrans map.
- Red routes carry their own operating restrictions, and blue and brown routes add CHP escorts for loads 17 feet high or more and earlier length tiers. Confirm these with Caltrans for your route.
- Over 16 feet wide, the escort chart lists only a CHP escort. Expect the permit to also call for pilot cars, and confirm the exact mix.
- On dashed routes, a pilot car is required when kingpin to rear axle exceeds 38 feet. A pilot car also follows any load with rear overhang over 25 feet.
- A single length pilot car goes in front on two-lane and three-lane conventional roads, and behind elsewhere. Divided highways with fewer than four lanes are not clearly addressed, so ask.
- Some tiers call for a CHP escort only when the load uses opposing lanes or slows across structures; a load past those sizes usually meets one of them, so plan on CHP.
- Loads over 15 feet wide, 17 feet high or 135 feet long, or on special hauling equipment above Caltrans’ standard weight classification, go to variance processing.
Permit fees
- The single trip permit is $16, a fee last changed in 1993 and reviewed each fiscal year. Confirm the current amount with Caltrans before quoting.
- Loads over 14 feet wide or 135 feet long pay $50 an hour for Caltrans engineering and routing. The charge also applies to combinations over 13 axles, or side-by-side vehicles 14 feet wide combined. The hours are unknown until the work is done.
- Variance loads over 15 feet wide, 17 feet high or 135 feet long may carry added fees for route review and engineering. No amount beyond the hourly charge is published, so ask for a figure.
- CHP escort costs, pilot car costs, permit service company fees and a 2.3 percent charge on online card payments are not part of the permit fee.
Where to apply
- Caltrans publishes an agency page that leads to its online permit system, but no direct address. Start from that page and confirm which system issues your permit.
Questions about California
- When do I need an oversize permit in California?
- Without a permit, a load in California can be up to 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high and 80,000 lb gross, with the conditions in the legal limits table. Loads past these figures generally need a permit from the state; see the legal limits table for the exceptions and for length, which depends on the vehicle.
- How much does a California oversize permit cost?
- On the fee schedule we checked, a single trip permit starts at $16. Some charges are not computed here; the fee table names them. The estimator on this page adds up the fees for your load.
- When do you need a pilot car in California?
- The first pilot car is required for loads over 12 ft wide or over 120 ft long, with the conditions in the pilot car table. How many cars, and whether they lead or follow, depends on the road; the pilot car table lists each rule.
- What is a superload in California?
- California treats a load as a superload when it is over 15 ft wide, over 17 ft high or over 135 ft long. The superloads list on this page gives each threshold with its source.
- Can oversize loads move on holidays in California?
- Covers New Year’s Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Barred 4 p.m. to midnight the day before, and noon to midnight on the holiday and each day of the holiday weekend; travel is allowed midnight (or sunrise) to noon on those days. Thanksgiving 2026: 4 p.m. Wed Nov 25, then noon to midnight Nov 26 to Nov 29. Christmas: 4 p.m. Thu Dec 24, then noon to midnight Dec 25 to Dec 27. New Year 2027: 4 p.m. Thu Dec 31, then noon to midnight Jan 1 to 3. A holiday on Sat or Sun with neither Fri nor Mon a non-working day follows normal 24/7 conditions. Loads needing no pilot car are not held. This applies to permit loads that must be escorted by a pilot car.
Sources
- Caltrans Transportation Permits, Annual Permit Application instructionsCaltrans, Annual Permit Application instructions, Weight ClassCalifornia Department of Transportation, Transportation Permits. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35100: WidthCal. Veh. Code § 35100California Legislature. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35250: HeightCal. Veh. Code § 35250California Legislature. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35400: LengthCal. Veh. Code § 35400California Legislature. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35401.5: Length exemptions on the National NetworkCal. Veh. Code § 35401.5California Legislature. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35401: Length of combinationsCal. Veh. Code § 35401California Legislature. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35550: Axle and wheel limitsCal. Veh. Code § 35550California Legislature, Legislative Counsel. Read .
- California Vehicle Code § 35551: Weight on groups of axlesCal. Veh. Code § 35551California Legislature, Legislative Counsel. Read .
- Caltrans Transportation Permits, Frequently Asked QuestionsCaltrans Transportation Permits FAQ, Q11California Department of Transportation, Transportation Permits. Read .
- Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, Appendix 20, Weight Chart (Plate 25-5), Purple and Bonus OverloadsCaltrans TPM Appendix 20, Plate 25-5California Department of Transportation, Transportation Permits. Read .
- Caltrans Single Trip Permit Pilot Car Maps, Legend (Pilot Car Requirements table and CHP Escort Table)Caltrans Transportation Permits, Single Trip Pilot Car Maps legend (June 2021)California Department of Transportation, Transportation Permits Office. Read .
- Caltrans Transportation Permit Special Conditions for Loads and/or Vehicles Escorted by Pilot Car(s)Caltrans Transportation Permit Special Conditions for Loads and/or Vehicles Escorted by Pilot Car(s) (rev. Sept. 2005), item 2 LocationCalifornia Department of Transportation, Transportation Permits Office. Read .
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 21, section 1411.3, Permit Fees (text as published by Cornell Legal Information Institute)21 CCR 1411.3(b), (c)California Department of Transportation (regulation); page published by Cornell Legal Information Institute. Read .
- California Code of Regulations, Title 21, Section 1411.3, Permit FeesCal. Code Regs. tit. 21, section 1411.3(a), (b) and (f)California Department of Transportation (rule under Vehicle Code section 35795); published in the Barclays Official California Code of Regulations. Read .
- California Department of Transportation page naming the permit systemCalifornia Department of Transportation, permit system pageCalifornia Department of Transportation. Read .
Found something wrong or out of date? Report an error to hello@thirteensix.com.
This page is a dated summary in our own words, not legal advice. The permit the state issues governs your move, and states change their rules; check with California before you travel.
Bordering states
- Arizona, coming soon
- Nevada, coming soon
- Crossing into Oregon? See Oregon rules
More guides: all states and the rules library.
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