Kansas oversize and overweight rules
The short answer
Last checked
Without a permit, a load in Kansas can be up to 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high and 80,000 lb gross on interstates, 40,000 lb gross with 2 axles, 60,000 lb gross with 3 axles, 80,000 lb gross with 4 axles or 85,500 lb gross with 5 or more axles on roads other than interstates, with the conditions in the legal limits table. The first pilot car is required for loads over 14 ft wide or over 150,000 lb gross, and a height pole car for loads over 16 ft high, with the conditions in the pilot car table. It treats a load as a superload when it is over 150,000 lb gross; the conditions in the axle and fee tables name other superload triggers.
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Legal limits without a permit
| Limit | Up to | Roads | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 inSafety devices the secretary designates may extend past this. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1902(a) |
| Height | 14 ftRound hay bales may be loaded to 14 feet 6 inches. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1904(a) |
| Length, single truck | 45 ftBumpers are not counted. A truck tractor is not held to this. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1904(b) |
| Length, whole combination | 65 ftApplies to a truck and trailer. The Highway Patrol says a truck tractor and semitrailer is not held to any overall length. By day, poles, pipe, machinery and other objects that cannot be taken apart may run to 85 feet without a permit. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1904(c) |
| Length, semitrailer | 59 ft 6 inPulled by a truck tractor. In a tractor with a semitrailer and a trailer, each trailer is at most 28 feet 6 inches. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1904(d) |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | Interstates | K.S.A. 8-1909(a)(2) |
| Gross weight, 2 axles | 40,000 lbThe table’s top figure for two axles, at 10 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1909(a), table, 10 feet |
| Gross weight, 3 axles | 60,000 lbThe table’s top figure for three axles, at 32 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1909(a), table, 32 feet |
| Gross weight, 4 axles | 80,000 lbThe table’s top figure for four axles, at 57 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | All roads | K.S.A. 8-1909(a), table, 57 feet |
| Gross weight, 5 or more axles | 85,500 lbThe table’s top for five axles at 60 feet, six at 53, seven at 44 and eight at 34 feet; a shorter spread carries less. On the Interstate, 80,000 pounds. | Roads other than interstates | K.S.A. 8-1909(a), table, 60 feet |
Source: K.S.A. 8-1902, K.S.A. 8-1904, K.S.A. 8-1909
Axle weight limits
| Axle or group | Without a permit | With a permit | Roads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any single axle | 20,000 lbThe Highway Patrol allows 22,000 pounds on a single axle on the Kansas Turnpike. | Not set | All roads |
| 2 or more axles in a group, spread 3 ft 4 in to 8 ft | 34,000 lbTwo or more consecutive axles 40 to 96 inches apart count as a tandem, also inside a longer group. | Not set | All roads |
| 3 axles in a group, spread over 8 ft to 11 ft | 44,000 lbThe K.S.A. 8-1909(a) table allows 42,000 pounds just over 8 feet, rising to 44,000 at 11 feet. | Not set | All roads |
| 4 axles in a group, spread over 10 ft to 12 ft 6 in | 50,000 lb | Not set | All roads |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | Not set | Interstates |
| Gross weight, 2 axles | 40,000 lbThe table’s top figure for two axles, at 10 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | Not set | All roads |
| Gross weight, 3 axles | 60,000 lbThe table’s top figure for three axles, at 32 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | Not set | All roads |
| Gross weight, 4 axles | 80,000 lbThe table’s top figure for four axles, at 57 feet between the extreme axles; a shorter spread carries less. | Not set | All roads |
| Gross weight, 5 or more axles | 85,500 lbThe table’s top for five axles at 60 feet, six at 53, seven at 44 and eight at 34 feet; a shorter spread carries less. On the Interstate, 80,000 pounds. | Not set | Roads other than interstates |
| Single axle standing alone | Not set | 22,000 lbFor a single non-drive axle, such as a steering, trailer, jeep or booster axle. A single drive axle may carry 24,000 pounds, and wider axles more. | All roads |
| 2 axles in a group | Not set | 45,000 lbAxles 8 feet 7 inches or wider may carry more, up to 49,000 pounds. Above the limit for its width, the load is a superload needing a KDOT bridge analysis. | All roads |
| 3 axles in a group | Not set | 60,000 lbAxles 8 feet 7 inches or wider may carry more, up to 66,000 pounds. Above the limit for its width, the load is a superload needing a KDOT bridge analysis. | All roads |
| 4 or more axles in a group | Not set | 65,000 lbAxles 8 feet 7 inches or wider may carry more, up to 73,000 pounds. Above the limit for its width, the load is a superload needing a KDOT bridge analysis. | All roads |
| Gross weight | Not set | 150,000 lbAbove this, the load is a superload: single trip only, after a KDOT bridge analysis. A shorter vehicle gets less, by its spacing from steering axle to last axle. | All roads |
The Kansas 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: K.S.A. 8-1908, Kansas Highway Patrol, FAQs, K.S.A. 8-1909, K.A.R. 36-1-37
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 14 ft wideA rear vehicle is also required unless the load carries a warning light on top, a rear warning light 2 to 8 feet above the road and a rear warning sign. A superload or large structure keeps both.K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(4) | All roads | 1 in front | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| over 16 ft 6 in wideA load over 16 feet 6 inches wide is a large structure.K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(2) | All roads | 1 in front, 1 behind | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| over 18 ft highA load over 18 feet high is a large structure. The front vehicle carries a height pole.K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(2) | All roads | 1 in front, 1 behind, 1 height pole car | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| over 150,000 lb grossIf the permit requires the superload to slow down at bridges, one more escort vehicle is required.K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(1) | All roads | 1 in front, 1 behind | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| over 16 ft highAt least one escort vehicle ahead of the load must carry a height pole.K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(3) | All roads | 1 height pole car | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
- The lead pilot car is the one that carries the height pole.
Superloads
Kansas treats a load as a superload when it is any one of these:
- over 150,000 lb gross
Source: K.A.R. 36-45-8(b) and (c), K.A.R. 36-1-35(h) and (o)
When you can travel
Holidays
All permits
No holiday bar: carriers may move oversize or overweight loads every day of the year, including holidays. Exception: special vehicle combinations may not move on holidays or holiday weekends.
Weekends
Night
Overdimensional loads
Daylight only, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset. Loads that are only overweight may move at night. The Secretary may issue emergency night permits. The Highway Patrol FAQ says length or width loads may not move from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.
K.A.R. 36-1-35(e), 36-1-36(m)(1)-(2); Kansas Highway Patrol oversize load FAQ
Cities and rush hour
Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee, Topeka, Wichita
Oversize permits (the limit may be shown on the permit)
Limits of 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. may apply in Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita. Pickups and deliveries that start or end in the city are excluded. Check the permit.
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 feeK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)(A) | Every single trip permit | $40 |
| Permit feeK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)(B) with K.A.R. 36-1-37(b) and 36-1-38(d) | over 16 ft 6 in wide | $200 |
| Permit feeK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)(B) with K.A.R. 36-1-37(b) and 36-1-38(d) | over 18 ft high | $200 |
| Permit feeK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)(B) with K.A.R. 36-1-37(b) and 36-1-38(d) | over 126 ft long | $200 |
| Permit feeK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)(C) with K.A.R. 36-1-38(c) | over 150,000 lb gross | $200 |
Source: K.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)
Where to apply
Kansas issues permits through K-TRIPS. Apply at k-trips.ksdot.gov.
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
- The Highway Patrol reads the statute as setting no overall limit for a truck tractor and semitrailer; the statute does not say so outright. K.S.A. 8-1914 and 8-1915 allow longer combinations in named cases.
Axle weights
- K.S.A. 8-1909(a) sets a group weight table by span (4 to 60 feet) and axle count (2 to 8), matching the federal bridge formula up to 85,500 pounds, and capped at 80,000 on the Interstate. Shorter spreads carry less; check your groups.
- Two consecutive tandems may carry 34,000 pounds each when their first and last axles are 36 feet or more apart.
- A triple is three or more axles spaced more than 96 and up to 132 inches apart, and a quad four or more spaced more than 120 and up to 150 inches.
- Wheels within 40 inches count as one axle. An axle within 7 feet of another must carry its share, and a raised axle does not count.
- Any wheel is limited to 10,000 pounds, and tire ratings may not be exceeded. The weight statute doesn’t state a pounds per inch tire limit.
- Kansas’s statute and permit rule don’t state a separate steering axle limit.
- The Highway Patrol allows 22,000 pounds on a single axle on the Kansas Turnpike.
- Aggregate dump combinations, natural gas vehicles (82,000 pounds) and agricultural annual permits (90,000 pounds on six or more axles off the Interstate) have their own limits. Registered weight also caps the load.
- Under permit, axles 8 feet 7 inches or wider may carry more, rising with width to 10 feet.
- The permit gross also depends on the distance from steering axle to last axle, from 58,800 pounds at 8 feet to 150,000 at 91 feet or more.
- Under permit, a single drive axle may carry 24,000 pounds and a single non-drive axle 22,000.
- The permit rule names tandem, triple and quad groups without giving their spans.
- Annual permits carry the same axle limits with a 120,000 pound gross; special mobile equipment has its own tandem limit and spacing table.
- A superload is a nondivisible load over 150,000 pounds gross or with any axle group over the permit limits.
- K.S.A. 8-1911 lets KDOT set time limits on a permit; the statutes don’t state seasonal weight limits.
Pilot cars and superloads
- A superload is over 150,000 pounds gross or over the permit axle group limits, and a large structure is over 16 feet 6 inches wide or 18 feet high. Both need front and rear escort vehicles.
- An older regulation (K.A.R. 36-1-36) escorts ordinary wide loads only on roads of fewer than four lanes. The newer K.A.R. 36-45-8 asks for the front vehicle on every road; follow your permit.
- Over 14 feet wide, the rear escort may be replaced by a warning light on top of the load, a rear warning light 2 to 8 feet above the road and a rear warning sign, unless the load is a superload or large structure.
- Over 16 feet high, at least one front escort vehicle must carry a height pole.
- A superload that must slow down at bridges needs one more escort vehicle.
- Kansas’s escort regulations don’t state a length or police escort line; KDOT permit conditions may add escorts.
Permit fees
- The $200 fee applies to a large structure, over 16 feet 6 inches wide, 18 feet high or 126 feet long, or a superload over 150,000 pounds. The escort rule’s definition leaves out length, so confirm long loads with KDOT.
- KDOT’s price list is dated May 23, 2023; confirm fees before quoting.
- KDOT’s price schedule doesn’t state a processing or card fee.
- Annual, hay, combine and oil service rig permits are priced separately.
Questions about Kansas
- When do I need an oversize permit in Kansas?
- Without a permit, a load in Kansas can be up to 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high and 80,000 lb gross on interstates, 40,000 lb gross with 2 axles, 60,000 lb gross with 3 axles, 80,000 lb gross with 4 axles or 85,500 lb gross with 5 or more axles on roads other than interstates, 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 Kansas oversize permit cost?
- On the fee schedule we checked, a single trip permit starts at $40. Larger or heavier loads pay more; the largest single fee on the schedule is $200. The estimator on this page adds up the fees for your load.
- When do you need a pilot car in Kansas?
- The first pilot car is required for loads over 14 ft wide or over 150,000 lb gross, and a height pole car for loads over 16 ft high, 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 Kansas?
- Kansas treats a load as a superload when it is over 150,000 lb gross. The conditions in the axle and fee tables name other superload triggers. The superloads list on this page gives each threshold with its source.
- When can oversize loads travel in Kansas?
- At night: Daylight only, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset. Loads that are only overweight may move at night. The Secretary may issue emergency night permits. The Highway Patrol FAQ says length or width loads may not move from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. This applies to overdimensional loads. On weekends: No weekend restriction. Moves are allowed every day of the year. Rush hour and city curfews also apply; they are listed on this page.
- Can oversize loads move on holidays in Kansas?
- No holiday bar: carriers may move oversize or overweight loads every day of the year, including holidays. Exception: special vehicle combinations may not move on holidays or holiday weekends.
Sources
- Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1909: Gross weight limits for vehiclesK.S.A. 8-1909Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Read .
- Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1902: Width of vehicles and loads thereonK.S.A. 8-1902Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Read .
- Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1904: Height and length of vehicles and loadsK.S.A. 8-1904Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Read .
- Kansas Highway Patrol, Commercial Vehicle FAQsKansas Highway Patrol, FAQsKansas Highway Patrol. Read .
- Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1908: Gross weight limits on wheels and axlesK.S.A. 8-1908Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Read .
- Kansas Administrative Regulations, K.A.R. 36-1-37: Maximum dimensions and gross weights (special permits)K.A.R. 36-1-37Kansas Department of Transportation (rule); published by the Kansas Secretary of State, Kansas Administrative Regulations. Read .
- Kansas Administrative Regulations, K.A.R. 36-1-36 Common requirements (Kansas Department of Transportation, Article 1 Special Permits, Loads and Vehicles)K.A.R. 36-1-36(f)Kansas Department of Transportation (rule); published by the Kansas Secretary of State, Kansas Administrative Regulations. Read .
- Kansas Administrative Regulations, K.A.R. 36-1-35 Definitions (Kansas Department of Transportation)K.A.R. 36-1-35(h) and (o)Kansas Department of Transportation (rule); published by the Kansas Secretary of State, Kansas Administrative Regulations. Read .
- KDOT K-TRIPS Permit Price ListKDOT K-TRIPS Permit Price List, Overdimension rowsKansas Department of Transportation. Read .
- K.S.A. 8-1911, Permits to move vehicles or loads exceeding size or weight limitsK.S.A. 8-1911(f)(2)Kansas Revisor of Statutes. Read .
- K.A.R. 36-1-37, Maximum dimensions and gross weightsK.A.R. 36-1-37(b)Kansas Department of Transportation (text published by Cornell LII). Read .
- K.A.R. 36-1-38, Types of permitsK.A.R. 36-1-38(c) and (d)Kansas Department of Transportation (text published by Cornell LII). Read .
- Kansas Department of Transportation page naming the permit systemKansas Department of Transportation, permit system pageKansas 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 Kansas before you travel.
Bordering states
- Colorado, coming soon
- Crossing into Missouri? See Missouri rules
- Nebraska, coming soon
- Crossing into Oklahoma? See Oklahoma rules
More guides: all states and the rules library.
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