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Maryland · Oversize & Overweight

Maryland Oversize & Overweight Permits filed with MDOT SHA for you, 24/7

In Maryland, a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 80,000 lbs needs a permit from the MDOT SHA Motor Carrier Division, issued through Maryland One. Permitted loads park from noon Saturday through Sunday, and the MDTA tunnels and toll highways around Baltimore set limits of their own. Send us the load and route: our permit desk quotes the price and files it for you.

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What will an oversize permit in Maryland cost?

Enter your pickup and delivery locations, choose your permit type, and compare estimated permit costs across route options.

  1. Oversize and overweight permits across the lower 48 and DC
  2. State-by-state fee breakdown for each route option
  3. Order your permit or talk to a specialist
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Maryland rules

Maryland legal limits and permit rules

The size and weight Maryland allows without a permit, the width, length, height and weight that call for one or two escorts or the police, and the hours a permitted load may use.

Legal limits without a permit

Width
8 ft 6 in (102 in)
Height
13 ft 6 in
Semitrailer, interstates and truck routes
53 ft
Indivisible load, overall length
70 ft
Single axle
20,000 lbs
Tandem axle
34,000 lbs
Tridem axle
42,500 lbs
Gross weight
80,000 lbs

Escorts

Over 13 ft wide or 85 ft long
1 escort
14 ft 6 in high or more
1 escort, a pole vehicle
Over 60 tons
1 escort
14 ft wide or more, or 140 ft long or more
2 escorts
16 ft wide or more, or over 75 tons
Police escort; SHA may also require one from 65 to 75 tons
Over 14 ft 6 in high
Height clearance route survey certification
Superloads
Police and private escorts

When you can move

Travel hours
Half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset
Weekends
No moves after noon Saturday or on Sunday
Holidays
New Year's, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
14 ft wide or more, statewide
9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. only
Around the clock by permit
Up to 200,000 lbs, 13 ft 11 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 120 ft long
Weather
No moves on surfaces made hazardous by rain, sleet, snow or ice, or in fog, flood or wind

Source: MDOT SHA overdimensional permit limitations and height restrictions; COMAR 11.04.01–11.04.04; MDTA toll facility and wind restrictions. Your permit's own conditions always apply.

Which permit you need

Maryland permits for oversize and overweight loads

  1. One move, one load

    Special hauling permit

    Covers a single movement. SHA also issues special vehicle and exceptional hauling permits for loads outside the routine.

  2. Up to 75 ft long, 12 ft wide and 14 ft high

    Blanket hauling permit

    Valid for 30 days or one year, for repeated moves inside those dimensions.

  3. Permits bought ahead

    Book permits

    Sold in books of ten and valid for two years.

  4. Over 150,000 lbs gross

    Superload permit

    Needs an engineering review and police and private escorts. Over 60 tons apply at least 10 business days ahead, over 250 tons at least 30.

Routes and road rules

Where Maryland routes add their own rules

The Washington and Baltimore beltways, the Baltimore harbor crossings and the Bay Bridge each narrow what a permitted load can do.

  1. Capital Beltway (I-495/I-95) and Baltimore Beltway (I-695)

    Loads of 45 tons, 100 ft long or 12 ft wide and up move on the beltways from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. only.

    Closed:The Francis Scott Key Bridge on I-695.

  2. Harbor Tunnel (I-895) and Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95)

    The Harbor Tunnel takes nothing over 8 ft wide or 13 ft 6 in high. Fort McHenry turns away loads over 14 ft 6 in high or 11 ft wide without special written permission.

    Before you arrive:Contact the toll facility at least one hour ahead.

  3. MDTA toll highways

    Permitted moves on every MDTA highway run from 9 a.m. Monday to noon Friday, a shorter week than the state roads.

    Plan:A Friday afternoon crossing waits until Monday morning.

  4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge

    Under full wind restrictions only flatbeds, buses and heavy-laden tractor-trailers may cross.

    Box trailers:A tractor and box trailer under 64,000 lbs is not permitted.

Maryland loads

Maryland permits for the loads Maryland hauls

Port of Baltimore freight, tall loads and heavy loads that run at night each have a permit or a rule of their own.

  1. Port of Baltimore

    Containerized cargo permit

    Valid for one year, for container moves serving the Port of Baltimore.

  2. Port heavy haul

    Heavy Weight Port Corridor permit

    A separate SHA permit for heavy loads on the port corridor, apart from the containerized cargo permit.

  3. Over 14 ft 6 in high

    Tall loads

    A pole vehicle runs ahead, and the move needs a height clearance route survey certification.

  4. Up to 200,000 lbs and 13 ft 11 in wide

    Night moves

    SHA lets loads up to 200,000 lbs, 13 ft 11 in wide, 14 ft 6 in high and 120 ft long move 24/7 by permit.

How it works

Your Maryland permit in three steps

  1. Send the load and route

    Truck, trailer, dimensions, weight, origin and destination. Your fleet details are saved for next time.

  2. We check and file

    Our permit desk checks the Maryland rules for your load and files with MDOT SHA Motor Carrier Division.

  3. Get your permit

    You get the permit PDF, a written route and an interactive route map to share with the driver.

From our permit desk

What we check before filing in Maryland

  1. The weekend starts at noon Saturday

    A permitted load is parked from noon Saturday through Sunday, and on MDTA highways from noon Friday. We set departure times so the load is delivered before the cutoff.

  2. Heavy loads need lead time

    Over 60 tons SHA wants the request 10 business days ahead, over 250 tons 30 business days. We tell you the earliest move date the day you send the load.

  3. Calling the toll facilities

    MDTA tunnels and bridges must hear from the hauler at least an hour before arrival. We put the call and the tunnel limits in your trip notes.

FAQ

Maryland oversize permit questions

What dimensions take a Maryland load past the legal limit?

Over 8 ft 6 in (102 in) wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 80,000 lbs gross, or over 20,000 lbs on a single axle, 34,000 on a tandem or 42,500 on a tridem. An indivisible load over 70 ft long also needs a permit.

How much does a Maryland oversize permit cost?

It depends on the permit type, size, weight and route, and superloads cost more. Put your route into our permit cost calculator for an estimate, or send us the load and our permit desk quotes the exact price before filing.

Can a permitted load keep rolling on a Saturday afternoon in Maryland?

No. Permitted moves end at noon Saturday and resume Monday. On MDTA toll highways the window is shorter still: 9 a.m. Monday to noon Friday.

Which Baltimore tunnel can a tall load use?

The Harbor Tunnel on I-895 takes nothing over 13 ft 6 in high or 8 ft wide. The Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95 allows up to 14 ft 6 in high and 11 ft wide; beyond that it needs special written permission.

At what size does Maryland add a second escort or the police?

One escort covers loads over 13 ft wide, 85 ft long or 60 tons, and 14 ft 6 in high or more. At 14 ft wide or 140 ft long it takes two. From 16 ft wide or over 75 tons a police escort is required, and SHA may ask for one from 65 tons.

How many business days ahead should a heavy Maryland move be filed?

At least 10 business days for loads over 60 tons and 30 for loads over 250 tons. A load that is only oversize needs 2 working days.

How does Route One GO get my Maryland permit?

Send us the truck, trailer, load dimensions, axle weights and route. Our permit desk checks the Maryland rules, files in Maryland One, and sends you the permit with a route map and the MDTA notes. Requests are taken 24/7.

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