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North Dakota · Oversize & Overweight

North Dakota Oversize & Overweight Permits filed with the Highway Patrol for you, 24/7

In North Dakota, a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 14 ft high or the legal weight needs a permit from the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Legal weight is 80,000 lbs on interstates and up to 105,500 lbs by formula on other state highways. Send us the load and route: our permit desk quotes the price and files every permit the trip needs.

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What will an oversize permit in North Dakota 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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North Dakota rules

North Dakota legal limits and permit rules

The size and weight North Dakota allows without a permit, when the Highway Patrol asks for pilot cars and when a permitted load may run.

Legal limits without a permit

Width
8 ft 6 in; contractors' equipment 10 ft
Height
14 ft
Single unit
50 ft
Trailer
53 ft
Combination
75 ft; 110 ft for 2–4 units on designated highways
Gross weight, interstate
80,000 lbs
Gross weight, other state highways
Up to 105,500 lbs by formula
Single axle
20,000 lbs
Tandem axle, off interstate
34,000 lbs
Three or more axles, off interstate
48,000 lbs

Escorts

Up to 14 ft 6 in wide, 18 ft high and 120 ft long
No pilot car
Up to 16 ft wide
Amber light can replace the pilot car
Up to 16 ft wide, four-lane divided highway
No pilot car
Over 16 ft wide, two-lane road
Lead and rear pilot cars, each 300–700 ft away
Over 16 ft wide, four-lane highway
Rear pilot car
Over 18 ft wide
Highway Patrol escort at the regional commander's call
Pilot car drivers
18 or older, valid license, no certification

When you can move

Up to 12 ft wide and 120 ft long
Not limited to daylight
Larger loads
30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset
Weekends, over 16 ft wide
No travel after noon Saturday or Sunday
Holidays, over 16 ft wide
New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas: noon the day before to sunrise the day after
Weekend holidays
Sunday observed Monday, Saturday observed Friday
Weather
No travel in bad weather, on slippery roads or at visibility of ½ mile or less
Heat
No overweight moves on asphalt at 90°F or above
Spring restrictions
No overweight permits except under Policy 9-17

Source: N.D.C.C. 39-12-02, 39-12-04, 39-12-05, 39-12-05.3; North Dakota Highway Patrol motor carrier policies 9-6 (Annex E heavy loads, Annex G workover rigs), 9-8, 9-15, 9-16, 9-17, 9-28 (2026); NDHP Commercial Vehicle Regulations (May 2026). Your permit's own conditions always apply.

Which permit you need

North Dakota permits for oversize and overweight loads

  1. One move

    Single-trip permit

    One one-way movement within a five-day period.

  2. Wide or long, all year

    Annual permits

    Annual over-width permits up to 14 ft 6 in wide and annual over-length permits up to 120 ft long.

  3. Heavier on the interstate

    Interstate weight permit

    Takes a truck from 80,000 lbs up to 105,500 lbs on the interstate.

  4. Over 200,000 lbs

    Heavy load permit

    Moves under the Highway Patrol heavy load policy. Apply 1 to 15 days before the move; no heavy loads move during spring restrictions.

Routes and road rules

Where North Dakota routes add their own rules

Interstates, designated networks, spring roads and work zones each change what a load can carry and where.

  1. Interstates against other state highways

    Interstates cap gross weight at 80,000 lbs. Other state highways allow up to 105,500 lbs by formula, with 34,000 lbs on a tandem and 48,000 lbs on a group of three or more axles.

    Interstate:A permit takes the truck past 80,000 lbs up to 105,500 lbs.

  2. Primary Network routes

    A 129,000 lb permit is available on designated Primary Network routes.

    Longer combinations:Over 75 ft, they follow the Designated Highway Map.

  3. Spring restricted roads

    Restricted roads are classed legal, 8-ton, 7-ton, 6-ton or 5-ton, and overweight permits stop except under Policy 9-17.

    Heavy loads:Over 200,000 lbs, no moves until restrictions lift.

  4. Road construction zones

    Construction can cap the width a permitted load may carry through a work zone at 10 ft.

    Check:Work zones on the route before a wide load leaves.

North Dakota industries

North Dakota permits for the loads North Dakota hauls

Beside the general permits, North Dakota has rules written for the oil field, housing and harvest.

  1. Oil field

    Workover rigs

    Oilfield workover rigs move under their own Highway Patrol policy, separate from the general oversize rules.

  2. Housing

    Manufactured homes

    A 5-day single-trip permit, with no travel when wind exceeds 25 mph.

  3. Harvest

    Farm vehicles at harvest

    Farm vehicles may run 10% over legal weight during harvest, up to 105,500 lbs.

  4. Custom harvest and hay

    Seasonal farm permits

    Nonresident custom combines run on a June 1 to December 31 permit; hay, applicators and similar loads have seasonal permits.

How it works

Your North Dakota 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 North Dakota rules for your load and files with ND Highway Patrol.

  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 North Dakota

  1. Daylight or around the clock?

    Past 12 ft wide or 120 ft long, the load runs only from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. We plan the trip around the hours you actually have.

  2. Hot asphalt stops heavy loads

    Overweight moves are barred on asphalt at 90°F or above. On summer runs we build in the time it takes to wait out the heat.

  3. Four lanes can save a pilot car

    Up to 16 ft wide, a four-lane divided highway needs no pilot car. We check whether a four-lane route works before you book an escort.

FAQ

North Dakota oversize permit questions

Can a truck gross more than 80,000 lbs off the interstate in North Dakota?

Yes. Other state highways allow up to 105,500 lbs by formula without a permit. On the interstate, 80,000 lbs is the legal limit, and a permit takes it up to 105,500 lbs.

How much does a North Dakota oversize permit cost?

It depends on the permit type, size, weight and route, and heavy loads go through a separate policy. 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.

Does a North Dakota pilot car driver need a certificate?

No. A pilot car driver needs a valid license and must be 18 or older; North Dakota asks for no certification.

Can an amber light stand in for a pilot car in North Dakota?

Yes, for loads up to 16 ft wide. On a four-lane divided highway, loads up to 16 ft wide need no pilot car at all.

Does hot weather stop overweight loads in North Dakota?

On asphalt, yes. Overweight moves are barred on asphalt roads at 90°F or above, and no load moves in bad weather, on slippery roads or with visibility of half a mile or less.

Which North Dakota loads may run at night?

Loads up to 12 ft wide and 120 ft long. Anything larger runs from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

How does Route One GO get my North Dakota permit?

Send us the truck, trailer, load dimensions, axle weights and route. Our permit desk checks the North Dakota rules, files with the Highway Patrol and sends you the permits with a route map. Requests are taken 24/7.

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Need a permit in North Dakota for this load?

Send the details once. We file with ND Highway Patrol, plus every other state on your route.

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