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Rhode Island · Oversize & Overweight

Rhode Island Oversize & Overweight Permits filed with RIDOT for you, 24/7

In Rhode Island, a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high or over Federal Bridge Formula B weight needs a permit from RIDOT. A single-trip permit is good for five days, and oversize loads stay off the road during weekday rush hours, 7–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m. 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 Rhode Island 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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Rhode Island rules

Rhode Island legal limits and permit rules

The size and weight Rhode Island allows without a permit, when a load takes an escort, and the hours, rush periods and holidays that stop permitted moves.

Legal limits without a permit

Width
8 ft 6 in
Height
13 ft 6 in
Single vehicle
45 ft
Semitrailer
48.5 ft or 53 ft, by route
Overhang
3 ft front, 6 ft rear
Single axle
22,400 lbs
Tandem axle
36,000 lbs

Escorts

12 ft wide or more
Escort required
85 ft long or more
Escort required
Over 13 ft 6 in high
Escort required
Overhang of 15 ft or more
Escort required
Building moves
Two escorts plus a police escort from each city or town on the route

When you can move

Hours
30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset; no night travel except overweight-only envelope vehicles
Weekday rush hours
No oversize travel 7–9 a.m. or 3–7 p.m., Monday–Friday
Monday holidays
Memorial Day, Victory Day, Labor Day, MLK Day, Columbus Day: no Saturday, Sunday or Monday travel
Thanksgiving
No travel Wednesday through Sunday of Thanksgiving week
July 4, Veterans Day, Christmas, New Year's
No travel that day or the night before
Easter
No Saturday night or Sunday travel; RIDOT also lists Juneteenth
Bad weather
A load already moving exits at the first available location

Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §31-25-21; 290-RICR-40-00-1; RIDOT oversize/overweight FAQ and permit types; RIDOT truck restrictions. Your permit's own conditions always apply.

Which permit you need

Rhode Island permits for oversize and overweight loads

  1. One move

    Single-trip permit

    Good for a five-day period. Extra-large loads need an application at least five working days ahead.

  2. April 1 – March 31

    Annual divisible-load permit

    A year-long permit for divisible overweight loads. It does not cover a load oversize in any dimension.

  3. Construction equipment, boats and marine assets

    Annual blanket permit

    For non-divisible loads, one year from purchase. The construction-equipment blanket covers 55–80 ft long, up to 12 ft 4 in wide, 130,000 lbs gross and 25,000 lbs per axle, and is not valid on the Blackstone River Viaduct (I-295) or Kingston Road Bridge No. 403 (I-95).

  4. 200,000 lbs or more, or 14 ft high and up

    Heavy and tall loads

    From 200,000 lbs, depending on route, an independent third-party analysis of every structure. Any permit 14 ft high or more needs a route survey.

Routes and road rules

Where Rhode Island routes add their own rules

The I-95 and I-195 corridor, the Washington Bridge and the bay crossings each set limits of their own.

  1. I-195 and I-95, Massachusetts line to Route 37

    Mobile homes over 12 ft, construction equipment over 13 ft and cranes travel only from sunrise to 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

    Plan:Time the run between the morning and afternoon windows.

  2. Washington Bridge (I-195 East and West)

    Restricted to 48 tons (96,000 lbs), with no oversize vehicles. The restriction is expected to last until December 2028.

    Detour:Oversize and heavier loads need another crossing.

  3. Mount Hope and Newport bridges

    Each bridge's own authority issues the permit to cross it.

    Separate permit:A RIDOT permit alone does not cover these crossings.

  4. Jamestown Bridge

    For a vehicle over 9 ft wide, police halt traffic at one end of the bridge.

    Wider than 9 ft:Traffic is held while the load crosses.

Rhode Island crossings

Rhode Island permits by who controls the crossing

RIDOT writes the state permit; bridge authorities and towns add their own on some moves.

  1. State roads

    RIDOT permits

    Single-trip, annual divisible-load and annual blanket permits.

  2. Bay crossings

    Mount Hope and Newport bridges

    Permits come from each bridge's own authority.

  3. Building moves

    Local police escorts

    A police escort from each city or town on the route, plus two escorts.

  4. Very heavy loads

    Structural analysis

    From 200,000 lbs, depending on route, an independent third party analyzes every structure on it.

How it works

Your Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island rules for your load and files with RIDOT.

  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 Rhode Island

  1. Rush hours cut the day

    Oversize loads sit out 7–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m. on weekdays. We plan the run around both windows so the load clears the state in daylight.

  2. Washington Bridge is off the list

    No oversize vehicles and 48 tons at most on I-195's Washington Bridge. We route around it before filing.

  3. Holiday weekends run long

    Thanksgiving closes Wednesday through Sunday, and Monday holidays close the whole weekend. We check your delivery date against them.

FAQ

Rhode Island oversize permit questions

What hours of a weekday are closed to oversize loads in Rhode Island?

7–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Outside those windows, travel runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

How much does a Rhode Island oversize permit cost?

It depends on the size, weight and route. 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 an oversize load cross the Washington Bridge in Providence?

No. The I-195 Washington Bridge, both directions, is closed to oversize vehicles and limited to 48 tons (96,000 lbs), expected until December 2028.

Does a Rhode Island annual divisible-load permit cover a wide load?

No. It runs April 1 to March 31 for divisible loads and does not cover a load oversize in any dimension. A wide load goes on a single-trip permit, or on the annual blanket for construction equipment and boats.

Which Rhode Island holidays close the whole weekend to permit loads?

Memorial Day, Victory Day, Labor Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Columbus Day: no Saturday, Sunday or Monday travel. Thanksgiving week closes Wednesday through Sunday.

How tall can a Rhode Island load be before it needs an escort?

13 ft 6 in. Anything higher takes an escort, as does a load 12 ft wide, 85 ft long or with an overhang of 15 ft or more.

How does Route One GO get my Rhode Island permit?

Send us the truck, trailer, load dimensions, axle weights and route. Our permit desk checks the Rhode Island rules, files with RIDOT and flags any bridge permit the route needs. Requests are taken 24/7.

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