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South Carolina · Oversize & Overweight

South Carolina Oversize & Overweight Permits filed with SCDOT for you, 24/7

In South Carolina, a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 53 ft of semitrailer or 80,000 lbs needs an SCDOT permit, ordered through SafeHaul. Loads up to 15 ft wide may run seven days a week, but wider loads get short daytime windows. 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 South Carolina 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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South Carolina rules

South Carolina legal limits and permit rules

The size and weight South Carolina allows without a permit, when SCDOT asks for escorts and when a permitted load may run.

Legal limits without a permit

Width
8 ft 6 in
Height
13 ft 6 in
Semitrailer
53 ft
Trailer in a double
28 ft 6 in
Overhang, front / rear
3 / 6 ft
Single axle
20,000 lbs
Tandem, interstate / other
35,200 / 36,000 lbs
Gross weight
80,000 lbs
Poles, logs, pipe
Permit over 80 ft long

Escorts

Over 12 to 14 ft wide
One front escort on two-lane highways
Over 14 to 16 ft wide
Front and rear on all roads
Over 16 ft wide
Front and rear civilian escorts plus front and rear police escorts
16 ft high or more
Front escort with a height pole, and a route survey
125 to 150 ft long
Rear escort
Over 150 ft long
Front and rear
Rear overhang 15 to 25 ft
Rear escort
Convoys
Not allowed; loads stay 2 miles apart

When you can move

Up to 12 ft wide
Sunrise to sunset, seven days a week
12 to 15 ft wide near large cities
Not 7–9 a.m. weekdays, nor 3–6 p.m. school days (4:30–6 p.m. other days)
Over 15 ft wide
9 a.m.–3 p.m. on school days, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. other days
Overweight only, legal size
Continuous travel on request up to 130,000 lbs
Holidays
New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Coast in summer
No weekend moves east of I-95, Memorial Day to Labor Day
Weather
No moves with visibility under 500 ft, high wind, ice or snow

Source: SCDOT Guidelines for Movement over South Carolina Highways of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (rev. 3/2026), SCDOT holiday travel restrictions, South Carolina Code Title 56 Chapter 5, SC Ports Authority. Your permit's own conditions always apply.

Which permit you need

South Carolina permits for oversize and overweight loads

  1. One move

    Single-trip permit

    Valid for 7 days for one move, tied to one route and one truck and trailer.

  2. All year, issued around the clock

    Annual multiple-trip permit

    Auto-issued 24/7 up to 14 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 100,000 lbs on five or more axles. Secondary routes are not allowed.

  3. All year on a set route

    Route-specific annual permit

    For one route, up to 15 ft wide and 130,000 lbs gross.

  4. Over 130,000 lbs or 20,000 lbs on a single axle

    Superload permit

    Takes 3 to 5 business days. Proof of insurance from 180,000 lbs or 16 ft wide; over 300,000 lbs, manufacturer data and possibly an engineer's bridge analysis.

Routes and road rules

Where South Carolina routes add their own rules

Ports, the coast and narrow bridges change what a South Carolina permit allows.

  1. Port of Charleston containers

    International shipping containers bound to or from a seaport may run up to 100,000 lbs gross with a permit and an international bill of lading.

    Route:Only on the SC Overweight Truck Route Map.

  2. The overweight truck route map

    SCDOT's map shows the routes that take heavier axle weights; not every US or SC route qualifies. The map has to be carried in the truck.

    Also:Annual multiple-trip permits stay off secondary routes.

  3. Myrtle Beach and the coast in summer

    From Memorial Day to Labor Day no oversize moves on Saturdays and Sundays east of I-95, including US 17, US 501 and SC 22 around Myrtle Beach.

    Plan:Coastal deliveries go Monday to Friday.

  4. Four lanes and narrow bridges

    Loads over 14 ft wide must use four-lane highways and must be the only vehicle on any bridge 18 ft wide or less.

    Bridge limits:Posted load restrictions are checked on SCDOT's road conditions system.

South Carolina loads

South Carolina permits for the loads it hauls

Beside the general permits, SCDOT has permits for timber and farm products, cotton, tobacco, manufactured homes and buildings.

  1. Timber and farm

    Bulk agricultural and forest products

    An annual permit up to 90,000 lbs for bulk farm products, unprocessed forest products and wood chips, off interstates and secondary routes.

  2. Cotton and tobacco

    Cotton modules and sheet tobacco

    Separate annual permits for cotton module vehicles, sheet tobacco and culvert pipe.

  3. Housing

    Mobile homes

    Up to 16 ft wide, with the home up to 80 ft and the whole combination up to 110 ft. Brakes are required.

  4. Buildings

    Frame building moves

    Buildings over 16 ft wide need a house-moving license and county approval, and can travel at most 30 miles.

How it works

Your South Carolina 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 South Carolina rules for your load and files with SCDOT OSOW Permit Office.

  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 South Carolina

  1. Weekends are open up to 15 ft

    Unlike many states, South Carolina lets loads up to 15 ft wide run on Saturday and Sunday. We use it to keep your delivery date.

  2. Over 15 ft, the day is short

    Loads over 15 ft wide move only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days. We plan the route in daytime legs, not one long run.

  3. Exceptions need five days

    Requests beyond SCDOT's maximum limits have to arrive at least five days before the move. We file them first.

FAQ

South Carolina oversize permit questions

What needs an oversize or overweight permit in South Carolina?

A load over 102 inches (8 ft 6 in) wide, 13 ft 6 in high, a 53 ft semitrailer or 80,000 lbs gross, or over the axle limits. Poles, logs and pipe over 80 ft long need a permit too.

How much does a South Carolina oversize permit cost?

It depends on the permit type, size, weight and route; 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 oversize loads travel on weekends in South Carolina?

Yes, loads up to 15 ft wide, except on the coast east of I-95 from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on the six listed holidays. Loads over 15 ft wide follow shorter daytime windows.

When does a South Carolina load need a police escort?

Over 16 ft wide: then the load needs civilian escorts front and rear plus police escorts front and rear. The State Transport Police or Highway Patrol may add more.

How heavy can a Port of Charleston container be?

Up to 100,000 lbs gross with a permit, for an international shipping container bound to or from a seaport with an international bill of lading, on the SC Overweight Truck Route Map.

What is a superload in South Carolina?

A load over 130,000 lbs or with a single axle over 20,000 lbs. Review takes 3 to 5 business days, and very heavy loads may need an engineer's bridge analysis.

How does Route One GO get my South Carolina permit?

Send us the truck, trailer, load dimensions, axle weights and route. Our permit desk checks the South Carolina rules, files with SCDOT, and sends you the permit with a route map. Requests are taken 24/7.

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Need a permit in South Carolina for this load?

Send the details once. We file with SCDOT OSOW Permit Office, plus every other state on your route.

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