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Virginia · Oversize & Overweight

Virginia Oversize & Overweight Permits filed with Virginia DMV for you, 24/7

In Virginia, a load over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 80,000 lbs needs a permit from the DMV Hauling Permits Section, issued through EZ Haul after VDOT's engineering analysis of the route. Escort drivers must be certified, and the Hampton Roads bridge-tunnels set their own limits. 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 Virginia 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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Virginia rules

Virginia legal limits and permit rules

The size and weight Virginia allows without a permit, how many escorts a load needs on and off the interstate, and when a permitted load may run.

Legal limits without a permit

Width
8 ft 6 in
Height
13 ft 6 in
Single truck
40 ft
Trailer
48 ft
Trailer, interstate system
53 ft
Combination
65 ft
Single axle
20,000 lbs
Tandem axle
34,000 lbs
Gross weight
80,000 lbs

Escorts

Over 12 ft wide
Interstate: 1 rear; other roads: 1 front, 1 rear
Over 14 ft wide
Interstate: 1 front, 1 rear; other roads: 2 front, 1 rear
Over 16 ft wide
Interstate: 1 front, 2 rear; other roads: 2 front, 2 rear
Over 14 ft 5 in high
1 front with a height pole, all routes
Long loads
Over 90 ft: 1 rear off the interstate; over 120 ft: 1 rear on it; over 150 ft: front and rear everywhere
Overhang
Front over 10 ft: front escort; rear over 15 ft: rear escort
Over 18 ft wide or 200 ft long
Case by case, including law enforcement escorts
Escort drivers
Certified: training course and DMV knowledge test

When you can move

Travel hours
Sunrise to sunset
Holidays
New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas: permits invalid from noon the weekday before
Inside cities and towns
No moves 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.; overweight loads and loads up to 85 ft long exempt
Metro interstates
No moves 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m. on weekdays around Northern Virginia, Richmond–Petersburg and Tidewater
Northern Virginia, off the interstate
Over 15 ft high or wide or 150 ft long: 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. only
Weather
No moves when weather makes travel hazardous

Source: Virginia DMV Hauling Permits; 24VAC20-82 (effective March 1, 2023); DMV 109 size, weight and equipment booklet; DMV MP 227 Hauling Permit Geographical Regulations (rev. 08/14/2026). Your permit's own conditions always apply.

Which permit you need

Virginia permits for oversize and overweight loads

  1. Up to 15 ft wide, 15 ft high and 150 ft long

    Single-trip permit

    Valid for 13 days. Those are the routine maximums; anything larger is reviewed as a superload.

  2. Up to 14 ft wide, 14 ft high and 100 ft long

    Annual multi-trip permit

    A blanket permit for one or two years. Request it at least 10 business days ahead.

  3. Over 18 ft wide, 16 ft high, 200 ft long or 250,000 lbs

    Superload single-trip permit

    Submit at least 10 working days ahead; a detailed travel plan may be needed. Over 400,000 lbs DMV asks for an axle schematic, and over 750,000 lbs a Virginia-licensed engineer analyzes every structure on the route.

  4. The same superload, repeatedly

    Superload multi-trip permit

    Issued for one year, or limited to three months.

Routes and road rules

Where Virginia routes add their own rules

Hampton Roads' water crossings and the I-77 mountain tunnels set width and height limits of their own.

  1. Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (I-64)

    Limited to 10 ft 6 in wide and 13 ft 6 in high. Wider loads use the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (I-664), which takes up to 23 ft wide and 15 ft 8 in high.

    On I-664:Stop at the inspection station with the permit; oversize travel 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

  2. Downtown and Midtown tunnels

    The two Elizabeth River tunnels take 9 ft 0 in and 10 ft 4 in wide and 13 ft 6 in high.

    Over 10 ft wide:Elizabeth River Tunnel personnel escort the load.

  3. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (Route 13)

    Up to 14 ft wide and 13 ft 6 in high. The crossing is not operated by VDOT, and loads over 80,000 lbs need the approval of the CBBT Authority.

    Hazmat:Certain classes are not allowed through the four urban water tunnels.

  4. I-77 and Richmond crossings

    The Big Walker and East River Mountain tunnels on I-77 take 14 ft wide and 16 ft high; the Powhite Parkway 12 ft wide and 14 ft high.

    Closed:Permitted loads are not authorized on the James River Drawbridge.

Virginia loads

Virginia permits for the loads Virginia hauls

Port freight, farm machinery, manufactured homes and some commodities are handled apart from the standard permit.

  1. Port of Virginia

    Norfolk port permits

    DMV issues single-trip permits for Norfolk localities only for travel to and from the ports.

  2. Farm

    Farm machinery

    Machinery moved by a dealer or a farmer needs no oversize or overweight permit.

  3. Housing

    Mobile and manufactured homes

    Moved under their own rules, separate from the standard oversize permit.

  4. Specific commodities

    Exempt permits

    Virginia issues exempt permits written for specific commodities.

How it works

Your Virginia 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 Virginia rules for your load and files with Virginia DMV.

  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 Virginia

  1. The escort count depends on the road

    A 13 ft load needs one rear escort on the interstate and a front and a rear off it. We count the escorts for every leg of the route before filing.

  2. Cities that accept the state permit on interstates only

    Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Alexandria and Virginia Beach among others. If the delivery is on a city street, we flag the city's own requirements before you dispatch.

  3. Calling ahead at Alberta and Dahlgren

    The weigh stations at Alberta (I-85) and Dahlgren (Route 301) want a call at least 15 minutes before a permitted load arrives. We put it in your trip notes.

FAQ

Virginia oversize permit questions

Does Virginia DMV or VDOT issue the oversize permit?

DMV's Hauling Permits Section issues it through EZ Haul. VDOT runs the engineering analysis of the route before the permit is issued.

How much does a Virginia oversize permit cost?

It depends on the permit type, size, weight and route; superloads cost more and take longer. 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.

How many days is a Virginia single-trip oversize permit valid?

13 days, for loads up to the routine maximums of 15 ft wide, 15 ft high and 150 ft long.

How wide a load can cross Hampton Roads?

The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on I-64 takes up to 10 ft 6 in wide. Wider loads use the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel on I-664, up to 23 ft wide and 15 ft 8 in high, between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., with a stop at the inspection station.

Why does a Virginia load need more escorts off the interstate?

Virginia keeps two escort tables. Over 12 ft wide it is one rear escort on the interstate but a front and a rear on other roads; over 16 ft, one front and two rear against two front and two rear. Off-center loads need a front escort past 3 ft 6 in on the passenger side, and front and rear past 5 ft.

How early should a Virginia superload be submitted?

At least 10 working days before the move. Loads over 18 ft wide, 16 ft high, 200 ft long or 250,000 lbs may also need a detailed travel plan.

How does Route One GO get my Virginia permit?

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

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