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Arkansas Oversize / Overweight Permit Requirements

Legal-without-permit dimension limits, escort and pilot car thresholds, height pole rules, daylight-only windows, and holiday restrictions for Arkansas oversize moves.

Verified 2026-06-06 · Source: www.ardot.gov
This page summarizes Arkansas DOT permit conditions for general reference. Always verify against the state permit office before dispatch — rules change, and individual permit conditions can be more restrictive.

Legal limits without a permit

In Arkansas, you can move a load without an OSOW permit up to these dimensions on the Interstate and designated highways. Anything over the limits requires a permit (and may require escorts — see below).

DimensionWithout a permitPermit required when
Width8′6″ (federal limit)Anything wider
Height13′6″Anything taller
Combo length75′0″Anything longer
Gross weight80,000 lbAnything heavier

Escort and pilot car thresholds

When permitted, the following escort or movement-restriction rules apply in Arkansas. Thresholds are conservative — your specific permit conditions may impose tighter limits depending on the route.

TriggerDimensionThresholdDetail
Front pilot car Length 130 ft Length over 130 ft: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4-lane/interstate highways.
Rear pilot car Length 130 ft Length over 130 ft: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4-lane/interstate highways.
Front pilot car Length 115 ft Length over 115 ft (up to 130): 1 front + 1 rear on 2-lane; 1 rear only on 4-lane/interstate.
Rear pilot car Length 115 ft Length over 115 ft (up to 130): 1 front + 1 rear on 2-lane; 1 rear only on 4-lane/interstate.
Front pilot car Length 100 ft Length over 100 ft (up to 115): 1 front escort on 2-lane; 1 rear on 4-lane/interstate.
Rear pilot car Length 100 ft Length over 100 ft (up to 115): 1 rear escort on 4-lane/interstate highways.
Front pilot car Width 18'1" Width 18'1"–20': 2 front + 2 rear escorts; movement restricted to 9:00am–3:00pm only.
Rear pilot car Width 18'1" Width 18'1"–20': 2 front + 2 rear escorts; movement restricted to 9:00am–3:00pm only.
Height pole Height 17 ft Height over 17 ft: 1 pole car + public utility escort required. Pole at 6" above load height.
Height pole Height 15 ft Height over 15 ft (up to 17): 1 pole car required on both 2-lane and 4-lane/interstate highways.
Front pilot car Width 14'1" Width 14'1"–18': 1 front + 1 rear on 2-lane; 1 rear only on 4-lane/interstate.
Rear pilot car Width 14'1" Width 14'1"–18': 1 front + 1 rear on 2-lane; 1 rear only on 4-lane/interstate.
Front pilot car Width 12'1" Width 12'1"–14': 1 front on 2-lane highways; no escort required on 4-lane/interstate.
Daylight-only movement Width 8'6" Travel restricted to sunrise–sunset. No travel on New Year's, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day.
Weekend / holiday restriction Width 8'6" No travel New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day. Mobile homes prohibited on Sundays.

Stop tracking these rules by hand.

OverSizeTMS encodes the per-state escort and dimension rules for every state plus DC. Enter the load dimensions and route, and the platform tells you which permits, escorts, and time windows apply automatically.

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Last updated 2026-06-06. Cross-checked against the state admin code.