California Oversize / Overweight Permit Requirements
Legal-without-permit dimension limits, escort and pilot car thresholds, height pole rules, daylight-only windows, and holiday restrictions for California oversize moves.
Legal limits without a permit
In California, 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).
| Dimension | Without a permit | Permit required when |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8′6″ (federal limit) | Anything wider |
| Height | 13′6″ | Anything taller |
| Combo length | 65′0″ | Anything longer |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | Anything heavier |
Escort and pilot car thresholds
When permitted, the following escort or movement-restriction rules apply in California. Thresholds are conservative — your specific permit conditions may impose tighter limits depending on the route.
| Trigger | Dimension | Threshold | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height pole | Height | 15'0" | Height-pole-equipped lead car for loads taller than 15'0". |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 14'0" | Both lead and chase required at 14'0" and over. |
| Front pilot car | Width | 12'0" | Caltrans requires a lead pilot car at 12'0" and over. |
| Certified escort required | Width | 12'0" | California escort drivers must hold a CHP-recognized escort certification. |
| Daylight-only movement | Width | 12'0" | Daylight-only movement for any load over 12'0" wide. |
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.
See how it works →Last updated 2026-06-06. Cross-checked against the state admin code.