Kentucky Oversize / Overweight Permit Requirements
Legal-without-permit dimension limits, escort and pilot car thresholds, height pole rules, daylight-only windows, and holiday restrictions for Kentucky oversize moves.
Legal limits without a permit
In Kentucky, 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 | 75′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 Kentucky. Thresholds are conservative — your specific permit conditions may impose tighter limits depending on the route.
| Trigger | Dimension | Threshold | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front pilot car | Length | 120 ft | Length over 120 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 2 rear. On 4+-lane: 1 front + 2 rear + dolly. |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 120 ft | Length over 120 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 2 rear. On 4+-lane: 1 front + 2 rear + dolly. |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 110 ft | Length over 110 ft on 4+-lane: 1 rear escort required. |
| Front pilot car | Length | 85 ft | Over 85 ft up to 120 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 1 rear escort required. |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 85 ft | Over 85 ft up to 120 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 1 rear. |
| Front pilot car | Length | 75 ft | Over 75 ft up to 85 ft on 2-lane: 1 front escort required. |
| Front pilot car | Width | 16 ft | Over 16 ft wide: 2 front + 2 rear escorts required on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways. |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 16 ft | Over 16 ft wide: 2 front + 2 rear escorts required on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways. |
| Pre-trip inspection | Height | 15'6" | Route survey required for all loads exceeding 15'6" in height prior to movement. |
| Height pole | Height | 14'11" | Height over 14'11": 1 front escort with height pole required. Route survey required for heights over 15'6". |
| Front pilot car | Width | 14 ft | Over 14 ft wide on 4+-lane: 1 front + 1 rear escort required. |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 14 ft | Over 14 ft wide on 4+-lane: 1 front + 1 rear escort required. |
| Front pilot car | Width | 12 ft | Over 12 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 1 rear. Over 12 ft on 4+-lane: 1 rear only. |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 12 ft | Over 12 ft on 2-lane: 1 front + 1 rear. Over 12 ft on 4+-lane: 1 rear only. |
| Rear pilot car | Rear overhang | 10 ft | Rear overhang over 10 ft on 4+-lane highways: 1 rear escort required. |
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.