Minnesota Oversize / Overweight Permit Requirements
Legal-without-permit dimension limits, escort and pilot car thresholds, height pole rules, daylight-only windows, and holiday restrictions for Minnesota oversize moves.
Legal limits without a permit
In Minnesota, 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 Minnesota. Thresholds are conservative — your specific permit conditions may impose tighter limits depending on the route.
| Trigger | Dimension | Threshold | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front pilot car | Length | 150'0" | Front + rear pilot cars required on multi-lane roads for combinations over 150' overall length. |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 110'0" | Rear pilot car required for combinations over 110' overall length on all highways. |
| Height pole | Height | 16'0" | Height-pole vehicle strongly recommended (not mandated by rule) when load exceeds 16' in height. |
| Police escort | Width | 15'0" | Lead peace officer required when load crosses the centerline on undivided highways (§169.86 subd. 5). |
| Front pilot car | Width | 15'0" | Front + rear pilot cars required on 2-lane highways for widths over 15' (Minn. R. 8820.5300). |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 15'0" | Rear pilot car required on multi-lane divided roads for widths over 15'. |
| Certified escort required | Width | 15'0" | Escort drivers must hold MN State Patrol certification when width exceeds 15' (Minn. R. 8820.5400). |
| Weekend / holiday restriction | Width | 12'6" | No travel Fri 4–8 pm or Sun 4–8 pm (summer); restricted 2 pm–2 am on major state holidays. |
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. Single-source or pending re-verify — confirm with the permit office.