Virginia Oversize / Overweight Permit Requirements
Legal-without-permit dimension limits, escort and pilot car thresholds, height pole rules, daylight-only windows, and holiday restrictions for Virginia oversize moves.
Legal limits without a permit
In Virginia, 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 Virginia. Thresholds are conservative — your specific permit conditions may impose tighter limits depending on the route.
| Trigger | Dimension | Threshold | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front pilot car | Length | 150'1" | Length 150'1"–200': 1 front + 1 rear (both road types). Over 200': case-by-case. |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 150'1" | Length 150'1"–200': 1 front + 1 rear (both road types). |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 120'1" | Length 120'1"–150': 1 rear escort (both road types). |
| Rear pilot car | Length | 90'1" | Length 90'1"–120': 1 rear escort (non-interstate only). |
| Front pilot car | Width | 16'1" | Width 16'1"–18': 2 front + 2 rear escorts (non-interstate); 1 front + 2 rear (interstate). Over 18' case-by-case. |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 16'1" | Width 16'1"–18': 2 front + 2 rear escorts (non-interstate); 1 front + 2 rear (interstate). |
| Rear pilot car | Rear overhang | 15'0" rear overhang | Rear overhang over 15': 1 rear escort required (both road types). |
| Height pole | Height | 14'5" | Height over 14'5": 1 front escort with height pole required (both road types). Pole 3" above load height. |
| Front pilot car | Width | 14'1" | Width 14'1"–16': 2 front + 1 rear (non-interstate); 1 front + 1 rear (interstate). |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 14'1" | Width 14'1"–16': 2 front + 1 rear (non-interstate); 1 front + 1 rear (interstate). |
| Front pilot car | Width | 12'1" | Width 12'1"–14': 1 front + 1 rear (non-interstate); 1 rear only (interstate). |
| Rear pilot car | Width | 12'1" | Width 12'1"–14': 1 front + 1 rear (non-interstate); 1 rear only (interstate). |
| Certified escort required | Width | 12'1" | All escorts must hold Virginia Certified Vehicle Escort Driver credential (24VAC20-82-130). 5-year term. |
| Front pilot car | Front overhang | 10'0" front overhang | Front overhang over 10': 1 front escort required (both road types). |
| Daylight-only movement | Width | 8'6" | Permitted travel sunrise–sunset Mon–Sat. No Sunday travel (except overweight-only or overlength 85' or less). |
| Weekend / holiday restriction | Width | 8'6" | No travel on 6 state holidays (New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Permit void from noon preceding weekday through the holiday. |
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.