Charleston, South Carolina
Heavy Haul Trucking in Charleston
Breakbulk, Ro/Ro and project cargo through the Port of Charleston, trucked under SCDOT permits with routing and escorts run by our own team.
This page is general information only, not legal advice and not a permit. Rules change often and each state's permit and official rules are the final word. Always confirm limits, escorts, routes and travel times with the state permit office before moving a load. Reliable Transport LLC is not responsible for decisions made using this information.
Charleston heavy haul
From Columbus Street Terminal to the jobsite
Reliable Transport LLC runs heavy haul and superload moves across the USA and Canada from our home base in Dayton, Ohio. For a Charleston load, our in house team files the SCDOT permit and any local permit, plans the route and books the escorts, and keeps wide loads out of the urban rush hour windows SCDOT sets.
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerInside the port
Terminal, appointments and urban rules
Terminal facts come from the South Carolina Ports Authority and permit rules from SCDOT. Single source items say check with the agency.
Columbus Street Terminal
SC Ports calls Columbus Street Terminal Charleston's combination breakbulk and Ro/Ro terminal. It has berth space for up to 5 ships, direct lifts between rail and vessel, on dock rail served warehouses, cranes that lift up to 500 net tons and open storage for equipment and project cargo. (SC Ports Columbus Street Terminal) Check with SC Ports.
Appointments
Drop off and pick up at Columbus Street run by appointment with the terminal, at CSTAppointments@scspa.com or 843 577 8773. Breakbulk gate hours differ from the container terminals. (SC Ports Columbus Street Terminal scheduling, SC Ports gate hours) Check with SC Ports.
Urban rush hours
Over 12'W up to 15'W, SCDOT bars travel near large urban areas 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 3 to 6 p.m. on school days (4:30 to 6 p.m. on other days). SCDOT does not list which cities count. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads, rev. 3/2026) Check with SCDOT for Charleston routes.
Wider loads
Over 15'W, loads move only 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on other days, and over 16'W they run with front and rear police escorts. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads, rev. 3/2026)
Sources: SC Ports Columbus Street Terminal; SC Ports Columbus Street Terminal scheduling; SC Ports gate hours; SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads, rev. 3/2026.
South Carolina rules
Charleston oversize rules at a glance
The SCDOT rules every Charleston load runs under.
South Carolina
Official sources linked| Where | Restriction |
|---|---|
| Legal limits | Without a permit, a load in South Carolina can be up to 8'6"W and 13'6"H, at up to 80,000 lbs on Interstates. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026), South Carolina Code of Laws Title 56 Chapter 5) |
| Escorts | Over 12'W, a front escort on two lane highways; over 14'W, front and rear. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
| Police escorts | Over 16'W, front and rear police escorts. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
| Height | At 16'H and over, a route survey and a front height pole escort. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
| Travel hours | Sunrise to sunset, Monday through Sunday; over 15'W, 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
| Near large urban areas | Over 12'W up to 15'W: no travel 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 3 to 6 p.m. on school days (4:30 to 6 p.m. on other days). (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads, rev. 3/2026) |
| Holidays | No travel on six major holidays. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
| Superloads | Over 130,000 lbs, with a routing analysis. (SCDOT Guidelines for Movement of OSOW Vehicles and Loads (Rev. 3/2026)) |
Rules change often. We checked these on October 2, 2026 against the official sources linked in each row, and each one against a second source where one exists; single source items say check with the agency. Our permitting team confirms the current rules for every move.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have moved
These moves ran on other routes. They show the size of loads our team permits, routes and escorts.
19'W to 24'W loads
Port of Houston, Texas to Arizona in June 2024, with 5 loads from 19'W to 24'W and 2 loads at 134'L.
110,000 lb switchgear building
Houston, TX - Los Angeles, CA in 2025, at 250,000 lbs gross and 185'L x 17'W x 17'H loaded.
Off highway haul trucks
Tennessee to California in 2024, at 187,000 lbs and 90'L x 16'10"W x 16'2"H loaded.
Moving something in Charleston?
Send the size and weight. We will tell you what the permit, route and escorts look like.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Questions
Charleston heavy haul questions
What can Columbus Street Terminal handle?
SC Ports lists breakbulk, Ro/Ro and project cargo, berth space for up to 5 ships, direct lifts between rail and vessel and cranes that lift up to 500 net tons.
Are there rush hour limits for wide loads near Charleston?
Over 12'W up to 15'W, SCDOT bars travel near large urban areas 7 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 3 to 6 p.m. on school days. We check with SCDOT for each Charleston route.
When does a South Carolina load need police escorts?
Over 16'W, front and rear police escorts. Over 12'W a front escort runs on two lane highways, and over 14'W front and rear escorts.
How heavy a load can you haul?
Our superload service handles loads up to 300,000 lbs, with permits, routing and escorts by our own team.
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerKeep planning
More for your Charleston move
Other port pages
Charleston heavy haul
Ready to move it?
Send the load dimensions, weight, pickup and delivery points. Our in house team prices the permits, route and escorts and gets back to you fast.
This page is general information only, not legal advice and not a permit. Rules change often and each state's permit and official rules are the final word. Always confirm limits, escorts, routes and travel times with the state permit office before moving a load. Reliable Transport LLC is not responsible for decisions made using this information.