Heavy haul in Iowa
Heavy Haul Trucking in Iowa
Reliable Transport LLC permits, routes and escorts heavy haul and superload moves in Iowa with our own team. We are based in Dayton, Ohio, and we haul across the USA and Canada.
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.
Reliable Transport LLC
Iowa loads, planned in house
We are USDOT 3906954 and MC 1441035. Our in house permitting team pulls permits in every state on the route, including Iowa DOT oversize and overweight permits for Iowa, and our own escorts and utility bucket trucks run with the load.
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerIowa at a glance
Iowa DOT- Height pole
- Over 14'6"H
- Escorts start
- Over 14'6"W or 120'L
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 13'6"H, 80,000 lbs
- Night moves
- Up to 12'W
- Permit roads
- State and Interstate
- Single trip
- One trip in five days
Before the move
How we plan a Iowa load
Every Iowa move starts with an Iowa DOT permit. Our permitting team checks the size, weight and route against the Iowa rules, then sets the escorts and travel windows the permit calls for.
Over 14'6"H our lead escort runs a height pole, and we line up city and county permits for the roads off the state system.
Sources: Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide; 761 IAC chapter 511.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have hauled
150,000 lb transformer
Pocatello, ID - Akron, OH in early 2024, at 240,000 lbs gross and 16'H loaded, with help from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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.
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.
Moving a load in Iowa?
Send the weight, dimensions and route, and we will plan the move.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Iowa permits in plain English
What Iowa asks of a heavy load
These Iowa rules shape a heavy haul route. Our permitting team checks the current rules for every state on your route. The full list, with every source, is on our Iowa permit rules page.
Permit and escort rules
Official sources linked| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Height pole | Over 14'6"H, a front escort with a height pole. (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Route survey | No published size trigger. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Legal limits | Without a permit, a load in Iowa can be up to 8'6"W and 13'6"H, at up to 80,000 lbs. (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
| Width escorts | Over 14'6"W to 16'6"W: one rear escort or amber lights on four lane highways, one front escort on two lane highways. Over 16'6"W to 18'W: one rear escort on four lane highways, one front escort on two lane highways. (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Length escort | Over 120'L, one rear escort. (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Travel hours | 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Night moves | Up to 12'W, 14'6"H and 100'L on qualifying roads. (761 IAC 511.3(5), ARC 9512C, effective 9/24/25) |
| Holidays | No movement on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day or their holiday weekends. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511) |
Rules change. We checked these rules on October 2, 2026 against the Iowa DOT pages, the Iowa Truck Information Guide and 761 IAC chapter 511, and each one against a second source. Rules we could not confirm twice are left off this page. Our permitting team confirms the current rules for every move.
What we offer
Heavy haul services in Iowa
Questions
Iowa heavy haul questions
Do you haul heavy loads in Iowa?
Yes. We are based at 7660 W Third St in Dayton, OH 45417, and we haul oversize and overweight loads across the USA and Canada. Our permitting team pulls the Iowa permit for the Iowa part of the route.
When does a tall Iowa load need a height pole?
Over 14'6"H, a front escort with a height pole.
Do Iowa DOT permits cover county roads?
No. They cover state and Interstate highways; city and county roads need their own permits.
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 plannerIowa heavy haul quote
Ready to move it?
Send the weight and dimensions, the pickup and delivery points, and your dates. We will work out the permits, route, escorts and equipment.
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.