California permits
California Oversize Permit Rules
Legal limits, pilot cars, CHP escorts, route surveys, travel times and variance permits for oversize and overweight loads in California, each checked against Caltrans.
Last checked: Oct 1, 2026
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.
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 14'H, 80,000 lbs
- Variance permit
- Over 15'W, 17'H or 135'L
- Route survey
- Over 17'H
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerCaltrans permits
How California sizes up a heavy load
Caltrans issues transportation permits for the California State Highway System, and the color of each route on the Caltrans pilot car maps decides the pilot cars. These are the numbers we plan every California load with. Run your exact load and route through our permit tool to see every state on the trip.
Check your load
Enter your width, height, length and weight in our permit tool to see the California rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
California limits
California legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a Caltrans permit.
California legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Legal width | 8'6"W (Caltrans Transportation Permits) |
| Legal height | 14'H (Caltrans Transportation Permits) |
| Legal weight | 80,000 lbs gross (Caltrans Transportation Permits) |
| Permit needed | Over 8'6"W, 14'H or 80,000 lbs: a Caltrans single trip permit (Caltrans Transportation Permits, Caltrans Single Trip Permit) |
| Single trip permit | One way travel, good for 7 consecutive days (Caltrans Single Trip Permit) |
| Single trip width | 14'W in general; 15'W on green, blue and brown routes without CHP; 16'W on yellow routes (Caltrans Single Trip Permit, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024)) |
| Single trip length | 135'L (Caltrans Single Trip Permit, Caltrans Transportation Permits) |
Escorts
California escort requirements
Escort counts by width, height and length, and when police escorts come in.
California escorts by load size
Official sources linkedRoute color comes from the Caltrans single trip pilot car maps. We check the maps for your exact route before we quote.
Height and routes
Height poles and route surveys
What Caltrans asks of tall and wide loads.
Route survey
Over 17'H, Caltrans requires a written route survey from the applicant. (Caltrans Variance Permit, Caltrans permit FAQ)
Clearance
Caltrans does not set a statewide height pole height in the sources we checked. Over 17'H, the written route survey covers the clearances, and on blue and brown routes a load 17'H or taller runs with a CHP escort. (Caltrans Variance Permit, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in California.
Without a pilot car
Travel 24/7 on yellow, green, blue and brown routes unless the permit says No Night Travel. (Caltrans Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
With a pilot car, yellow routes
24/7 up to 16'W. Over 16'W runs with CHP, and CHP sets the hours. (Caltrans Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
With a pilot car, green routes
Daylight, weekends included, up to 15'W. Darkness travel up to 14'W; none over 14'W. (Caltrans Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
With a pilot car, blue and brown routes
Weekday daylight up to 15'W. No travel in darkness. Weekends: one half hour before sunrise to noon. (Caltrans Special Conditions for 24/7 Travel, Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
Rush hours
Over 10'W: no movement 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. or 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Los Angeles area, or 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. or 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the San Diego, Sacramento and San Francisco areas, Monday through Friday. (Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024), Caltrans permit FAQ)
Bay Bridge
No crossing 6:30 to 9:00 a.m. or 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. every day, or in rain or fog. Over 12'W may cross 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. (Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024))
Holidays
Loads that need a pilot car can't move from 4:00 p.m. to midnight the day before, or from noon to midnight on the holiday or holiday weekend: New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. (Caltrans Transportation Permits Manual, chapter 5 (2024), Caltrans Special Conditions for Holiday Travel)
Superloads
California variance permit
Caltrans handles superloads with a variance permit. A load over 15'W, over 17'H or over 135'L, or on special hauling equipment over the Caltrans weight classification, needs one. Apply at least 30 days before the move with inspection reports, engineering justification from the manufacturer and a drawing of the load. (Caltrans Variance Permit, Caltrans permit FAQ)
See how we plan the biggest loads on our Superload Transport page.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have moved
110,000 lb switchgear building
A 110,000 lb switchgear building from Houston, TX to Los Angeles, CA.
Read the move →Off highway haul truck move
An off highway haul truck moved from Tennessee to California.
Read the move →Moving a load in California?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Caltrans permit and plan the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official California sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the Caltrans pages and rule text below and confirmed by a second source. Rules change, and the permit itself always decides. Last checked: Oct 1, 2026.
Questions
California permit questions
What are the legal size and weight limits in California?
8'6"W, 14'H and 80,000 lbs gross. A bigger or heavier load needs a Caltrans single trip permit, good for one way travel for 7 consecutive days.
How wide can a load go on a California single trip permit?
14'W in general, 15'W on green, blue and brown routes without a CHP escort, and 16'W on yellow routes. Single trip length tops out at 135'L.
How many pilot cars does California require?
It depends on the route color. Yellow: 1 over 12'W, 2 over 15'W. Green: 1 over 12'W, 2 over 14'W. Blue: 1 over 11'W, 2 over 13'W. Brown: 1 over 10'W, 2 over 12'W. Length adds 1 over 120'L on yellow and green, 100'L on blue and 85'L on brown.
When is a CHP escort required in California?
Over 16'W on yellow routes, over 15'W on green, blue and brown routes, over 185'L on yellow and green, over 135'L on blue and brown, 17'H or taller on blue and brown, and any time opposing lanes are used.
When does California require a route survey?
A load over 17'H needs a written route survey from the applicant, filed with the variance permit application.
Can oversize loads move at night in California?
Without a pilot car, yes, 24/7 unless the permit says No Night Travel. With a pilot car it depends on the route color: yellow routes 24/7 up to 16'W, green routes in darkness up to 14'W, and no darkness travel on blue and brown routes.
Are there holiday restrictions in California?
Yes, for loads that need a pilot car: no travel from 4:00 p.m. to midnight the day before, or from noon to midnight on New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or the holiday weekend.
What is a superload in California?
Caltrans uses a variance permit for loads over 15'W, 17'H or 135'L, or on special hauling equipment over its weight classification. Apply at least 30 days before the move.
Keep planning
More for your California move
Permit rules in other states
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerReliable Transport LLC | Reliable Heavy Haul
Ready to move it?
We haul oversize and overweight loads across the USA and Canada from our home base at 7660 W Third St, Dayton, OH 45417. Send your load details and we will plan the California permit, route and escorts.
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.