Colorado permits
Colorado Oversize Permit Rules
Route surveys, height poles, tunnel limits, legal limits, escorts, night moves, Denver curfews and holiday rules for oversize and overweight loads in Colorado, each checked against the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Last checked: Oct 2, 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.
- Route survey
- Over 17'6"H or 130'L
- Height pole
- Over 16'H
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 14'6"H
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerCDOT permits
How Colorado sizes up a heavy load
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) issues extra legal permits under its permit rules, 2 CCR 601 4. These are the numbers we plan every Colorado 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 Colorado rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
Colorado limits
Colorado legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a CDOT extra legal permit.
Colorado legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Route survey | Over 17'6"H or over 130'L, the permit application must include a route survey. A survey for any reason other than height is good for 30 days unless CDOT says otherwise (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Height pole | Over 16'H, the front pilot vehicle must carry a height pole (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 17'H | A licensed signal contractor goes with the load through every intersection with an overhead traffic signal (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Legal width | 8'6"W (102") (CDOT FYI legal load sheet) |
| Legal height | 14'6"H (CDOT FYI legal load sheet) |
| Legal length | 45' single unit; no overall limit with one trailer up to 57'4" (CDOT FYI legal load sheet) |
Escorts
Colorado escort requirements
Colorado sets width escorts by the color of the highway on the CDOT Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map, and length escorts by road type.
Colorado escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Width, by map color | Each highway is red, blue, yellow, green or white on the CDOT map, and the color sets the width escorts. On blue highways escorts start just over 8'6"W (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 17'W | A Chapter 6 Special permit on every highway (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 16'H | One front pilot vehicle with a height pole (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 85'L | One front pilot vehicle on mountainous two lane highways (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 110'L | One front pilot vehicle on other two lane highways (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
| Over 115'L | One rear pilot vehicle on four lane highways (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State)) |
Escort rules come from the CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4) and the map they point to. The permit lists the escorts for each load. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Height and routes
Route surveys, height poles and the I 70 tunnels
What Colorado asks of the tallest and longest loads.
Route survey
Over 17'6"H or 130'L, a route survey goes in with the application. It lists overhead clearances, posted bridges, highway widths and tight turns. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Height pole
Over 16'H, the front pilot vehicle runs a height pole. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Signals over 17'H
A licensed signal contractor accompanies the load through every intersection with an overhead signal. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
I 70 tunnels
At the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels, a load over 11'W must stop and get permission, and a load over 13'11"H may not use the tunnels. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Colorado.
Day and night
Permitted loads may move day and night. At night, over 12'W up to 14'W needs one front pilot vehicle on two lane highways or one rear pilot vehicle on four lane highways, plus flashing yellow lights. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Over 14'W
No travel in the hours of darkness unless a Chapter 6 Special permit allows it. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Denver
No travel 6 to 9 a.m. or 3 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the listed Denver area segments. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Colorado Springs
No travel 7 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the listed segments. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Holidays
No travel 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, or noon to 9 p.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day and Labor Day. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
Superloads
Colorado largest loads
Loads beyond the map and annual limits move under a Chapter 6 Special permit, and the heaviest move as Super Loads, a kind of Chapter 6 Special permit. Chapter 6 Special and Super Load moves run with at least one front and one rear pilot vehicle. (CDOT permit rules (2 CCR 601 4), 2 CCR 601 4 (Colorado Secretary of State))
See how we plan the biggest loads on our Superload Transport page.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have moved
150,000 lb transformer
A 150,000 lb transformer from Pocatello, ID to Akron, OH.
Read the move →207,000 lb dryer drum
A 207,000 lb dryer drum from Louisville, KY to Richmond, VA.
Read the move →Moving a load in Colorado?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Colorado permit, the route survey and the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Colorado sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the CDOT pages and rule text below and confirmed by a second source. Rules we could not confirm twice are left off this page. Rules change, and the permit itself always decides. Last checked: Oct 2, 2026.
Questions
Colorado permit questions
When does a Colorado load need a route survey?
Over 17'6"H or over 130'L. The route survey goes in with the permit application.
When does a Colorado load need a height pole?
Over 16'H, the front pilot vehicle carries a height pole. Over 17'H, a licensed signal contractor goes through every signal with the load.
What are the legal size limits in Colorado?
8'6"W, 14'6"H, a 45' single unit, and no overall limit with one trailer up to 57'4".
Can oversize loads use the I 70 tunnels?
Over 13'11"H, no. Over 11'W, the load must stop at the tunnel and get permission first.
Can oversize loads move at night in Colorado?
Yes, up to 14'W with pilot vehicles and flashing yellow lights over 12'W. Over 14'W needs a Chapter 6 Special permit to move at night.
Which holidays stop oversize loads in Colorado?
Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and noon to 9 p.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Keep planning
More for your Colorado 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 Colorado 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.