Iowa permits
Iowa Oversize Permit Rules
Route surveys, height poles, legal limits, escorts, night moves, travel hours and holiday rules for oversize and overweight loads in Iowa, each checked against the Iowa 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.
- 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
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerIowa DOT permits
How Iowa sizes up a heavy load
The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) issues oversize and overweight permits for state and Interstate highways under 761 IAC chapter 511. These are the numbers we plan every Iowa 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 Iowa rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
Iowa limits
Iowa legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs an Iowa DOT permit.
Iowa legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Route survey | Iowa DOT and its permit rules publish no size trigger for a route survey (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Height pole | Over 14'6"H, up to 20'H on the escort chart, a front escort with a height pole (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Legal width | 8'6"W (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
| Legal height | 13'6"H (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
| Legal length | 45' single vehicle; 53' semitrailer (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
| Legal weight | 80,000 lbs gross (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
| Which roads | Iowa DOT permits cover state and Interstate highways only; city and county roads need their own permits (Iowa DOT permit requirements, Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide) |
Escorts
Iowa escort requirements
Iowa sets escorts by width, length, height and road type.
Iowa escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 14'6"H | One front escort with a height pole (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Over 14'6"W to 16'6"W | On a four lane highway, one rear escort or amber lights on the power unit and the rear of the load; on a two lane highway, one front escort (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Over 16'6"W to 18'W | One rear escort on a four lane highway, one front escort on a two lane highway (761 IAC chapter 511) |
| Over 120'L | One rear escort (761 IAC chapter 511) |
Escort rules come from the 761 IAC chapter 511 escort chart, and a second source agrees. The permit lists the escorts for each load. (761 IAC chapter 511)
Height and routes
Route surveys, height poles and the largest loads
What Iowa asks of the tallest and biggest loads.
Route survey
Iowa DOT and its permit rules publish no size trigger for a route survey. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
Height pole
Over 14'6"H, a front escort carries a pole that measures each vertical clearance; the chart runs to 20'H. (761 IAC chapter 511)
No set maximum
A single trip permit has no set width, length or height limit; the route's own limits and clearances decide. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Iowa.
Hours
From 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, seven days a week except holidays. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
Night moves
Allowed only up to 12'W, 14'6"H and 100'L, on roads at least 22' wide with 11' lanes and lights at the widest points. (761 IAC 511.3(5), ARC 9512C, effective 9/24/25)
Holidays
No movement on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, after noon the day before, or over a holiday weekend. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
Single trip permit
Good for one trip in five days. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
Superloads
Iowa largest loads
Iowa sets no superload class in its permit rules. A single trip permit has no set width, length or height limit; the route's physical limits and clearances decide, and the escort chart runs to 18'W and 20'H. (Iowa DOT Truck Information Guide, 761 IAC chapter 511)
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 Iowa?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Iowa permit and book the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Iowa sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the Iowa DOT 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
Iowa permit questions
Does Iowa require a route survey?
Iowa DOT and its permit rules publish no size trigger for a route survey.
When does an Iowa load need a height pole?
Over 14'6"H, a front escort carries a height pole that measures each vertical clearance.
What are the legal size and weight limits in Iowa?
8'6"W, 13'6"H, a 45' single vehicle or a 53' semitrailer, and 80,000 lbs gross.
When does Iowa require escorts for width?
Over 14'6"W, one rear escort or amber lights on a four lane highway, and one front escort on a two lane highway.
Can oversize loads move at night in Iowa?
Only up to 12'W, 14'6"H and 100'L, on roads at least 22' wide with 11' lanes and proper lights.
Which holidays stop oversize loads in Iowa?
Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, from noon the day before, and the whole holiday weekend.
Keep planning
More for your Iowa 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 Iowa 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.