Kansas permits
Kansas Oversize Permit Rules
Legal limits, permit sizes, escorts, height poles, travel hours, holidays and superloads for oversize and overweight loads in Kansas, each checked against the KDOT rules and Kansas statutes.
Last checked: Oct 14, 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 16'H
- Escorts start
- Over 14'W
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 14'H
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerKDOT permits
How Kansas sizes up a heavy load
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) issues oversize and overweight permits under K.S.A. 8-1911 and the KDOT rules in K.A.R. 36-1 and 36-45. These are the numbers we plan every Kansas 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 rules for every state on your route, each with its official source.
Kansas limits
Kansas legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a KDOT permit before it moves.
Kansas legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Legal width | 8'6"W (K.S.A. 8-1902) |
| Legal height | 14'H (K.S.A. 8-1904) |
| Standard permit | Up to 16'6"W, 126'L, 18'H and 150,000 lbs gross, good for seven days (K.A.R. 36-1-37, permit sizes and weights, K.A.R. 36-1-38, types of permits) |
| Large structure permit | Over the standard permit size: over 16'6"W or 18'H (K.A.R. 36-1-37, permit sizes and weights, K.A.R. 36-1-38, types of permits) |
| Superload permit | Over 150,000 lbs gross, single trip only (K.A.R. 36-1-38, types of permits) |
Escorts
Kansas escort requirements
Kansas sets escorts by width and height, and every superload and large structure runs with front and rear escorts.
Kansas escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 14'W | One front and one rear escort. The rear escort may be dropped with warning lights on the top and rear of the load and a rear sign, except for superloads and large structures (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules, K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules) |
| Over 16'H | At least one front escort, carrying a height pole (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules) |
| Superload | At least one front and one rear escort, plus one more if the permit calls for slowing at bridges (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules) |
| Large structure | At least one front and one rear escort (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules) |
Escort rules come from K.A.R. 36-45-8 and K.A.R. 36-1-36. The four lane highway exception in the older rule is left off this page because the two rules do not match; the permit sets escorts there. (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules, K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules)
Height and routes
Route surveys, tall loads and utilities
What Kansas asks of the tallest loads.
Height pole
Over 16'H, the front escort carries a height pole. (K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules)
Utilities
Over 17'H, all appropriate utilities are notified before the move. (K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules)
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Kansas.
Hours
Oversize loads are limited to daylight movement. (K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules, K.S.A. 8-1911)
Overweight only
A load that is only overweight may move 24 hours a day, but not when the highway has ice, snow pack or drifting snow. (K.S.A. 8-1911, K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules)
Weather
No move when visibility is under half a mile, in moderate to heavy rain, sleet, snow, fog or smoke, or on roads slick with ice, packed snow or rain. (K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules)
Holidays
Permitted loads may move every day of the year, including holidays. (K.A.R. 36-1-36, KDOT permit rules)
Superloads
Kansas superloads
Over 150,000 lbs gross, a Kansas load is a superload. It moves on a single trip superload permit after KDOT review, with at least one front and one rear escort, and one more escort if the permit calls for slowing at bridges. Over 16'6"W or 18'H, the load moves on a large structure permit with front and rear escorts. (K.A.R. 36-1-38, types of permits, K.A.R. 36-45-8, escort trip rules)
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 →110,000 lb switchgear building
A switchgear building of 110,000 lbs, from Houston, TX to Los Angeles, CA.
Read the move →Moving a load in Kansas?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Kansas permit and book the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Kansas sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the official 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 14, 2026.
Questions
Kansas permit questions
What are the legal size limits in Kansas?
8'6"W and 14'H.
When does Kansas require escorts?
Over 14'W, one front and one rear escort. The rear escort may be dropped with the required warning lights and rear sign, except for superloads and large structures.
When does a tall Kansas load need a height pole?
Over 16'H, the front escort carries a height pole. Over 17'H, all appropriate utilities are notified before the move.
Can oversize loads move at night or on holidays in Kansas?
Oversize loads move in daylight only. Kansas rules let permitted loads move every day of the year, including holidays.
When is a Kansas load a superload?
Over 150,000 lbs gross. Over 16'6"W or 18'H, it moves on a large structure permit.
Keep planning
More for your Kansas 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 Kansas 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.