Maryland permits
Maryland Oversize Permit Rules
Legal limits, escorts, police escorts, pole cars, curfews, tunnels and holiday rules for oversize and overweight loads in Maryland, each checked against the Maryland State Highway Administration.
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.
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 13'6"H, 80,000 lbs
- Escorts start
- Over 13'W or 85'L
- Police escorts
- 16'W and over
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerMDOT SHA permits
How Maryland sizes up a heavy load
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) Hauling Permits office in Hanover issues oversize and overweight permits through its Maryland One online system. These are the numbers we plan every Maryland 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 Maryland rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
Maryland limits
Maryland legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs an MDOT SHA hauling permit.
Maryland legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Legal width | 102" (8'6"W), except where signs set less (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Legal height | 13'6"H (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Legal length | 53' semitrailer on Interstates and the Maryland truck route system (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Overhang | 3' front and 6' rear (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Legal weight | 80,000 lbs gross, 20,000 lbs single axle, 34,000 lbs tandem, 42,500 lbs tridem (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Height survey | 14'6"H and over needs a pole vehicle and a signed height clearance route survey with the application (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, MDOT SHA Hauling Permits, height surveys, COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts) |
| Signs | Over 9'W, WIDE LOAD or OVERSIZE LOAD signs front and rear (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, COMAR 11.04.04.01, signing) |
Escorts
Maryland escort requirements
Maryland sets escorts by width, length, height and weight, and adds police escorts at 16'W or 75 tons.
Maryland escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 13'W | 1 escort, except manufactured housing (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| 14'W and over | 2 escorts (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| 16'W and over | Police escort (COMAR 11.04.04.06, police escort, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Over 85'L | 1 escort; 140'L and over, 2 escorts (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| 14'6"H and over | 1 escort with a height pole, and a route survey (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, MDOT SHA Hauling Permits, height surveys) |
| Weight | Over 60 tons, 1 escort; over 75 tons, police escort (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, COMAR 11.04.04.06, police escort, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
| Weather | 1 escort when weather or road conditions call for it (COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations) |
Escorts keep two way radio contact with the driver, run a rotating amber roof light and carry OVERSIZE LOAD signs. (COMAR 11.04.04.04, escort equipment, COMAR 11.04.04.01, signing, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations)
Height and routes
Height surveys, wires, tunnels and toll bridges
What Maryland asks of tall, wide and long loads.
Height clearance route survey
At 14'6"H and over, the application needs a signed height clearance route survey on the MDOT SHA route survey form, and a front escort runs a height pole. (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, MDOT SHA Hauling Permits, height surveys, MDOT SHA Hauling Permit Route Survey form, MDOT SHA Maryland Route Restrictions (9/15/2026), COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts)
Overhead wires and signals
A move that may disturb overhead wires, cables, signals, street lights or tree limbs cannot start until the permittee has the owner's permission and has made the arrangements the owner asks for. (MDOT SHA General Conditions for Hauling Permits, COMAR 11.04.02.04, limits of a permit)
Tunnels
No permitted load over 8'W or 13'6"H in the Harbor Tunnel on I 895, and none over 11'W or 14'6"H in the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I 95. (COMAR 11.04.02.05, toll facilities, MDOT SHA Maryland Route Restrictions (9/15/2026))
Toll facilities
On Maryland Transportation Authority highways, oversize loads run in daylight from 9 a.m. Monday to noon Friday unless the Authority approves, and the facility must be called at least 1 hour ahead. The Francis Scott Key Bridge is closed. (COMAR 11.04.02.05, toll facilities, MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, MDOT SHA Hauling Permits, height surveys)
Engineering review
Superloads over 150,000 lbs get an MDOT SHA engineering review of the route before the permit is issued. (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, COMAR 11.04.03.02, excessive weight and size)
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Maryland.
Hours
Daylight hours, with no travel after noon on Saturday or on Sunday, unless the permit sets other dates and hours. (COMAR 11.04.02.06, travel times)
14'W and over
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on any highway. (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, COMAR 11.04.02.06, travel times)
Beltways
On the Capital Beltway (I 495 and I 95) and the Baltimore Beltway (I 695), loads 12'W or more run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. only. (COMAR 11.04.02.06, travel times)
Holidays
No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, under the holiday list MDOT SHA publishes each year. (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, MDOT SHA 2026 Holiday Restrictions, COMAR 11.04.02.06, travel times)
Superloads
Maryland superload
A Maryland superload is a load over 150,000 lbs. It gets an MDOT SHA engineering review of the route before the permit is issued, and it runs with police and private escorts. (MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations, COMAR 11.04.03.02, excessive weight and size, COMAR 11.04.04.06, police escort)
See how we plan the biggest loads on our Superload Transport page.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have moved
207,000 lb dryer drum
A 207,000 lb dryer drum from Louisville, KY to Richmond, VA.
Read the move →150,000 lb transformer
A 150,000 lb transformer from Pocatello, ID to Akron, OH.
Read the move →Moving a load in Maryland?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Maryland permit and plan the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Maryland sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the MDOT SHA 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.
- MDOT SHA Overdimensional Permit Limitations
- MDOT SHA Hauling Permits, height surveys
- MDOT SHA Hauling Permit Route Survey form
- MDOT SHA Maryland Route Restrictions (9/15/2026)
- MDOT SHA Hauling Permits office
- MDOT SHA 2026 Holiday Restrictions
- MDOT SHA General Conditions for Hauling Permits
- COMAR 11.04.04.01, signing
- COMAR 11.04.04.03, escorts
- COMAR 11.04.04.04, escort equipment
- COMAR 11.04.04.06, police escort
- COMAR 11.04.02.04, limits of a permit
- COMAR 11.04.03.02, excessive weight and size
- COMAR 11.04.02.05, toll facilities
- COMAR 11.04.02.06, travel times
Questions
Maryland permit questions
What are the legal size and weight limits in Maryland?
102" (8'6"W), 13'6"H, a 53' semitrailer on Interstates and truck routes and 80,000 lbs. Anything bigger or heavier needs an MDOT SHA hauling permit.
When does Maryland require escorts?
Over 13'W or 85'L, 1 escort. At 14'W or 140'L and over, 2 escorts.
When does Maryland require a police escort?
At 16'W and over, or over 75 tons gross.
When does a Maryland load need a route survey?
At 14'6"H and over: a signed height clearance route survey on the MDOT SHA form goes with the application, and a front escort runs a height pole.
Which holidays stop oversize loads in Maryland?
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, under the holiday list MDOT SHA publishes each year.
What is a superload in Maryland?
A load over 150,000 lbs. It gets an MDOT SHA engineering review of the route and runs with police and private escorts.
Keep planning
More for your Maryland 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 Maryland 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.