Minnesota permits
Minnesota Oversize Permit Rules
Route surveys, superloads, legal limits, escorts, metro rush hours, summer weekends and holiday rules for oversize and overweight loads in Minnesota, each checked against the Minnesota 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 16'H, 20'W or 175'L
- Escorts start
- Over 15'W or 110'L
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 13'6"H
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerMnDOT permits
How Minnesota sizes up a heavy load
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) issues oversize and overweight permits for Interstate, US and state highways. These are the numbers we plan every Minnesota 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 Minnesota rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
Minnesota limits
Minnesota legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a MnDOT permit.
Minnesota legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Route survey | Over 16'H, 20'W or 175'L, a physical route survey within 14 days of the permit start date, before MnDOT issues the permit (MnDOT route survey page, MnDOT route survey form) |
| Survey clearances | The survey height pole is set at least 6" above the highest point of the load, with at least 1' of clearance on each side (MnDOT route survey page, MnDOT route survey form, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026) |
| Superload | Over 16'W, 16'H or 150'L, or over 250,000 lbs gross (MnDOT guide to transporting superloads, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026) |
| Legal width | 8'6"W (102") (Minn. Stat. 169.80) |
| Legal height | 13'6"H (Minn. Stat. 169.81) |
| Which roads | MnDOT permits cover Interstate, US and state highways; county, township and city roads need the local authority's approval (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026) |
Escorts
Minnesota escort requirements
Minnesota sets escorts by width, length and road type, and every escort driver must be certified.
Minnesota escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 15'W | Measured at the bottom (16' at the top): one rear escort on a divided roadway, front and rear escorts on an undivided roadway (MnDOT escort requirements, Minn. Stat. 169.812) |
| Over 110'L | One rear escort on a divided roadway, front and rear escorts on an undivided roadway (MnDOT escort requirements, Minn. Stat. 169.812) |
| Over 150'L | Front and rear escorts on a divided roadway (MnDOT escort requirements, Minn. Stat. 169.812) |
| Across the centerline | A licensed peace officer leads, with front and rear escorts, when any part of the load crosses left of the centerline on an undivided roadway (MnDOT escort requirements, Minn. Stat. 169.812) |
| Certified escorts | Escort drivers need Minnesota certification or one from a reciprocity state (MnDOT escort requirements, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026) |
Escort rules come from the MnDOT escort requirements page and Minn. Stat. 169.812. MnDOT may add escorts on the permit. (MnDOT escort requirements, Minn. Stat. 169.812)
Height and routes
Route surveys and superloads
What Minnesota asks of the tallest, widest and longest loads.
Route survey
Over 16'H, 20'W or 175'L, a physical route survey by the driver or a certified escort, within 14 days of the permit start date and before the permit is issued. (MnDOT route survey page, MnDOT route survey form)
What it covers
Turn by turn: overhead signs, signals, lights and lines, rail crossings with their emergency notice numbers, and any lane changes or special maneuvers. (MnDOT route survey page, MnDOT route survey form)
Clearances
A nonconductive, breakable height pole at least 6" above the load, and at least 1' of side clearance. (MnDOT route survey page, MnDOT route survey form, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Superload
Over 16'W, 16'H or 150'L, or over 250,000 lbs: apply in the MnDOT SUPERLOAD permit system. (MnDOT guide to transporting superloads, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Minnesota.
Hours
Travel hours are generally not restricted, except as below or as the permit says. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Metro rush hours
Over 14'6"W or 110'L: no travel 6 to 8:30 a.m. or 3:30 to 6 p.m. on weekdays in the Twin Cities and Duluth metro. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Night only
Over 16'W in the Twin Cities seven county metro: travel only midnight to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Summer weekends
Over 12'6"W or 110'L: no travel statewide 4 to 8 p.m. on summer Fridays and Sundays. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT 2026 holiday restrictions)
Holidays
Over 12'6"W or 110'L: no travel statewide from 2 p.m. the day before a holiday to 2 a.m. the day after. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Weather
No movement in hazardous conditions, with visibility under 500', or when the load cannot stay in its lane. (MnDOT OSOW General Provisions, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
Superloads
Minnesota superloads
A Minnesota superload is over 16'W, 16'H or 150'L, or over 250,000 lbs gross. Applications go through the MnDOT SUPERLOAD permit system and may need extended review. (MnDOT guide to transporting superloads, MnDOT Commercial Vehicle Resource Book 2026)
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 Minnesota?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the MnDOT permit, the route survey and the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Minnesota sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the MnDOT 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
Minnesota permit questions
When does a Minnesota load need a route survey?
When any one dimension is over 16'H, 20'W or 175'L. The physical survey is done within 14 days of the permit start date, before MnDOT issues the permit.
What is a superload in Minnesota?
Over 16'W, 16'H or 150'L, or over 250,000 lbs gross.
When does Minnesota require escorts?
Over 15'W or 110'L: one rear escort on a divided roadway, front and rear on an undivided roadway. Over 150'L, front and rear on a divided roadway too.
When does a Minnesota load need a police escort?
When any part of the load crosses left of the centerline on an undivided roadway, a licensed peace officer leads.
When can wide loads move in the Twin Cities?
Over 14'6"W or 110'L, not in the weekday rush hours; over 16'W, only midnight to 5 a.m. on weekdays.
Which holidays stop oversize loads in Minnesota?
Over 12'6"W or 110'L, no travel from 2 p.m. the day before a holiday to 2 a.m. the day after.
Keep planning
More for your Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.