North Dakota permits
North Dakota Oversize Permit Rules
Legal limits, pilot cars, tall loads, clearances, travel hours, weekends, holidays and heavy loads for oversize and overweight loads in North Dakota, each checked against the NDHP permit rules and NDDOT clearance list.
Last checked: Oct 13, 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.
- Escorts start
- Over 14'6"W
- Pilot car
- Over 18'H
- Legal size
- 8'6"W, 14'H
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerNDHP permits
How North Dakota sizes up a heavy load
The North Dakota Highway Patrol issues oversize and overweight permits under NDAC chapter 38-06-02 and its permit policies, and NDDOT engineers set the routing and bridge limits. These are the numbers we plan every North Dakota 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.
North Dakota limits
North Dakota legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a North Dakota permit, in hand before the load enters the state or moves.
North Dakota legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Legal width | 8'6"W (NDCC 39-12-04) |
| Legal height | 14'H (NDCC 39-12-04) |
| Permit in hand | Before starting the move (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6 Annex E) |
| Heavy Load Permit Policy | Over 200,000 lbs gross (NDHP Policy 9-6, NDHP Policy 9-6 Annex E) |
Escorts
North Dakota escort requirements
North Dakota sets pilot cars by width, length and height, and by highway type.
North Dakota escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 14'6"W up to 16'W | One front pilot car on two lane highways, or amber lights on the load instead; none on four lane divided highways (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6) |
| Over 16'W | One in front and one behind on two lane highways; one behind on four lane divided highways (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6) |
| Over 18'W | A Highway Patrol escort if the regional commander calls for one, in addition to the pilot cars (NDHP Policy 9-6, NDHP Pilot Car Policy 9-15) |
| Over 120'L | One pilot car behind (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6) |
| Over 18'H | One pilot car in front (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6) |
Pilot cars run 300 to 700 feet from the load. NDDOT engineers or the Highway Patrol may also require pilot cars for overweight loads. (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6)
Height and routes
Route surveys, tall loads and utilities
What North Dakota asks of the tallest loads.
Route survey
North Dakota publishes no height or width that triggers a route survey. All vertical clearances are the permittee's responsibility. (NDHP Policy 9-6, NDDOT Bridge Vertical Clearance List)
Bridge clearances
Permits are not issued for heights over the clearance under a structure; the NDDOT clearance list sets the most height the Highway Patrol will permit at each bridge. (NDHP Policy 9-6, NDDOT Bridge Vertical Clearance List)
Utilities
Over 18'H, written authority from the utility companies to travel under overhead wires. Communication cables may be as low as 15'6"H, signal lights 16'H and flashing signal lights 17'H. (NDHP Policy 9-6)
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in North Dakota.
Hours
No oversize travel from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, unless the load is 12'W or less and 120'L or less. (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6, NDHP Policy 9-6 Annex E)
Weekends
Over 16'W, no travel on Saturday after noon or on Sunday. (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6)
Holidays
Over 16'W, no travel from noon the day before New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas until sunrise the day after. (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6)
Weather
No permitted travel in inclement weather, on slippery highways, or when visibility is half a mile or less. Overweight loads may not move on bituminous pavement at 90F or above. (NDAC 38-06-02, NDHP permit rules, NDHP Policy 9-6)
Superloads
North Dakota superloads
North Dakota sets heavy load steps by weight. Over 150,000 lbs, the move needs district engineer approval unless it runs on pre approved routes. Over 175,000 lbs, the district and bridge engineers must approve the route, or the load is broken down. Over 200,000 lbs, the Heavy Load Permit Policy applies, and the permit office gets approval from the NDDOT bridge engineer and district engineers before the permit is issued. (NDHP Policy 9-6, NDHP Policy 9-6 Annex E)
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 North Dakota?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the North Dakota permit and book the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official North Dakota 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 13, 2026.
Questions
North Dakota permit questions
What are the legal size limits in North Dakota?
8'6"W and 14'H.
When does North Dakota require pilot cars?
Over 14'6"W on two lane highways, over 16'W on four lane divided highways, over 120'L and over 18'H.
Does North Dakota require a route survey?
North Dakota publishes no survey trigger. All vertical clearances are the permittee's responsibility, and over 18'H the utility companies must give written authority.
Can wide loads move on weekends and holidays in North Dakota?
Over 16'W, not on Saturday after noon, on Sunday, or from noon the day before the six listed holidays until sunrise the day after.
What is a heavy load in North Dakota?
Over 200,000 lbs gross, the Heavy Load Permit Policy applies, with NDDOT bridge and district engineer approval.
Keep planning
More for your North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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.