Virginia permits
Virginia Oversize Permit Rules
Legal limits, escorts, pole cars, travel hours, city rush hours and holiday rules for oversize and overweight loads in Virginia, each checked against the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Administrative Code.
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 12'W or 90'L
- Travel
- Sunrise to sunset
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerVirginia DMV permits
How Virginia sizes up a heavy load
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Hauling Permits office issues single trip, blanket and superload permits for non divisible loads, now through its EZ Haul online system. These are the numbers we plan every Virginia 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 Virginia rules and every other state on your route, each with its official source.
Virginia limits
Virginia legal limits and permit thresholds
Over any legal limit, the load needs a Virginia DMV hauling permit for a non divisible load.
Virginia legal size, weight and permits
Official sources linked| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Legal width | 8'6"W (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Legal height | 13'6"H (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Legal length | 48' semitrailer, 53' on the Interstate and designated routes; 65' tractor semitrailer combination where the length is not set by trailer; 40' single unit truck (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Overhang | 3' front and 4' rear without a permit (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Legal weight | 80,000 lbs gross, 20,000 lbs single axle, 34,000 lbs tandem axle (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Single trip permit | Up to 15'W, 15'H and 150'L on the routes the permit lists; most single trip permits are good for 13 days, and DMV may set a shorter period (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024), 24VAC20 82 50, permit types and validity) |
| Locality permits | DMV issues single trip locality permits only for Norfolk, for travel to or from the ports; other city and county roads may need their own permit (Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) Check with the state. |
Escorts
Virginia escort requirements
Virginia sets escorts by width, height, length, overhang and off center loads, with fewer escorts on the Interstate.
Virginia escorts by load size
Official sources linked| Load | Escorts |
|---|---|
| Over 12'W | 1 front and 1 rear escort on two lane and non Interstate roads; 1 rear escort on the Interstate (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Over 14'W | 2 front and 1 rear escort off the Interstate; 1 front and 1 rear on the Interstate (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Over 16'W | 2 front and 2 rear escorts off the Interstate; 1 front and 2 rear on the Interstate (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Over 14'5"H | 1 front escort with a height pole set 3" above the load (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Over 90'L | 1 rear escort off the Interstate; over 120'L, 1 rear on the Interstate; over 150'L, 1 front and 1 rear on every road (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Overhang | Front overhang over 10', 1 front escort; rear overhang over 15', 1 rear escort (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Off center loads | Over 3'6" off center, 1 front escort; over 5', 1 front and 1 rear (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) |
| Over 18'W or 200'L | Escorts set case by case, and police escorts may be required (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, 24VAC20 82 60, superloads) |
Escort drivers must hold Virginia escort vehicle driver certification. DMV may require police escorts on any load when it deems them necessary for safety.
Height and routes
Height poles, route plans and utilities
What Virginia asks of tall, wide and long loads.
Height pole
Over 14'5"H, a front escort runs a height pole set 3" above the load to check every overhead clearance. (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
Travel plan
A load over 18'W, 200'L, 16'H or 250,000 lbs may need a travel plan with written agreements from police, utilities and the Virginia Department of Transportation before the permit is issued. (24VAC20 82 60, superloads)
Engineering review
Superloads go through a VDOT research and analysis of the route and bridges before DMV issues the permit. (24VAC20 82 60, superloads, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
Escort certification
Every escort driver must be certified in Virginia, by passing the escort vehicle driver knowledge test at a DMV customer service center. (24VAC20 82 130, escort vehicles, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
Travel times
Travel hours, nights, weekends and holidays
When a permitted load may move in Virginia.
Hours
Sunrise to sunset for most oversize loads, on the days the permit allows. (24VAC20 82 110, travel restrictions, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
City rush hours
No travel through cities and towns 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., except overweight only loads and loads up to 85'L. (24VAC20 82 110, travel restrictions, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
Holidays
No travel on six holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, from noon the weekday before; a Monday holiday closes from noon the Friday before. (24VAC20 82 110, travel restrictions, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024))
Weather
No travel when road conditions, visibility or weather make it hazardous, and the officer on scene decides. (24VAC20 82 110, travel restrictions)
Days of the week
The regulation sets hours, not days; a second source lists Monday through Saturday. We follow the regulation and the permit. Check with the state.
Superloads
Virginia superload
A Virginia superload goes over 15'W, 15'H, 150'L or the permit weight limits. It needs a VDOT research and analysis of the route, filed at least 10 working days ahead. Over 18'W, 200'L, 16'H or 250,000 lbs, DMV may ask for a travel plan with written agreements from police, utilities and VDOT. (24VAC20 82 60, superloads, Virginia DMV Hauling Permit Manual, DMV 109 (7/1/2024)) Check with the state.
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 Virginia?
Send the dimensions and weight. We file the Virginia permit and plan the escorts.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Sources
Official Virginia sources
Every rule on this page is taken from the Virginia DMV pages and rule text below and confirmed by a second source. Where we could not confirm a rule twice, the page says to check with the state. Rules change, and the permit itself always decides. Last checked: Oct 2, 2026.
Questions
Virginia permit questions
What are the legal size and weight limits in Virginia?
8'6"W, 13'6"H, a 53' semitrailer on the Interstate and 80,000 lbs. Anything bigger or heavier needs a Virginia DMV hauling permit.
When does Virginia require escorts?
Over 12'W, 1 front and 1 rear escort off the Interstate and 1 rear on the Interstate. More escorts join over 14'W and 16'W, and over 90'L.
When does a Virginia load need a height pole?
Over 14'5"H, a front escort runs a height pole set 3" above the load.
What hours can oversize loads move in Virginia?
Sunrise to sunset, and not through cities and towns 7 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m.
How long is a Virginia single trip permit good for?
Most single trip permits are good for 13 days.
What is a superload in Virginia?
A load over 15'W, 15'H, 150'L or the permit weight limits. It needs a VDOT route analysis filed at least 10 working days ahead.
Keep planning
More for your Virginia 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 Virginia 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.