North Dakota Oversize & Overweight Permits for Heavy Haul
North Dakota permit rules, legal limits and escort triggers, and how we book heavy haul carriers for moves in and through the state.
Quick answer
Do I need a permit to move an oversize load in North Dakota?
Yes, once the load is wider than 8 ft 6 in, taller than 14 ft or heavier than the legal limits: 80,000 lbs on the Interstate and up to 105,500 lbs on most state highways. The North Dakota Highway Patrol issues permits through E-Permits for $20 per trip plus a routing fee, with graduated charges once a load passes 150,000 lbs.
Updated November 2026 by the Quickway Transports broker team (FMCSA MC# 1245224).
Heavy haul and oversize freight in North Dakota
North Dakota's heavy freight is oil and gas equipment in the Bakken around Williston, Watford City and Dickinson, farm machinery across the Red River Valley, and wind and power projects. I-94 crosses the state from Fargo through Bismarck and Dickinson toward Montana, I-29 runs north and south along the Minnesota line, and US 2 and US 85 carry much of the oilfield traffic in the northwest. We book carriers for moves within North Dakota or across it.
North Dakota's permit fees are low, but the season matters. Spring load restrictions usually run from February or March into late May or June and limit overweight moves on most state highways, and loads over 16 ft wide stop for weekends and holidays. Many county roads are permitted through LoadPass, so an oilfield pickup is checked against both state and county rules before we quote.
What are the legal size and weight limits in North Dakota?
Under the oversize load regulations in North Dakota, a load above any of these limits needs a state oversize or overweight permit.
| Width | 8 ft 6 in |
|---|---|
| Height | 14 ft |
| Semitrailer length | 53 ft |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs |
| Single axle | 20,000 lbs |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lbs |
Limits are set by NDCC 39-12-04 and 39-12-05. Off the Interstate, state highways allow up to 105,500 lbs gross unless posted lower, and local roads 80,000 lbs unless the local authority raises them.
Who issues North Dakota oversize permits?
The North Dakota Highway Patrol's Motor Carrier Operations issues permits from Bismarck through E-Permits, where permits that need no review are available around the clock. A single trip permit covers one move over 5 days, and every overweight move needs its own single trip permit, since North Dakota has no annual permit for overweight non-divisible loads.
Highway Patrol permits cover the state highway system. County, township and city roads need local permits, and about 47 counties and cities issue them through LoadPass, the shared county permit system run by the Western Dakota Energy Association.
Permit system: NDHP E-Permits (online permitting and automated routing system)
What do North Dakota oversize and overweight permits cost?
- request_quote Single trip permit: $20, plus a $10 routing fee.
- request_quote Over 150,000 lbs: graduated fees from $30 to $70, rising $10 for each 10,000 lbs up to 190,001 lbs and above.
- request_quote Over 200,000 lbs: a ton-mile charge of 5 cents on the tonnage beyond 200,000 lbs, plus a $25 engineering fee when extra analysis is needed.
- request_quote During spring restrictions: $1 per ton-mile over the restricted axle limits, and higher charges for heavy loads on restricted highways.
- request_quote Highway Patrol escorts: $50 an hour and 50 cents a mile per trooper.
Worked example: a 220,000 lb load over 150 miles
The graduated permit fee at this weight is $70. The 20,000 lbs above 200,000 lbs is 10 tons, so 150 miles adds 10 x 150 x $0.05 = $75, and with the $25 engineering fee and $10 routing fee the permit comes to about $180, before any Highway Patrol escort.
North Dakota pilot car and escort requirements
- local_police Between 14 ft 6 in and 16 ft wide: a lead pilot car on two-lane highways, or amber lights on the load in its place, and none on four-lane divided highways.
- local_police Over 16 ft wide: front and rear pilot cars on two-lane highways, one following on four-lane divided highways.
- local_police Over 18 ft wide: a Highway Patrol escort when the regional commander calls for one, and for loads over 200,000 lbs unless exempted.
- local_police Over 120 ft long: one following pilot car.
- local_police Over 18 ft high: one leading pilot car, plus written approval from the utilities to pass under their wires.
- local_police Pilot car drivers need only a valid license and to be 18 or older; North Dakota sets no escort certification.
What hours can oversize loads move in North Dakota?
- calendar_today Daylight only, except loads up to 12 ft wide and 120 ft long, which may run day and night with proper lighting, and overweight-only loads.
- calendar_today Over 16 ft wide: no travel after noon on Saturday or at any time on Sunday.
- calendar_today Holidays: loads over 16 ft wide stop from noon the day before Christmas, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Independence Day until sunrise after, while narrower loads may keep moving.
- calendar_today No movement in inclement weather, on slippery roads or with visibility of half a mile or less.
- calendar_today Overweight permits are not valid on asphalt pavement when the air temperature reaches 90 degrees F.
Seasonal weight limits in North Dakota
NDDOT posts spring load restrictions on state highways in five classes, from legal weight down to 5 tons per axle, usually starting between February and March and lifted in late May or June, and some segments in the northwest stay restricted all year. Overweight moves during the season need a road restriction permit with ton-mile fees, loads over 200,000 lbs get no permits at all, and I-29 and I-94 are not affected.
North Dakota Oversize Load Questions
Permits, escorts and travel rules for oversize moves in North Dakota.
How much is a North Dakota oversize permit?
Can oversize loads travel at night in North Dakota?
When are North Dakota spring load restrictions?
At what width does North Dakota require a pilot car?
Are county roads covered by a North Dakota state permit?
Sources
We last checked the figures above against these official sources in October 2026. Before each move, the carrier's permit service confirms the rules in force that day.
- NDCC chapter 39-12 Size, Width, and Height Restrictions (39-12-02 permits and fees, 39-12-03, 39-12-04, 39-12-05, 39-12-05.3, 39-12-23)
- NDAC 38-06-02 Adoption of Regulations (flags, signs, lights, escorts, insurance, travel restrictions)
- NDAC 38-06-03 Permit Fees
- NDHP E-Permits page (permit types, fees, office address and hours)
- NDHP Policy 9-6 Permits for Oversize and Overweight Vehicles and/or Loads (rev. 11/21/2025)
- NDHP Policy 9-6 Annex E Heavy Load Permit Policy, loads over 200,000 lb (8/2023)
- NDHP Policy 9-15 Pilot Car Policy (1/2016)
- NDHP Policy 9-17 Road Restriction Permit Policy (7/2014)
- NDHP 2026 Calendar - Oversize Travel Restrictions (6-2026)
- NDDOT North Dakota Load Restrictions page (classes, process, maps, contacts)
- LoadPass Permits (Western Dakota Energy Association county permit system)
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Heavy Haul Solutions for Oversized and Specialized Loads
Near North Dakota: states and services
- Heavy Haul in Minnesota →Oversize moves in and through Minnesota: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and the MN permit rules.
- Heavy Haul in South Dakota →Oversize moves in and through South Dakota: Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen and the SD permit rules.
- Heavy Haul in Montana →Oversize moves in and through Montana: Billings, Missoula, Great Falls and the MT permit rules.
- Heavy Haul in Wisconsin →Oversize moves in and through Wisconsin: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and the WI permit rules.
- Heavy Equipment Transport →Which trailer, permits and preparation each kind of construction, farm, mining and industrial machine needs.
- Heavy Haul Trucking →Oversize and overweight loads on RGN, step-deck and flatbed trailers, with permits, pilot cars and route surveys arranged.