Heavy haul truck hauling an oversized load in Ohio

Quickway Transports

Ohio Oversize & Overweight Permits for Heavy Haul

Name: Quickway Transports
Address: 1271 West Main St, Riverhead, NY, 11901, US
Telephone: +1 (631) 898-4248

Ohio 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 Ohio?

Yes, once the load is over 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 80,000 lbs gross. ODOT's Special Hauling Permits Office issues it through OHPS: a one-way oversize permit is $75, rising to $145 above 14 ft wide, 14 ft 6 in high or legal weight. Oversize loads in Ohio move in daylight only.

Updated November 2026 by the Quickway Transports broker team (FMCSA MC# 1245224).

Heavy Haul | OH

Heavy haul and oversize freight in Ohio

Ohio sits between Midwest plants and East Coast ports, so much of its oversize freight is passing through rather than stopping. I-70 and I-71 cross in Columbus, I-75 links Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo, and I-76 and I-77 serve Akron, Canton and Cleveland. We book carriers for construction machines, mill and plant equipment, and farm machinery moving within Ohio or across it.

The Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90) looks like the natural route across the north, but it runs its own permit program, and through January 2, 2027 construction keeps anything over 10 ft wide or 13 ft 6 in high off the entire road. Wide loads crossing northern Ohio are routed on ODOT highways instead, and that is the first thing we check on a quote.

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What are the legal size and weight limits in Ohio?

Under the oversize load regulations in Ohio, a load above any of these limits needs a state oversize or overweight permit.

Width	8 ft 6 in
Height	13 ft 6 in
Semitrailer length	53 ft
Gross weight	80,000 lbs
Single axle	20,000 lbs
Tandem axle	34,000 lbs

Limits are set by ORC 5577.04 and 5577.05. The Ohio Turnpike has its own: 90,000 lbs gross and 21,000 lbs on a single axle.

Who issues Ohio oversize permits?

ODOT's Special Hauling Permits Office in Columbus issues oversize and overweight permits through the Ohio Hauling Permit System (OHPS). An ODOT permit covers Interstate, US and State routes only, so a pickup or delivery on a county or city road needs that road authority's permit as well.

The carrier's permit service files the application in OHPS, and we plan the route with it before the price is final.

Permit system: Ohio Hauling Permit System (OHPS)

What do Ohio oversize and overweight permits cost?

request_quote Every ODOT permit includes a $20 processing fee; the size or weight surcharge is added on top.
request_quote Oversize only, one way: $75 up to 14 ft wide and 14 ft 6 in high, $145 beyond either.
request_quote Overweight up to 120,000 lbs gross: $145 one way, which also covers the load's oversize part.
request_quote Over 120,000 lbs: $145 plus 4 cents per ton over 60 tons for each mile on the permit.
request_quote With a return trip: $110 for oversize only, $210 for oversize and overweight.

Worked example: a 140,000 lb RGN load on a 200-mile ODOT route

The weight over 120,000 lbs is 20,000 lbs, or 10 tons. At 4 cents per ton per mile, 10 x $0.04 x 200 miles = $80, so the state permit is $145 + $80 = $225 one way. Escorts, route surveys and any special work ODOT bills at cost come on top.

Ohio pilot car and escort requirements

local_police Over 13 ft wide: one escort, in front on two-lane roads and behind the load on multi-lane highways.
local_police Over 14 ft 6 in high: a front escort carrying a height pole.
local_police Over 90 ft long: one rear escort.
local_police Over 14 ft 6 in wide or 14 ft 10 in high, or two of the triggers above at once: a front and a rear escort.
local_police Over 16 ft wide: a law enforcement escort in addition, and ODOT can add one to any move it judges hazardous.
local_police Over 14 ft 10 in high: the carrier also coordinates with the owners of overhead signs, signals and utility lines.

What hours can oversize loads move in Ohio?

calendar_today Oversize loads run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset unless the permit allows night travel. Loads that are overweight but legal in size can run at any hour.
calendar_today Over 12 ft wide: no travel after 3 PM on Saturday or Sunday until the next sunrise, and from April 1 through November 30 none after 3 PM on Friday either.
calendar_today Over 12 ft wide in 22 metro counties around Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Akron and Youngstown: no travel 6:30 to 9:00 AM or 4:30 to 6:00 PM on weekdays.
calendar_today Holidays: oversize moves stop from noon before each major holiday weekend until sunrise after it.

Seasonal weight limits in Ohio

Ohio has no fixed frost-law season. Under ORC 5577.07, ODOT can cut legal weights on state highways by up to 25% during thaws, and counties can cut them by up to 50% on their roads, once the reductions are posted at least a day ahead. A spring pickup off the state system needs a check of local postings.

FAQ

Ohio Oversize Load Questions

Permits, escorts and travel rules for oversize moves in Ohio.

How much is an Ohio oversize permit?

A one-way ODOT permit for a load that is only oversize costs $75 when it is no more than 14 ft wide and 14 ft 6 in high, and $145 above either size. An overweight load up to 120,000 lbs is also $145. Heavier loads add 4 cents per ton over 60 tons for every permitted mile. Ohio Turnpike permits are a separate fee.

Can an oversize load use the Ohio Turnpike?

Only with its own Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission permit, and not at all in 2026 if it is over 10 ft wide or 13 ft 6 in high: construction keeps those loads off the whole Turnpike through January 2, 2027. The Turnpike never permits loads over 14 ft high, so most wide moves across northern Ohio run on ODOT routes.

When does an Ohio load need an escort?

One escort is needed once a load is over 13 ft wide, over 14 ft 6 in high or over 90 ft long. Two escorts are needed over 14 ft 6 in wide or 14 ft 10 in high, or when a load trips more than one of the first three triggers. Above 16 ft wide, a law enforcement escort is added to the private ones.

Can oversize loads move at night or on weekends in Ohio?

Not usually. Oversize permits allow travel from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Loads over 12 ft wide also stop after 3 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and after 3 PM on Fridays from April through November. Loads that are overweight but within legal dimensions are not restricted by time of day.

What is a superload in Ohio?

ODOT treats a load as a superload when it grosses over 120,000 lbs, is over 14 ft wide, is over 14 ft 6 in high, or puts more weight on an axle group than a routine permit allows. Superloads pay the ton-mile fee, can need a bridge analysis, and may need an ODOT or State Highway Patrol escort booked at least 48 hours ahead.

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.

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