Arkansas oversize load rules
Legal limits, pilot car requirements, travel restrictions, superload thresholds and permit fees for oversize and overweight loads in Arkansas.
Legal limits without a permit
| Width | 8′6″ (8′ for manufactured homes) |
|---|---|
| Height | 13′6″ |
| Length | 53′6″ semitrailer with no overall limit · 60′ other combinations |
| Weight | 80,000 lb gross on 5 or more axles |
Travel restrictions
- Daylight only, as defined by the NOAA Weather Service; overweight loads within legal dimensions may move at night
- Saturday and Sunday travel is allowed unless the day is a restricted holiday
- No permits for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas; when one falls on a Monday or Friday, the adjoining weekend is also closed
- Greater Little Rock: no movement 7–9 AM or 4–6 PM on I-30 (mile 138–143), I-40 (mile 151–155) and all of I-630
- Permits are invalid under 500 ft visibility or in inclement weather; wind gusts over 23 mph may stop movement
Escort (pilot car) requirements
- 1 front escort on roads that are not controlled-access divided highways (over 12′ to 14′ wide)
- Divided highways with 4 or more lanes: 1 escort 200′ behind · other roads: 1 front and 1 rear escort (over 14′ wide)
- 1 escort with a clearance bar set 6″ above the permitted height (over 15′ high); over 17′ high also needs written agreements with overhead facility owners
- 1 escort: behind on interstates and divided highways, in front on other highways (100′ and longer)
- 2 escorts on highways with fewer than four lanes (over 115′ long)
- Maximum permitted width is 20′ on general highways and 18′ on interstates (24′ only in emergencies).
- A Highway Police officer of command rank may require additional escorts.
Superloads
A superload is 180,000 lb or more, over 16′6″ wide, 100′ or more long, or 15′6″ or more high. Superloads must be essential to public health, welfare, safety or defense, and the Department may require engineering examinations, so applications must be submitted well in advance.
Permit fees
| Single trip, over-dimensional | $17 |
|---|---|
| Single trip, overweight | $17 plus $8–$16 per excess ton, by mileage |
| Annual crane | $100 |
Overweight charge per excess ton: $8 up to 100 miles, $10 to 150, $12 to 200, $14 to 250, $16 beyond. Permits allow adequate time for a single one-way move rather than a fixed number of days.
Common questions
When does a load need a pilot car in Arkansas?
Over 12′ wide on undivided roads, over 14′ wide anywhere, over 15′ high (with a clearance bar), or 100′ and longer.
Can oversize loads travel on weekends in Arkansas?
Yes, Saturdays and Sundays are allowed in daylight unless the day is a restricted holiday or adjoins a Monday or Friday holiday.
What is a superload in Arkansas?
180,000 lb or more, over 16′6″ wide, 100′ or more long, or 15′6″ or more high.
Sources
- Ark. Code R. 001.00.14-001, Permit Regulations for Oversize/Overweight Vehicles
- 27 CAR § 111-205, Overwidth movements
Planning reference. Permits carry their own conditions, and city and county roads have separate rules. Confirm with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Highway Police Permit Section before moving a load. Found an error? Report it.
Other states: Alabama · Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming