Kentucky oversize load rules
Legal limits, pilot car requirements, travel restrictions, superload thresholds and permit fees for oversize and overweight loads in Kentucky.
Legal limits without a permit
| Width | 8′6″ on interstates, parkways and designated highways · 8′ elsewhere |
|---|---|
| Height | 13′6″ (car haulers 14′) |
| Length | 53′ semitrailer on designated highways · 65′ combination elsewhere · 45′ single vehicle |
| Weight | 80,000 lb gross (less on Class A and AA roads) |
Travel restrictions
- Most permitted loads may travel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless the permit says otherwise
- No travel 7–9 AM or 4–6 PM, Monday–Friday, in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Fayette and Jefferson counties, or on the Owensboro KY 2155 bridge
- No statewide holiday restrictions unless noted on the permit
- Mobile homes: Monday–Saturday, daylight only
Escort (pilot car) requirements
- Two-lane: 1 front and 1 rear escort · multi-lane: 1 rear escort (over 12′ wide)
- Two-lane: 1 front and 1 rear · multi-lane: 1 front and 1 rear (over 14′ wide)
- 2 front and 2 rear escorts on all roads (over 16′ wide)
- 1 front escort with height pole (over 14′11″ high)
- Two-lane: 1 front escort (over 75′ long)
- Two-lane: 1 front and 1 rear escort (over 85′ long)
- Two-lane: 1 front and 1 rear · multi-lane: 1 rear (over 110′ long)
- 1 front and 2 rear escorts on all roads (over 120′ long)
- A trailing escort is also required on two-lane roads when the load cannot hold the posted speed, and on four-lane roads when a load over 12′ wide cannot hold 45 mph.
- The Division may require additional escorts as a permit condition.
Superloads
Kentucky has no formal superload class. Over 15′6″ high requires a proposed route survey on form TC 95-625. Annual permits stop at 16′ wide, 13′6″ high, 120′ long and 160,000 lb; the single-trip weight table runs to 160,000 lb on 7 axles, and anything beyond those figures is reviewed individually.
Permit fees
| Single trip | $60 |
|---|---|
| Annual, non-divisible under 14′ wide (120′ L, 13′6″ H, 160,000 lb) | $250 |
| Annual, non-divisible 14′–16′ wide | $500 |
| Amendment (one allowed) | $10 |
Single-trip permits are valid 10 days. Card payments add a 4% service fee; ACH adds $3.
Common questions
When does a load need a pilot car in Kentucky?
Over 12′ wide, over 14′11″ high, or over 75′ long on two-lane roads (110′ on multi-lane). Kentucky's escort counts rise quickly: over 16′ wide needs two front and two rear escorts.
Can oversize loads travel at night in Kentucky?
Usually yes. Most permits allow travel 24/7 unless the permit says otherwise, with weekday rush-hour curfews in the Louisville, Lexington and Northern Kentucky counties.
What is the legal width in Kentucky?
8′6″ on interstates, parkways and designated highways; 8′ on other state roads.
Sources
- KYTC escort requirements
- KYTC legal dimensions
- KYTC OW/OD permits and fees
- KYTC OW/OD FAQs
- 601 KAR 1:018
Planning reference. Permits carry their own conditions, and city and county roads have separate rules. Confirm with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Division of Motor Carriers before moving a load. Found an error? Report it.
Other states: Alabama · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · 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