California Permits   Pilot Car Information  Fuel and Trip

Oversize / Overweight Permits

    Generally, permits become more difficult the larger the load.  See below for California legal dimensions. (Note that all drivers must adhere to posted restrictions and limitations which may have values much less than legal).  Here is a brief summary of some of our most asked questions.  Cal-Trans permits are only good on California State Highways.  City and/or County permits must be obtained whenever not on a state maintained roadway.  Most city and county jurisdictions are requiring the trucking companies to provide proof of insurance in the amount of 1 Million dollars, naming them as additionally insured.  This must be done directly from your insurance company.  We will fax you paperwork to help with this process.   Cal-trans permits are valid 5 to 7 days for one trip / one route permits and take between 30 minuets to 1 day to issue.  Time to issue depends on variables such as size of load, complexity of route, how busy Cal-trans is, and if the Cal-trans computer system is operational.  California local city and county permits may take much longer to obtain, usually the same day if ordered in the morning.  Of course, some jurisdictions will issue much faster on a given day, and some much slower, depending of staff availability and willingness to issue permits.  What do we need to know when you order a California permit?  Name, address, phone, fax, what you are hauling, size of load, size of load when loaded on trailer, truck / trailer configuration (ex. 3 ax trac - 2 ax low bed trailer), axle spacing if over weight - number of tires per axle - and how wide the axles are ( ex. 8' 0" or 10' "expanded"), height, length, width, overhang, where you are starting and where you are going.

GENERAL LEGAL DIMENSIONS FOR CALIFORNIA

14' 00" high

8' 06" wide

34,000lbs Per tandem axle group

20,000lbs Per axle for a total of 40,000lbs for spread axle trailers with a distance of 8' 1" or more not to exceed 80,000lbs gross.

41,000lbs on a tridum trailer (not to exceed 80,000lbs gross)

80,000lbs overall gross

65' overall length on a 40' - 45' trailer with a 38' to 40' king-pin measurement

Legal Overhang is 2/3 of the wheel base not to exceed 25'

75' overall length on a 48' trailer with a 44' 06" king-pin measurement (on the S.T.A.A. network only)

75' overall length on a 53' trailer with a 40' MAXIMUM king-pin measurement (on the S.T.A.A. network only.  53' long trailers whose king-pin exceeds 40' is not allowed in California unless it is a 45' or 48' long trailer stretched to a greater length and can be returned to California Legal size, or the vehicle is a member of a RACE TEAM going directly to or from a designated raceway during a "RACE WEEK" (This includes California Based race teams).

All "towed" loads with the exception of modular buildings, must be inspected by a CalTrans inspector or given a "One time verbal ok" by Caltrans.

No reduceable loads.  This means that if a load can be reduced within 8 hours of labor then it must be reduced.  Simply stated, a bull dozer blade takes at least 8 hours to remove, therefore, a bulldozer with a blade may be moved up to 15' wide.  Items may not be moved if they are oversize due to multiple loading, (ex. over 14' 00" high because it is stacked, over 8' 06" wide because items are set side by side, or things like rebar, multiple sheets of steel, or dirt, cannot be over weight.  Loads that are legal weight may have miscellaneous legal freight accompanying the load as long as the load is not oversize, overweight, or is larger than it otherwise would be due to the freight.

[ Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to webmaster@adkpermits.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 04/22/03