When Is a Pilot Car Required? Rules by State & Province

Escort vehicle requirements depend on the state or province. These links go to the official agency. We only link official sources and don't restate numbers we can't verify.

What usually triggers an escort

Most agencies set escort requirements based on a load's width, height, length, overhang and weight, the type of road (interstate, two-lane, city), and time of day or weather. Some require certified escort drivers, height poles or police escorts above certain sizes. Thresholds differ by state and change over time, so check the official page for your exact load and route.

Verify: where we couldn't confirm a dedicated oversize/overweight page, we link the agency's official home page instead. All links were checked on Nov 12, 2026. Pages move, so confirm before every move.
State / provinceAgencyOversize / overweight & escort rulesRoad conditions
Alabama
US
ALDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyALGO Traffic
Alaska
US
Alaska DOT&PFOS/OW permits pageverifyAK 511
Arizona
US
ADOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyAZ 511
Arkansas
US
ARDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyIDrive Arkansas
California
US
CaltransOS/OW permits pageverifyCaltrans QuickMap
Colorado
US
CDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyCOtrip
Connecticut
US
CTDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyCTroads
Delaware
US
DelDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyDelDOT Interactive Map
Florida
US
FDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyFL 511
Georgia
US
GDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyGA 511
Hawaii
US
HDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyGoAkamai
Idaho
US
ITDOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyID 511
Illinois
US
IDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyGetting Around Illinois
Indiana
US
INDOT
Permits: Indiana DOR Motor Carrier Services
OS/OW permits pageverifyIN 511
Iowa
US
Iowa DOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyIA 511
Kansas
US
KDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyKanDrive
Kentucky
US
KYTCOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyGoKY
Louisiana
US
LaDOTDOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyLA 511
Maine
US
MaineDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNew England 511
Maryland
US
MDOT SHAOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyMDOT CHART
Massachusetts
US
MassDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyMA 511
Michigan
US
MDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyMi Drive
Minnesota
US
MnDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyMN 511
Mississippi
US
MDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyMDOT Traffic
Missouri
US
MoDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyMoDOT Traveler Map
Montana
US
MDTOS/OW permits pageverifyMT 511
Nebraska
US
NDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyNE 511
Nevada
US
NDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNVRoads
New Hampshire
US
NHDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNew England 511
New Jersey
US
NJDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNJ 511
New Mexico
US
NMDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNMRoads
New York
US
NYSDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyNY 511
North Carolina
US
NCDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyDriveNC
North Dakota
US
NDDOT
Permits: ND Highway Patrol
OS/OW permits pageverifyND Roads
Ohio
US
ODOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyOHGO
Oklahoma
US
ODOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyOKTraffic
Oregon
US
ODOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyTripCheck
Pennsylvania
US
PennDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyPA 511
Rhode Island
US
RIDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyRIDOT Traveler Info
South Carolina
US
SCDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifySC 511
South Dakota
US
SDDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifySD 511
Tennessee
US
TDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifySmartWay
Texas
US
TxDOT
Permits: TxDMV
OS/OW permits pageverifyDriveTexas
Utah
US
UDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyUDOT Traffic
Vermont
US
VTransOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNew England 511
Virginia
US
VDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyVA 511
Washington
US
WSDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyWSDOT Travel Map
West Virginia
US
WVDOTOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyWV 511
Wisconsin
US
WisDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyWI 511
Wyoming
US
WYDOTOS/OW permits pageverifyWYDOT 511
British Columbia
Canada
BC Commercial Vehicle Safety & EnforcementOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyDriveBC
Alberta
Canada
Government of AlbertaOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyAlberta 511
Saskatchewan
Canada
Saskatchewan Ministry of HighwaysOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyHighway Hotline
Manitoba
Canada
Manitoba Transportation and InfrastructureOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyManitoba 511
Ontario
Canada
Ontario Ministry of TransportationOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyOntario 511
Quebec
Canada
Transports QuébecOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyQuebec 511
Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada
NL Transportation and InfrastructureOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNewfoundland and Labrador 511
New Brunswick
Canada
NB Transportation and InfrastructureOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNew Brunswick 511
Nova Scotia
Canada
Nova Scotia Public WorksOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNova Scotia 511
Prince Edward Island
Canada
PEI Transportation and InfrastructureOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyPEI Road Conditions
Yukon
Canada
Government of YukonOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyYukon 511
Northwest Territories
Canada
NWT Driver and Vehicle ServicesOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyNWT Highway Conditions
Nunavut
Canada
Government of NunavutOfficial site (find OS/OW permits)verifyGovernment of Nunavut