All the Information You Need About Massachusetts Oversize Permits
Are you planning to transport an oversize or overweight load in Massachusetts? Whether it’s a one-time movement or a recurring need, understanding the permit requirements is crucial. In this blog, we will provide comprehensive information about Massachusetts oversize Permits and overweight permits, including permit costs, required information, legal dimensions, escort requirements, and travel provisions.
Contact (630) 222-5770 for Oversize Permits in Massachusetts.
Are you not sure whether your load requires shipping permits or not? Compare Transport LLC is the company to go to. We are familiar with the shipping requirements in Massachusetts and will inform you whether your load qualifies as oversize or overweight and acquire shipping permits for it. Below is more information on super loads, pilot cars, and legal limits.
Massachusetts Oversize Load Limits
′ Massachusetts DOT legal load size and weight limitations:
- Length: 53 feet.
- Height: 13′ 6 feet.
- Weight: 8′ 6 feet.
- Overhang: 3′ in the front and 4′ off the rear.
Cost of Trucking Permits In Massachusetts
Truck Permit Fee Schedule: The fees and dimensions listed below for I-90 are for travel between Interchanges 1 thru 14 only: | ||||
OTPS FEE | STATE | I-90 (Interchanges 1 – 14 ) | ||
Single Trip Overwight .Oversize | $ 40.00 | $ 40.00 | ||
Annual Overweight Permit (Construction vehicles only) | $ 400.00 | $ 400.00 | ||
Super Load Fee (see dims below) | $ 300.00 | $ 300.00 | ||
SUPER LOAD DIMENSIONS | STATE | I-90 (INTERCHANGES 1-14) | ||
Length | Over 134’ | Over 100’ | ||
Width | Over 14-11 | Over 12-0 | ||
Pilot Cars Are Required in Massachusetts
Massachusetts DOT may require your shipment to have a pilot car(s) or escort vehicle(s) if you are over any of the following:
ROADS AND HIGHWAYS:
Length: 80′ – 94′ 11″ in length will require you to have 1 rear pilot car/escort. If over 94′ 11″ you are required to have 1 front and 1 rear pilot car. If you are over 134′ in length you will be required to have 1 front and 1 rear pilot car as well as a police escort.
Width: Shipments that are from 12′ 1″ and up to 13′ 6″ wide require 1 rear escort vehicle unless you are shipping a dozer. A dozer requires 1 front pilot car and 1 rear escort vehicle. For shipments in excess of 13′ 6″, you are required to have 1 front pilot car and 1 rear escort on all roads.
Height: If your shipment is in excess of 13′ 8″ you are required to have a high pole survey. If your shipment is over 14′ 11″ you are required to have 1 front pilot car with a high pole and 1 rear escort with a police escort.
Weight: Depending on your route and if you can maintain the minimum required posted speed limits you will more than likely not be required to have a pilot car or escort vehicle by the Massachusetts DOT.
Overhang: If you have over 4′ of rear overhang consisting of long materials like poles, boat masts, and booms you will be required to have 1 rear escort vehicle. If you have equipment with an overhang in excess of 10′ or more you will be required to have 1 rear escort vehicle.
NOTES: If the routing on your shipment will take you through tunnels, you will be required to have at a minimum 1 rear escort vehicle if over 8′ 6″ – 12′ wide.
MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKES:
Length: If your shipment is over 80′ but under 85′ you are required to have 1 rear escort vehicle. If your shipment is over 85′ but less than 135 feet’, you must have 1 front pilot car and 1 rear escort vehicle. If your shipment is in excess of 135 feet, you will be required to have 1 front pilot car, 1 rear escort vehicle, and 2 police escorts.
Width: If your shipment is in excess of 12 feet’ you will be required to have 1 rear escort vehicle. If your shipment is in excess of 13′ wide, you will be required to have 1 front pilot car and 1 rear escort vehicle. If your shipment is in excess of 15 feet’ you will be required to have 1 front pilot car and 1 rear escort vehicle plus 2 police escorts.
Height: We have found no reference to pilot car high pole requirements on the Massachusetts Turnpike. If you have any information, please help others by commenting below.
Weight: Weight restrictions are handled on a case-by-case basis for the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Overhang: 1 rear escort is required if you have an overhang in excess of 4′ that is skinny in nature, like a long pole, boat mast, etc. If the overhang is in excess of 10′ but not skinny in nature, you will be required to have 1 rear escort vehicle.
NOTES: The turnpike can do pretty much whatever they want, so if you find your trip requirements modified from what you expected, then that is just the way it is. You could always appeal the decision. For items such as drivable cranes and booms up to about 12′ in width, you are usually required to have 1 rear escort vehicle.
In Boston, if you are overweight or oversize, you will most likely be required to have, at a minimum, 1 pilot car/escort vehicle and 1 police escort.
Oversize and Overweight Permit Limits in Massachusetts
Here’s the maximum weight and dimensions your load can be, even with a permit in Massachusetts:
Max Length With Permit: 115 feet.
Max Overhang With Permit: Case by case basis.
Maximum Width With Permit: 14’11 feet.
Maximum Height With Permit: 14’11 feet.
Maximum Weight With Permit: 130,000 lbs.
NOTES: Any loads over 13′ 8″ are going to require a route survey unless it is the main road routing with simplicity. There is no fee for a special handling permit for vehicles that are under the following restrictions: 12′ 0″ wide, 13′ 6″ height, 99,000 lbs maximum, 100′ in length.
Superload Information in Massachusetts
Massachusetts superload information:
For shipments in excess of 130,000 lbs depending on your route, you may be classified as a superload. We need more superload information on this state if you can share your superload experience with the Massachusetts DOT we’d sure appreciate it. See below for easy comments.
Permitted Travel Times and Restrictions for Oversize Loads in Massachusetts
Massachusetts DOT travel time and restrictions for oversize and overweight shipments:
Daylight hours are defined as from sunrise to sunset. You are permitted to travel Monday morning from 12’01 am until 12 noon on Saturday morning during the daylight hours. That includes shipments between the width of 12′ and 14′, over 80′ in length (but not over 115′), and over 14′ in height except from 3:30 PM until 7 PM due to traffic density on Mondays through Fridays. Shipments over 14′ wide and over 115′ in length are permitted to travel only between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM and may travel only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Additional restrictions may apply depending on your routing, so be sure to refer to the documentation on your physical permit before commencing movement. You may not travel on any of these holidays:
New Year’s Day | New Year’s Day |
Memorial Day | Memorial Day |
Independence Day | Independence Day |
Super load Information in Massachusetts
Massachusetts super load information:
For shipments in excess of 130,000 lbs depending on your route, you may be classified as a super load. We need more super load information on this state if you can share your super load experience with the Massachusetts DOT we’d sure appreciate it. See below for easy comments.
Signs, Flags, and Lights:
All authorized vehicles and loads must have & quote Oversize Load & quote signs and flags. For all large load
vehicles, low-beam headlights must be on load.
Restricted Travel:
Oversized loads are restricted by special travel limitations, while overweight-only loads are
always allowed to travel.
Application Process:
In Massachusetts oversize single trip permits application; an online permitting system is used to get
permits. Applicants may be required to submit information about their vehicle, including its
weight, size, intended route, and purpose of travel.
Requirements Regarding Insurance:
Generally, applicants must have liability insurance, and the insurance documentation may need
to be provided at the time of the permission application.
Signage and Lighting:
In order to ensure visibility, especially during nighttime transportation, oversized loads must
usually be properly marked with flags, signs, and lighting.
Bond or Surety:
Posting a bond or surety may be required in some states in order to submit an application for a
permit.
Call for Support
Visit comparetransport.com and call 630-222-5770.
FAQS
How much is the oversize permit in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, the cost of an oversize permit varies depending on the specific dimensions and weight of the load. When traveling on the turnpike, there is a $300 fee for vehicle loads that exceed 12′ wide, 13’6″ high, 100′ long, or 130,000 lbs. Single-trip permits are valid for five consecutive days. Additionally, an annual overweight permit for construction vehicles costs $400.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation can be contacted for the most accurate and up-to-date information on oversize permit costs and regulations.
The tandem law in Massachusetts specifies that the maximum weight for a tandem axle is 34,000 lbs.
For information about the size of trailers that need to be registered in Massachusetts, it is advisable to directly contact the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
How much is overweight ticket in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, the overweight fines are as follows:
For weight violations, the first offense is thirty-five dollars ($35) plus a five dollars safety surcharge, the second offense is seventy-five dollars ($75) plus a five dollars safety surcharge, and the third offense is one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) plus a five dollars safety surcharge.
For weight violations with irreducible load, the fine is ten dollars ($10) per thousand pounds (1,000 lbs) or not more than five hundred dollars ($500). The fine for each 1,000 lbs or fraction thereof overweight up to 10,000 lbs is $40, and for each 1,000 lbs or fraction overweight over 10,000 lbs is $80.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation issues annual overweight permits for construction vehicles at a cost of $400
For the most accurate and up-to-date information on overweight fines and regulations in Massachusetts, it is advisable to directly contact the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Some key points about oversize load restrictions in Massachusetts include:
Legal Limits:
Length: 53 feet
Height: 13 feet 6 inches
Weight: 8 feet 6 inches
Overhang: 3 feet in the front and 4 feet off the rear
Superload Information: Shipments in excess of 130,000 lbs may be classified as a superload, requiring a full structure analysis and an outside engineering firm’s route survey
Permitted Travel Times and Restrictions: Over-dimensional and overweight vehicles with a permit may generally travel from Monday mornings at 12:01 to 12:00 noon on Saturdays, with some exceptions. Vehicles between 12 feet and 14 feet wide, 80 feet and 114 feet long, and over 13 feet 11 inches in height may travel under permit only during daylight hours, except from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m
Oversize Load Sign Requirement: At least one “OVERSIZE LOAD” sign must be mounted and visible from either the front or the rear, depending on whether the vehicle is piloting or escorting
For more detailed information, it is advisable to refer directly to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the provided sources.
What size trailers need to be registered in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, a large tandem unit must be registered for the gross weight it carries and certified by the original manufacturer to carry this weight. The vehicle weight limits are regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the gross weight of any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, semitrailer unit, or tandem unit must not exceed certain specified limits Tandem trailers are generally allowed on I-90 between the New York state line and the I-95 Interchange in Weston
What is the tandem law in Massachusetts?
The tandem law in Massachusetts specifies that the maximum weight for a tandem axle is 34,000 lbs
For more detailed information, it is advisable to refer directly to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the provided sources.
