Federal & State Regulations | Oversize and overweight movements - Massachusetts

General requirements

Reducible expectations	NS
Permit timing	Non-reducible load permits are available and are valid for five days.
Method of application	Permit applications for overweight motor vehicles carrying reducible loads and for motor vehicles pulling trailers used in combination while transporting reducible loads must be submitted in person or by mail on the forms provided by the Massachusetts Department of Highways. Non-reducible load permits are available through the Massachusetts on-line Truck Permit System or through J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Trip Permits, at (800) 231-5266.
Payments accepted	Check or on-line account.
Electronic permits	NS
Route surveys	Route surveys are required for super loads.

Insurance requirements

Available permits and fees

General
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
5-day trip	Standard	$15
Return	If overweight or overdimension	$15
Trip	Special hauling permit for reducible loads	$50 per 1,000 lbs over legal
Annual	Construction equipment	$300
Annual	Massachusetts Turnpike Authority	$350

Permit limitations

Permit limitations
Height	Limitation
Wooden trusses	14' 2"
Pools	13' 6"
Length	Limitations
Trailer combination	65'
Wooden trusses	100'
Weight	Limitations
GVW	• 73,000 pounds for vehicles having 3 axles • 87,000 pounds for vehicles having 4 axles • 99,000 pounds for vehicles having 5 or more axles • Triaxle vehicles allowed up to 77,000 lbs (dependent on length)

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Permits

General information

Irreducible load permits are available if the vehicle exceeds the maximum width, height, or length.

Permits issued by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA) are not transferable to another vehicle. Upon application for an irreducible load permit, the applicant must demonstrate the number of work hours required to dismantle the load.

MTA does not issue a special permit with respect to weight, and a vehicle may not use a way, if the vehicle exceeds the gross vehicle weight rating or the registered gross weight.

Special hauling permits are required if the vehicle or combination exceeds the federal bridge formula weights or either of following:

Type of Vehicle	Maximum Weight
Motor vehicle with 2 axles	46,000 lb
Vehicle or combination with 3 axles	73,000 lb
Vehicle or combination with 4 or more axles	87,000 lb
Vehicle or combination with 5 or more axles	99,000 lb

Axle Spacings	Maximum Weight
A single axle or axles spaced less than 6 ft apart	18,000 lb
Axles spaced 6 ft or more apart	22,400 lb

A vehicle weighing more than the maximum vehicle weight specified above does not require an irreducible load permit for the use of the Ted Williams Tunnel, including the South Boston Bypass Road, provided that the Commissioner of Highways has issued an annual permit for construction equipment for the vehicle, allowing the vehicle to operate at a higher weight. An original annual permit issued for construction equipment must be kept in an accessible place in the vehicle to which it was issued and must be presented to an officer or MTA personnel upon demand.

Special hauling permits are required if:

The width is greater than 8 feet 6 inches for use of the Tunnels and the vehicle width is greater than 13 feet or use of a way other than the Tunnels; or

The height is greater than the maximum vehicle height for the way upon which the vehicle is traveling, as follows:

Way	Maximum Vehicle Height
Turnpike	13 ft 6 in
Ted Williams Tunnel	13 ft 6 in
Callahan Tunnel	12 ft 6 in
Sumner Tunnel	12 ft 6 in
Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., Tunnel	13 ft 6 in
Prudential Tunnel	13 ft 6 in
CANA (City Square) Tunnels	13 ft 6 in
Other way not listed above	13 ft 6 in

For use of the Tunnels, a permit is required if the vehicle length is greater than the maximum vehicle length in the table as follows, and in the case of a tandem unit operating on a way, in the note below:

Type of Vehicle	Maximum Vehicle Length
¹No overall length limitation applies to a semitrailer unit with a semitrailer up to 53 ft in length.
²The vehicle length includes front and rear bumpers, but does not include a load overhang up to 3 ft beyond the foremost part of the front transporting vehicle or more than 4 ft beyond the rear bed of the rear vehicle.
³A number of vehicles may be transported in combination by means of saddlemount combination or fullmount mechanism.
⁴A tandem unit may operate on a way without a special permit with respect to its length, provided that the overall total number of semitrailers or trailers in the tandem unit is no greater than two; each semitrailer or trailer of the tandem unit does not exceed 28 ft in length, without regard to the overall length of the tandem unit; and a tandem unit with semitrailers or trailers that do not exceed 28 ¹/₂ ft in length, if such semitrailers or trailers were actually and lawfully operating on December 1, 1982, as part of tandem units within a 65 ft overall length limit in any state, may similarly operate on a way without a special permit with respect to its length.
Motor vehicle not listed below	33 ft
Vehicle combination other than semitrailer unit and not of a combination listed below	60 ft¹
Articulated bus	60 ft
Auto home	40 ft
Autotransporter (traditional)	65 ft²
Autotransporter (stinger-steered)	75 ft²
Boat transporter (traditional)	65 ft²
Boat transporter (truck-trailer)	65 ft²
Bus or school bus	45 ft
House trailer	40 ft
Saddlemount combination	75 ft³
Semitrailer	53 ft
Tandem unit	⁴
Trailer in a tractor-trailer combination	53 ft
Trailer not in a tractor-trailer combination	33 ft
Truck	40 ft

A permit is required if, for use of a way other than the Tunnels, the vehicle length is greater than 55 feet for a vehicle with more than two axles, except a bus; the vehicle length is greater than 45 feet for a bus; or the vehicle length is greater than 100 feet for a vehicle combination, except a vehicle combination listed above.

Operators of oversize vehicles are responsible for checking the clearance of the vehicle and its load through any toll lane or canopy and for checking structures on a way for available clearance.

Signs

General sign requirement	An oversize vehicle that does not require an escort must display an OVERSIZE LOAD sign.
Escort sign requirement	When an escort is required, the escort must have an oversize load sign.
	Type	Size	Lettering	Background
General signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	7'x18"	10" black lettering with 1.41" brushstroke	Yellow
Escort signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	NS	NS	NS

Lights

General light requirements	NS
Escort light requirements	Warning lights required
	Type	Placement
General light type and placement	NS	NS
Escort light type and placement	(2) flashing amber lights	Visible from front and rear

Flags

	Type	Size	Placement
General Flags	Red material	18" square	Mounted on all corners or extremities of the overwidth or overlength movement.
Escort Flags	Red material	24" square	Mounted on right and left side of OVERSIZE LOAD sign.

Escort vehicle markings

Size	Placement	Content
NS	NS	NS

Escort/flagperson requirements

Escort cars are required as follows:

Oversize Condition	Number and Placement of Escorts
Length of 80 feet up to 94 feet 11 inches	1 rear
Length over 94 feet 11 inches	2 front and rear
Length of 134 feet or more	Massachusetts State Police and 2 front and rear
Width of 12 feet 1 inch and up; dozer with blade attached	2 front and rear
Width 12 feet 1 inch to 13 feet 6 inches	1 rear
Width over 13 feet 6 inches	2 front and rear
Width over 14 feet 11 inches	Massachusetts State Police and 2 front and rear
Height over 13 feet 8 inches	1 front
Height over 13 feet 11 inches	2 front and rear
Height over 14 feet 11 inches	Massachusetts State Police and 2 front and rear
Width over 12 feet operating on Cape Cod	Massachusetts State Police and 1 escort

Escort car/company requirements

Escort vehicles must be light truck or passenger vehicles equipped with two flashing amber lights visible from the front and rear. Red flags, 24 inches square, must be mounted on the right and left side of an OVERSIZE LOAD sign on the vehicle.

Travel restrictions

Daytime	Vehicles that are over 12’ wide, 80’ long, or 13’ 11” in height may travel only during daylight hours with additional time of day limits.
Weekend	Travel on weekends is allowed Saturdays and Sundays until noon.
Holidays	Special permits are not valid from noon the previous day until noon the day following holidays: • New Year’s Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Day
Visibility	No movement can be made under permit when there are large areas of hard packed snow or ice on the surface of the road or during a snowstorm.

Liability	Massachusetts has no specific insurance-filing requirements associated with oversize/overweight moves. Permittees, however, must accept complete responsibility for any physical damage to roadways, bridges, or other structures.
Coverage	NS

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Oversize and overweight movements - Massachusetts