Federal & State Regulations | Oversize and overweight movements - South Carolina

General requirements

Reducible expectations	The Department may exercise its discretion in issuing permits for transporting non-divisible loads and/or vehicles which exceed the legal size and weight limits provided that the load consists of one single item that cannot be readily disassembled so as to reduce the size and/or gross weight to the legal limits. Other conditions may also apply.
Permit timing	Permit applications received by 2:00 p.m. will be issued the same day with the exception of superloads and loads over 16' wide and/or 16' high. A maximum of 5 business days are allowed for bridge engineer review.
Method of application	Permits may be applied for by fax, mail, on-line, or through J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Trip Permits, at (800) 231-5266.
Payments accepted	Payment methods include using an escrow account or a credit card.
Electronic permits	NS
Route surveys	ALL loads 16' in height and above must provide a department approved route survey prior to permit issuance. A load exceeding 130,000 lbs. may require the carrier to provide an independent structural analysis performed by a licensed/registered engineer. A quad axle greater than 60,000 lbs. must be reviewed by engineering on the requested route of travel. An application for a permit to move a building or load in excess of 16' in width must have the Resident Maintenance Engineer's route approval.

Insurance requirements

Liability	The Department may require the vehicle owner, operator or mover to furnish a bond or insurance prior to the move in an amount to be determined by the Department as a guarantee that the provisions of the permit will be carried out and to reimburse the Department for any damage that may be done to the highway or structures by reason of the movement. This will also pay the cost of any expenses for inspection of the move by the Department. If no damage is done and the Department does not have any expense as a result of the move, the bond will be reimbursed.
Coverage	A minimum coverage of $1 million dollar automobile and $1 million dollar general liability is required. Proof of insurance must be provided with application submittal when the gross vehicle weight is 180,000 lbs. or greater and/or the overall width is 16 feet or greater. The insurance must be submitted to the permit office.

Available permits and fees

Overdimension
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip	General	$30
Single trip	Excessive width over 16'	$35
Single trip	Excessive width over 18'	$40
Single trip	Excessive width over 20'	$45
Single trip	Excessive width over 22'	$50
Annual	Multiple trip permit	$100
Annual	Sheet tobacco truck permit	$15
Annual	Culvert pipe permit	$15
Overweight
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Annual	Cotton modular vehicle permit (non-Interstate)	$50
Annual	Hay	$20
Single trip	Sealed Containerized Cargo Permits	$30
5-trips	Sealed Containerized Cargo Permits	$100
Overdimension and/or Overweight
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Annual	Transport and spread soil improvement products	$5
30-day	Road machinery routing permission	$10
Annual	House moving license	$100
Special fees
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Annual	Administration fee for prorating active annual permits	$10
30-day	Administration fee for road machinery permits	$10
All	Credit card processing fee	$5

Permit limitations

Permit limitations
Width	16'
Height	At least 3" less than any overhead structure on a route approved by the Department
Length	Limitations
General	125'
Overhang	• 15' on a trailer less than 48' • 10' on a 48' or 53' trailer • 5' on a 40' straight truck • Must be legal on straight trucks less than 40'
Weight	Limitations
2-axle single vehicle	40,000 lbs
3-axle single vehicle	50,000 lbs
4-axle single vehicle	65,000 lbs
3-axle vehicle combination	55,000 lbs
4-axle vehicle combination	70,000 lbs
5-axle vehicle combination	90,000 lbs
6-axle vehicle combination	110,000 lbs
7 or more axle vehicle combination	130,000 lbs
Tandem	40,000 lbs
Tridem	60,000 lbs
4-axle group	80,000 lbs
Configuration	Limitations
Multiple trip	The maximums under a non-divisible multiple trip permits are: • Width: up to 14' • Height: up to 13' 6" • GVW up to 90,000 lbs on 5 or more axles
Sheet tobacco	Used to transport tobacco in sheets that does not exceed: • 96" in width at the truck bed • 9' 6" at the widest part of the load above the truck bed
Culvert pipe	Issued for vehicles transporting culvert pipe not to exceed a width of 106"
Sealed containerized cargo	Allows for the transport of intermodal containers • 100,000 lbs GVW on 5 or more axles • 20,000 lbs single axle • 48,000 lbs tandem • Legal height and width • 40' minimum trailer length

Signs

General sign requirement	Signs, provided by the permitee, must be displayed, front and rear, on all loads 12' wide or greater.
Escort sign requirement	A warning sign is required on the front of the lead escort vehicle; when a rear escort is mandated, a sign must be displayed on the rear of the following escort vehicle.
	Type	Size	Lettering	Background
General signs	WIDE LOAD or OVERSIZE LOAD	NS	12" high and 1.5" wide	NS
Escort signs	WIDE LOAD or OVERSIZE LOAD	NS	NS	NS

Lights

General light requirements	Warning lights, provided by the permitee, are required for a load or vehicle in excess of 12' wide.
Escort light requirements	Warning light required
	Type	Placement
General light type and placement	Rotating amber beacon(s) or strobe light(s)	For vehicles that are in excess of 12' wide up to and including 14' wide must display the warning light on the rear of the load or mobile home at a location readily visible to following traffic. For vehicles that are in excess of 14' wide warning lights must be displayed on each outer rear corners of the load or mobile home.
Escort light type and placement	Rotating amber beacon or strobe light	Displayed on each escort vehicle. Hazard lights cannot be used or substituted for amber beacon or strobe lights.

Flags

	Type	Size	Placement
General Flags	Red	12" square	Displayed at each outer 4 corners of the load and on extremities of components which extend beyond the sides more than 4" or more than 4' beyond the rear.
Escort Flags	NS	NS	NS

Escort vehicle markings

Size	Placement	Content
NS	NS	NS

Escort/flagperson requirements

Escorts are required as follows:

Load Conditions	Escort Requirements
All loads that exceed 12 ft in width up to and including 14 ft in width on two-lane highways.	One front escort; however, the Department reserves the right to require a rear escort where it is deemed necessary for safety purposes.
All loads 16 feet and higher	One front lead pole vehicle/escort.
All loads that exceed 14 feet in width up to and including 16 feet in width; Overall length of 125 feet and greater; and Overhang exceeding 15 feet in length.	One front and one rear escort.
All moves over 16 feet wide, except upon written approval from the Department.	A minimum of one front and one rear police (local, county, city, Highway Patrol or State Transport Police) and one front and one rear civilian escort . The front escort is to be a reasonable distance ahead of the move to alert oncoming traffic in sufficient time of the impending hazard ahead.

A rear escort must maintain three to four seconds distance between the escort and the load. The front escort cannot extend the spacing between the escort and the load beyond one-half mile.

Positioning the escort vehicle with the overdimensional load must be relative to give the traveling public maximum warning and to give the load driver timely and sufficient information to safely maneuver the load.

There must be direct two-way radio communication between the escorting vehicle(s) and the towing vehicle at all times. An escorting vehicle operator cannot escort or communicate with more than one towing vehicle at a time.

Flagpersons may be required for any overdimensional move.

Escort car/company requirements

Regulations do not specify the requirements for type of escort vehicle or qualifications for escort drivers.

Escort car signs, flags, and lights

The escort vehicles must display a WIDE LOAD or OVERSIZE LOAD sign on the front of the lead escort vehicle. When a rear escort is required, the sign must be displayed on the rear of the following escort vehicle.

A rotating amber beacon or strobe light must be displayed on each escort vehicle. Hazard lights can not be used or substituted for amber beacon or strobe lights.

Travel restrictions

Daytime	Loads between 12' to 15' wide or mobile homes between 12' to 14' box width may travel 30-minutes after sunrise to 30-minutes.
Weekend	Movements are prohibited on Sundays.
Holidays	Vehicles operating under permit may not move from noon before and noon after the following holidays: • New Year's Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving (and the day after) • Christmas (and the day after)
Visibility	Not allowed during inclement weather such as heavy rain or fog when visibility is less than 1,000'. High winds or slippery highways may also prohibit movements under permit.

['Size and Weight Limits']

['Oversize and Overweight Movements']

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Oversize and overweight movements - South Carolina