Federal & State Regulations | Oversize and overweight movements - Tennessee

General requirements

Reducible expectations	The Supervisor will grant permits for vehicles and loads that cannot reasonably be dismantled, reduced, or otherwise separated. A vehicle transporting fluid milk products is considered a nondivisible load that cannot be reasonably dismantled or conveniently transported otherwise.
Permit timing	The application for a special permit shall be submitted in advance of the requested starting date of the permit. Applications for overdimensional permits must be submitted at least 3 business days before the starting date of the permit. Applications for loads defined as extra-overdimensional must be submitted at least 10 business days before the starting date of the permit. Applications for overweight permits shall be submitted at least 3 business days and up to 30 business days before the starting date of the permit. The TDOT Permits Office may waive any application deadline for good cause. Using the on-line system results in faster permit issuance.
Method of application	Applications for special permits may be made in person or by letter, email, or telephone, to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), on-line using the TNTRIPS System, or through J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Trip Permits, at (800) 231-5266.
Payments accepted	An applicant for a special permit, including single-trip permits and annual permits, may make payment to the TDOT Permits Office by a personal, business, or cashier’s check; credit card; or escrow account.
Electronic permits	An original permit, or an authentic copy of the permit with a scannable bar code, needs to be in the possession of the driver of the permitted vehicle at all times during a permitted authorized move. An electronic permit is acceptable as long as the bar code is scannable.
Route surveys	Permits may be subject to route restrictions based on conditions of the roadway or bridges and the weight or dimensions of the load. Restricted routes of travel need to be strictly followed. A route survey is required when the height exceeds 15' 6".

Insurance requirements

Available permits and fees

Overdimension
Excess Width
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip (10-day)	Not more than 14'	$20
Single trip (10-day)	Over 14' not more than 16'	$30
Single trip (10-day)	Fee for every foot over 16'	$5 per
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip (10-day)	Excessive height or length	$20
Annual	Over dimension up to: • Width: 12' 6" • Height: 13' 10" • Length: 90'	$100
Annual	Seed cotton modules	$100
Overweight
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip (10-day)	Overweight (plus per ton mile fee)	$20 +
Single trip (10-day)	Per ton-mile	$0.06 per
Single trip (10-day)	Wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicle (overweight fee + per ton mile fee + additional ton-mile fee over 165,000 lbs)	$0.12 per
Annual	Wrecked, disabled, or abandoned vehicle up to 165,000 lbs or manufactured roof trusses	$500
Annual	Sealed containerized cargo units	$750
Annual	Up to 100,000 lbs	$750
Annual	Over 100,000 lbs up to 120,000 lbs	$1,500
Annual	Over 120,000 lbs up to 140,000 lbs	$2,250
Annual	Over 140,000 lbs up to 155,000 lbs	$3,000
Annual	Over 155,000 lbs up to 165,000 lbs	$3,500
Overdimension and/or Overweight
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Any	Over dimension and overweight	Both fees required
Mobile Homes
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Single trip	Not more than 14'	$50
Annual	Not more than 14'	$1,000
Single trip	14' 1" to 16'	$100
Annual	14' 1" to 16'	$2,000
Single trip (only)	16' 1" to 18'	$200
Single trip	Length exceeding 120'	$25
Annual	Length exceeding 120'	$2,000
Evaluation of Bridges and Similar Structures
Permit Period	Conditions	Fee
Any	Movements exceeding 165,000 lbs but not more than 250,000 lbs	$100
Any	Movements exceeding 250,000 lbs but not more than 500,000 lbs	$300
Any	Movements exceeding 500,000 lbs	Actual cost

Permit limitations

Permit limitations
Width	Limitation
Blades	Equipment that has sharp, protruding objects of any kind, like bulldozers with blades, and that creates an overwidth of at least 10' 6" but not exceeding 13' 6" must be loaded so that the blade or protruding object are to the rear of the hauling vehicle • Over 13' 6" the blade or protruding object must be disassembled from the equipment
Height	15' If greater, the applicant needs to provide a survey of the route identifying the vertical clearance at each overpass located along the route
Length	Up to 75' without escort
Weight	Limitations (general)
Axle	20,000 lbs
Tandem	40,000 lbs
Weight	Limitations (special)
Axle	23,000 lbs
Tandem	46,000 lbs
Tridem	60,000 lbs
Configuration	Limitations
Cotton modules	A single motor vehicle used exclusively to transport seed cotton modules to travel on the National Network • Width: 9' • Length: 56'
Sealed containerized cargo	Must be part of international trade and be moved on the highways due to importation from, or exportation to, another country • GVW: Up to 100,000 lbs • Axles:20,000 lbs • Legal width, length, and height.

Signs

General sign requirement	Mounted on the front and rear of the movement. Required when the width exceeds 10' and/or length exceeds 75'. Signs need to be durable wood or metal construction. Fabric signs are allowed if they can be securely fastened to the movement against a flat surface backing up the entire area of the sign.
Escort sign requirement	Escort vehicles must display bumper mounted or roof mounted warning signs. Fabric signs will be permitted if they can be securely fastened to the escort vehicle against a flat surface backing up the entire area of the sign.
	Type	Size	Lettering	Background
General signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	7' x 18"	Black, 10" high, 1.5" brushstroke	Yellow
Escort signs	OVERSIZE LOAD	NS	Black, 10" high, 1.5" brushstroke	Yellow

Lights

General light requirements	Any permitted vehicle carrying a load in excess of legal width or length limitations must the load for movements between 30-minutes after sunset to 30-minutes before sunrise.
Escort light requirements	Warning lights required.
	Type	Placement
General light type and placement	Amber and red lights (night operation)	On each side of the projecting load: • (1) red side marker lamp, visible from the side, located so as to indicate maximum overhang On the rear of the projecting load: • (2) red lamps, visible from the rear, 1 at each side • (2) red reflectors, visible from the rear, 1 at each side, located so as to indicate maximum width
Escort light type and placement	Rotating amber light or a strobe type amber	Visible from at least 500' with horizontal placement visible from all directions 360°

Flags

	Type	Size	Placement
General Flags	Red or fluorescent orange	18"square	Fastened to the load (front and rear) at the top and bottom of each side which is widest. Flags must extend from the load to be visible to traffic approaching from both the front and rear. Any load or vehicle component which extends more than 4” beyond the sides of the vehicle or more than 4’ beyond the rear of the vehicle must have the extremities of the load flagged at the same locations that lamps are required by the FMCSRs (49 CFR 393.11, Table 1)
Escort Flags	Red or fluorescent orange	18"square	Mounted at approximately a 40° to 70° angle on the escort vehicle’s roof rack

Escort vehicle markings

Size	Placement	Content
8" x 12"	Both sides of the escort vehicle	Name and telephone number of the business operating the escort vehicle

Escort/flagperson requirements

Escort are required as follows:

Load Conditions	Escort Requirements
Width exceeds 8’ 6” up to 10’	No requirements
Width exceeds 10’ up to 12’ 6”	No escort required if movement is on an interstate highway, four-lane highway, or two-lane highway with a minimum pavement width (excluding paved shoulders) of 24’. One escort must precede a movement where the minimum pavement width (excluding paved shoulders) is less than 24’.
Width exceeds 12’ 6” up to 13’ 6”	One escort must follow the movement on interstate and four-lane highways. One escort vehicle is required to precede the movement on two-lane highways.
Width exceeds 13’ 6”	Front and rear escorts on all highways required.
Height exceeds 15’	Escort must precede the movement and be equipped with a vertical height clearance gauge. The escort must also be in radio contact with the towing vehicle.
Length exceeds 90’ up to 120’	One escort must follow.
Length exceeds 120’	One escort must precede and one escort must follow.
Mobile Home Width14’ or less	On the interstate highway system or highways with 4 or more lanes: Not required to have more than 1 escort vehicle to follow the movement, nor Any escort vehicle to precede the movement. On 2-lane highways: Not required to have more than 1 escort vehicle to precede the movement, nor Any escort vehicle to follow the movement.
Mobile Home Width greater than14’ or length greater than 85’	On all two-lane highways and interstate system highways: Front and rear escorts are required. Permits are not issued when height exceeds 16’.

Vehicles and loads exceeding 10 feet require flagpersons at bridges or other similar structures where the widest part of the roadway is less than 20 feet.

Overweight

Escorts and flagpersons are not required for overweight only moves and/or loads that are overweight and up to 85 feet in length.

Escort car/company requirements

Escort vehicles must meet the following requirements:

The escort vehicle must be a vehicle weighing more than 2,000 pounds with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating less than 18,000 pounds and must be properly licensed, which is used to escort one or more other vehicles, when required, due to the vehicle(s) size or character or load, in accordance with the conditions set forth in a permit issued by the appropriate state agency;
Identification signs or placards showing the name and telephone number of the business operating the escort vehicle must be attached in a conspicuous place on both the right and left sides of the vehicle. The signs or placards shall be at least 8" x 12" in size;
During escort operations, all escort vehicles shall have onboard the following equipment and such equipment must be in working order:
- Operable two-way electronic communications;
- Two five-pound fire extinguishers;
- Stop and go paddle (18 inches with six-inch letters);
- Safety orange vest, shirt, or jacket;
- Red hand-held flag (18 inches in size);
- Two OVERSIZE LOAD banners (yellow with black lettering);
- Hard hat;
- Reflecting triangles or 18-inch traffic cones; and
- The following additional equipment recommended, but not mandated:
  - Hand-held two-way electronic communications;
  - Flares;
  - Map(s); and
  - Height indicator.

Escort car signs, flags, and lights

All escort vehicles must be equipped with either a rotating amber light or a strobe type amber light that is visible from at least 500 feet with horizontal placement visible from all directions 360 degrees.

Escort vehicles shall display bumper mounted or roof mounted yellow sign(s) reading OVERSIZE LOAD with black letters a minimum of 10 inches high, 1.5-inch wide brush stroke, which must be visible from front and rear.

Signs must be of durable wood or metal construction and be in a good state of repair, clean and readable at all times. Heavy canvas or cloth signs, otherwise meeting same requirements, will be permitted if they can be securely fastened to the escort vehicle against a flat surface backing up the entire area of the sign.

Two flags, either red or fluorescent orange in color, which must be at least 18 inches in size, must be mounted at approximately a 40 to 70 degree angle on the escorts vehicle’s roof rack.

Travel restrictions

Daytime	A special permit issued for movements of an overweight or overdimensional motor vehicle will allow for continuous movement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counties having a population exceeding 250,000 will not allow movement on the Interstate system between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mobile homes may be transported between sunrise and sunset, Monday through Saturday, except for the holidays below.
Weekend	A special permit issued for movements of an overweight or overdimensional motor vehicle will allow for continuous movement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Holidays	Subject to restrictions during periods of heavy traffic volume associated with certain holidays: • Easter (after 6:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding Good Friday through and including Easter Sunday) • Memorial Day (after noon on the preceding Friday through Memorial Day) • Independence Day (July 3 and July 4; if July 4 is a Friday, Saturday, Monday, or Tuesday, the weekend day or days immediately following or preceding July 4, as applicable, may also be restricted) • Labor Day (after noon on the preceding Friday through Labor Day) • Thanksgiving (after noon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through Sunday following Thanksgiving) • December 24 through January 1 (if December 24 is a Sunday or Monday, the weekend day or days immediately preceding may also be restricted; if January 1 is a Friday or Saturday, the weekend day or days immediately following may also be restricted)
Visibility	Movements may be subject to restrictions during inclement weather or weather related emergencies when conditions prevail that could make movement unsafe.

Liability	All persons granted oversize/overweight permits shall hold the state harmless from any claims for damages resulting from the exercise of any of the privileges granted under the special permit. Permittees must carry liability insurance with an insurer acceptable to the Commissioner of Transportation and furnish a certificate of insurance to the Commissioner .
Coverage	An amount not less than $300,000 for each person injured and $1,000,000 for each accident is required.

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Oversize and overweight movements - Tennessee