Minnesota oversize permit requirements
Minnesota does not run on sunrise and sunset for ordinary loads. Within ten feet of width, movement is allowed from two in the morning until ten at night on weekdays and Saturdays, with amber lights after dark — a twenty-hour window, and far more usable than the daylight rules most states apply. Above ten feet wide it reverts to sunrise to sunset, and night movement then needs front and rear escorts.
Weight moves with the seasons here, in both directions. Winter weight increases of roughly ten per cent above the normal maxima typically arrive in December, when the ground is frozen hard enough to carry them. Spring thaw restrictions run the other way from February or March into May. A haul planned in one season on that season's figures does not transfer to another.
Summer weekends carry their own rule: from Memorial Day to the Friday before Labor Day, no movement from two on Friday afternoon until Saturday sunrise, except for narrow loads on wide roadways. Sunday movement stops at noon. The Twin Cities and Duluth close at peak for loads over twelve feet six wide, ninety-five feet long or fourteen feet high, and Fishing Opener weekend in May is a restricted travel date — which tells you something about Minnesota. One documentary quirk: utility poles are exempt from permits only if the bill of lading actually says utility poles.
Legal dimensions
At or under these figures, no oversize permit is required in Minnesota.
- Width
- 8′6″
- Height
- 13′6″
- Gross weight
- 80,000 lb
- Steer axle
- 600 lb per inch of tire width — 13,200 lb on 11″ tires
- Single axle
- 20,000 lb on designated highways, 18,000 lb elsewhere
- Tandem
- 34,000 lb
- Tridem
- 42,000 lb
Routine permit limits
Above legal dimensions and up to these figures, Minnesota issues a permit as routine business. Beyond them the load becomes a superload, reviewed case by case.
- Length
- 95′ for a two-vehicle combination, 103′ on a single pivot
- Width
- 14′6″, rising to 16′ on certain routes
- Height
- 14′ to 15′6″ depending on the route; above 15′6″ a survey is required
- Single axle
- 20,000 lb
- Tandem
- 40,000 lb, or 46,000 lb with a bridge check
- Tridem
- 60,000 lb
- Quad
- 72,000 lb
Escort requirements
A load reaching any of these figures needs an escort in Minnesota — the figure is the first size that requires one, so a load measuring exactly this much already needs it.
- Width
- 15′1″
- Height
- 15′0″
- Length
- 110′1″
When the load may move
Permit validity. Permits are valid for five travel days.
Operating time. Loads within 10′ of width may travel 2 AM to 10 PM on weekdays and Saturdays, with amber lights after dark. Loads over 10′ wide run sunrise to sunset; night movement then requires front and rear escorts and lights.
Restricted travel. From Memorial Day to the Friday before Labor Day, no movement from 2 PM Friday until Saturday sunrise, except loads within 9′ of width on roadways 22′ or wider and within 14′ of height. Sunday movement runs sunrise to noon. Twin Cities metro closes 6–8:30 AM and 3:30–6 PM, and Duluth 7–8:30 AM and 4–5:30 PM, for loads over 12′6″ wide, 95′ long or 14′ high. Major holidays, some holiday weekends and Fishing Opener weekend in May are restricted.
Worth knowing
- Winter weight increases of roughly 10 per cent typically apply from December; spring thaw restrictions run from February or March into May.
- Utility poles are exempt from permits only if the bill of lading lists the load as utility poles.
- Legal length is 75′ overall, 53′ for the semitrailer, with a 43′ kingpin setting.
- Legal gross weight off the designated highways is 73,280 lb on five axles.
- Oversize Load signs are required when escorts are needed or above 12′ of width.
Minnesota permits, answered
What are Minnesota travel hours for an oversize load?
Within 10′ of width, 2 AM to 10 PM on weekdays and Saturdays with amber lights after dark — a twenty-hour window. Above 10′ wide it is sunrise to sunset, and night movement needs front and rear escorts.
Does Minnesota allow heavier loads in winter?
Yes. Winter weight increases of roughly 10 per cent above the normal maxima typically apply from December, while the ground is frozen. Spring thaw restrictions then cut the other way from February or March into May.
Is Fishing Opener a restricted travel date in Minnesota?
Yes — Fishing Opener weekend in May is listed alongside the major holidays as a restricted date.
Do utility poles need a Minnesota permit?
They are exempt, but only if the bill of lading actually lists the load as utility poles. The exemption is documentary, not visual.
When do the Twin Cities close to oversize loads?
6–8:30 AM and 3:30–6 PM, for loads over 12′6″ wide, 95′ long or 14′ high. Duluth applies 7–8:30 AM and 4–5:30 PM on the same criteria.
Crossing more than Minnesota?
A permit is per state. If the route leaves Minnesota, these are the states it most likely enters.
Get a permit quote for Minnesota
Enter the load once and the estimator prices every state on the route, flags where an escort is required, and turns the quote into an order.
Price a permit for Minnesota →Compiled from published state DOT sources. Regulations change — confirm the current rules before dispatch. Last reviewed 2026-07-30.