West Virginia oversize permit requirements
West Virginia grades weekend travel by the road rather than by the load, which is a distinction no neighbouring state draws and the single most useful thing to know about moving through it. On the Interstate and divided highways, a load may run at weekends within fourteen feet six of height, fourteen feet of width, ninety-five feet of length and fifteen feet of overhang. On the US routes and selected state roads the allowance tightens to fourteen feet, twelve feet, seventy-five feet and ten feet. On everything else it tightens again, to thirteen feet six of height. The same load can be weekend-legal on one road and parked on the next.
Weekdays are the ordinary sunrise-to-sunset window, Monday to Friday. Overweight-only loads within a hundred and ten thousand pounds run around the clock; above that figure they fall back to daylight, weekdays only — an unusually sharp cliff for a weight threshold.
The West Virginia Parkway runs its own restrictions: no night movement at all, and loads over fourteen feet wide are confined to Monday through Thursday. The other figure to watch is legal gross weight off the designated system, which drops to sixty-five thousand pounds — well below the eighty thousand most carriers assume, and low enough that a legal combination becomes overweight simply by turning off the main road. Routine permits allow sixteen feet of width on four-lane roads and fifteen on two-lane, with height to sixteen feet subject to engineer approval above fifteen.
Legal dimensions
At or under these figures, no oversize permit is required in West Virginia.
- Width
- 8′6″
- Height
- 13′6″
- Gross weight
- 80,000 lb
- Overhang
- 3′ front, 6′ rear
- Single axle
- 20,000 lb
- Tandem
- 34,000 lb
- Tridem
- 42,500 lb
Routine permit limits
Above legal dimensions and up to these figures, West Virginia issues a permit as routine business. Beyond them the load becomes a superload, reviewed case by case.
- Length
- Set by the route rather than a single published figure
- Width
- 16′ on four-lane roads, 15′ on two-lane
- Height
- 16′, with engineer approval required above 15′
- Gross
- 120,000 lb
- Single axle
- 28,000 lb
- Tandem
- 45,000 lb
- Tridem
- 50,000 lb
Escort requirements
A load reaching any of these figures needs an escort in West Virginia — the figure is the first size that requires one, so a load measuring exactly this much already needs it.
- Width
- 12′1″
- Height
- 15′0″
- Length
- 95′1″
When the load may move
Permit validity. Permits are valid for five calendar days.
Operating time. Sunrise to sunset, Monday to Friday. Weekend travel is allowed by road class: on the Interstate and divided highways within 14′6″ high, 14′ wide, 95′ long and 15′ of overhang; on US and selected state routes within 14′ high, 12′ wide, 75′ long and 10′ of overhang; on other routes within 13′6″ high, 12′ wide, 75′ long and 10′ of overhang. Overweight-only loads within 110,000 lb travel around the clock; above 110,000 lb they run sunrise to sunset, Monday to Friday only.
Restricted travel. No travel on major holidays or holiday weekends. The West Virginia Parkway allows no night running, and loads over 14′ wide may use it only Monday to Thursday.
Worth knowing
- Weekend travel allowances are set by road class, so the same load can be weekend-legal on the Interstate and parked on a US route.
- Legal gross weight drops to 65,000 lb off the designated system — a legal combination can become overweight simply by turning off the main road.
- The West Virginia Parkway allows no night running, and restricts loads over 14′ wide to Monday through Thursday.
- A dozer blade is limited to 12′ of width and must travel on a separate trailer if the combined weight would exceed 80,000 lb.
- Legal length is 53′ on the Interstate, and 48′ with 60′ overall on non-designated routes.
- Six flags and Oversize Load signs are required on every oversize load.
West Virginia permits, answered
Can an oversize load travel at the weekend in West Virginia?
It depends on the road, not the load. Interstate and divided highways allow up to 14′6″ high and 14′ wide; US and selected state routes tighten to 14′ and 12′; everything else to 13′6″ and 12′. The same load can be legal on one road and parked on the next.
Why is my load overweight off the West Virginia Interstate?
Because legal gross weight drops to 65,000 lb off the designated system, against 80,000 lb on it. A perfectly legal combination becomes overweight by turning off the main road.
What are the West Virginia Parkway restrictions?
No night running at all, and loads over 14′ wide are limited to Monday through Thursday.
Can an overweight load run at night in West Virginia?
Within 110,000 lb, yes — around the clock. Above 110,000 lb it drops back to sunrise to sunset, Monday to Friday, which is a sharp cliff for a single threshold.
Can I keep a dozer blade attached in West Virginia?
Up to 12′ of width, and only if the combined weight stays within 80,000 lb — otherwise the blade travels on its own trailer.
Crossing more than West Virginia?
A permit is per state. If the route leaves West Virginia, these are the states it most likely enters.
Get a permit quote for West Virginia
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 West Virginia →Compiled from published state DOT sources. Regulations change — confirm the current rules before dispatch. Last reviewed 2026-07-30.