Maryland oversize load permits
Maryland caps at 13'6", the federal baseline and the limit in 26 states. 20 states allow 14'0" and two allow 14'6", so a load that ran legally elsewhere can be over-height here.
Maryland permit requirements
The same seven sections for every state, so two states can be compared without re-learning the layout.
Permit required above
Exceed any one of these in Maryland and the load needs a permit. No overall cap on a tractor-semitrailer — the 53' trailer with KPRA ≤41' governs. 55' is the catch-all for other combinations. A trailer longer than 53' re-activates the state's 55' overall cap. Structural material that can't be taken apart: MDOT SHA told Permigo by phone on October 23, 2026 that structural loads up to 75' need no permit; its published rule is 70', by daylight, for an indivisible load (§§ 24-104.1(c), 24-105(a)). Permigo files it for a flat $20, with the state's own fee billed at cost.
Front overhang is capped at 3' and rear overhang at 6', separately, not combined. Exceed either and Maryland requires a permit unless the load is exempt: the law exempts an indivisible load up to 70' by daylight, and piling, poles and mill logs (Md. Code, Transp. §24-105(a)). Separately, MDOT SHA told Permigo by phone on October 23, 2026 that structural loads up to 75' need no permit. Permigo’s guide to Maryland’s structural load exemption sets the two answers side by side.
Filed from Houston, TX. A permit agent answers +1 (786) 494-6912, 7am–7pm CT, 7 days; no card needed for a quote.
Axle limits
Escorts by road type
Police escort required at the thresholds marked above.
Superload above
Allow about 2 business days for review.
Movement windows
| Load | Window |
|---|---|
| Any permit load | ½ hr after sunrise → ½ hr before sunset; Saturday until noon; Sunday prohibited |
| >45 t · ≥100'L · ≥12'W on the beltways | I-495/I-95 + I-695: 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. only |
| ≥14' wide (and >60 t) | 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. statewide |
| MDTA toll facilities | daylight, 9 a.m. Monday → 12 noon Friday only; ≥1-hr notice to MDTA Police |
| Superloads (>150,000 lb) | days 9:00–3:30 or nights 8:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. |
| 7 holidays (incl. Good Friday) | full blackout — the Unit re-publishes the list each year after Dec 15 |
| Weather | void under an active snow emergency plan; Bay Bridge wind tiers from 30 mph |
Travel restrictions
Other published tables
No additional tables published for this state.
Primary source: MDOT SHA — hauling permits ↗
Every figure on this page was checked against it on August 4, 2026.
Get Maryland priced and filed
Send the route and a permit agent calls you back with Maryland’s fee, any other state on the way, and one total. Filed from Houston, TX; we answer +1 (786) 494-6912, 7am–7pm CT, 7 days.
Already know the load? Start an order online — no account needed — or send the form and we set it up for you.
States that border Maryland
Limits change at the line. One order covers every state on your route.
Maryland oversize permits, answered
Do I need an oversize permit in Maryland?
You need a permit in Maryland once the load exceeds any one of these: 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, or 80,000 lb gross. There is no overall length cap on a normal tractor-semitrailer — the trailer itself is capped at 53' instead. A structural load can run longer without a permit: MDOT SHA publishes 70' for an indivisible load moved by daylight, and told Permigo by phone on October 23, 2026 that structural loads up to 75' need no permit. Axle limits apply too — 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem.
When does Maryland require an escort?
Maryland requires no escort below 13' wide. On two-lane roads it takes one escort (in front) over 13', two escorts (front and rear) from 14' and two escorts (front and rear) with a police escort from 16'. On multilane highways it takes one escort (behind) over 13', two escorts (front and rear) from 14' and two escorts (front and rear) with a police escort from 16'.
Can I move an oversize load at night in Maryland?
Daylight hours only. Weekend restrictions apply. Holiday movement is restricted.
What counts as a superload in Maryland?
A load over 16' wide, over 16'0" high, over 100' long, over 150,000 lb is handled as a superload in Maryland. Allow about 2 business days for review.
How much does a Maryland oversize permit cost?
Permigo charges a flat $20 service fee per state permit. Maryland's own permit fee is billed at cost on the same invoice, itemised, with nothing added. Call +1 (786) 494-6912 and we will price your exact route.
What happens if I move without a Maryland permit?
Moving above Maryland's limits without a permit is a violation, not a paperwork gap. The load can be stopped at a scale or by a trooper and held until a permit is issued, the fine is set by Maryland and the citing officer, and a pattern of violations follows the carrier's safety record. If you are not sure the load needs one, when you need an oversize permit walks through the triggers.
Which kind of Maryland permit do I need?
Most moves take a single-trip permit: one load, one route, a set number of days. Many states also sell annual or blanket permits for loads that stay within routine dimensions; whether Maryland does, and for which loads, is on the state's own permit page. A superload is permitted separately and reviewed by the state — the thresholds are in the answer above. Permigo files whichever kind the load needs at the same $20 flat fee; what Maryland itself charges is on the cost guide.
Is a Maryland oversize permit the same as a Maryland truck permit?
No. A "truck permit" usually means the paperwork a truck needs to cross Maryland at all — a trip permit, a fuel permit (IFTA) or IRP plates — which the state's motor-carrier office issues. An oversize or overweight permit covers one load that exceeds Maryland's legal size or weight, and that is what Permigo files.
Do structural loads like steel beams need a Maryland permit?
Not up to a certain length. MDOT SHA’s published rule lets an indivisible load such as a steel beam move without a permit up to 70 feet, by daylight; MDOT SHA also told Permigo by phone on October 23, 2026 that structural loads up to 75 feet need no permit. Over 75 feet, or too wide, tall or heavy, the load needs a permit, which Permigo files. Every other load is held to 3 feet past the front and 6 feet past the rear (Transportation Article §24-105). Permigo’s guide to Maryland’s structural load exemption sets the two answers side by side.
Also useful: when you need a permit, pilot car requirements by state, and the interactive map of all 48 states.
Moving through Maryland?
$20 flat per state permit, the state's fee at cost. A permit agent answers, 7am–7pm CT.