In Wisconsin, any load that exceeds the legal size or weight limits requires an oversize/overweight permit before it moves. Below are the legal limits and the requirements that apply at each threshold.
1When you need a permit
A load is oversize or overweight once it passes any of these:
| Dimension | Wisconsin legal limit | Permit if over |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | Wider |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | Taller |
| Length (combination) | 70 ft | Longer |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs | Heavier |
| Single axle | 20,000 lbs | Heavier |
| Tandem axle | 34,000 lbs | Heavier |
2Escort & pilot car requirements
| Once the load is over… | Wisconsin requires |
|---|---|
| 15 ft wide | 1 escort (pilot car) |
| 20 ft wide | 2 escorts |
| 16 ft high | Escort with a height pole / pole car |
| 140 ft long | 1 escort · 160 ft → 2 escorts |
| 16 ft high or 16 ft wide | Route survey required |
| 18 ft wide | Police escort |
3When you can travel
- Daylight only — 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset for loads over 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 150 ft long (no darkness ban for smaller oversize loads).
- Weekends: Weekend travel is restricted for loads over 12 ft wide or 13.5 ft high or 150 ft long.
- Loads up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 150 ft long may run at night, except 4 pm to 8 pm on Sundays, Fridays from the 4th Friday in May through Labor Day, and restricted-travel holidays and the day before, in Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock and Waukesha counties. Larger loads may not run during hours of darkness, from noon Saturday to sunrise Sunday, 4 pm to 8 pm Sunday, or from noon the day before to sunrise the day after a restricted-travel holiday. Overweight-only loads may run 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
- Holiday blackouts: New Year's Day, Easter weekend (Sat & Sun), Memorial Day + preceding Sat/Sun, Independence Day, Labor Day + preceding Sat/Sun, Gun deer season opening Sat & Sun, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve.
5Permit timing
- Validity: a single-trip permit is good for ~5 days.
Get the full cost of your load
FreightDeck estimates every cost on an oversize move — permits, escorts, police, route survey, engineering, and the truck rate — for your exact load and route, across all 48 states and Canada, up to superload size.
Price your Wisconsin load free →The most complete heavy-haul cost estimator · 48 states + Canada · no card to start · See plans & pricing
?Wisconsin permit FAQ
When do I need an oversize permit in Wisconsin?
Once a load exceeds any legal limit: 8 ft 6 in wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 70 ft long (combination), or 80,000 lbs gross.
When do I need a pilot car in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin requires one escort over 15 ft wide (two over 20 ft), a height pole over 16 ft high, and a police escort over 18 ft wide.
Can you drive an oversize load at night in Wisconsin?
Daylight only, 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset for loads over 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 150 ft long (no darkness ban for smaller oversize loads). Loads up to 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high and 150 ft long may run at night, except 4 pm to 8 pm on Sundays, Fridays from the 4th Friday in May through Labor Day, and restricted-travel holidays and the day before, in Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock and Waukesha counties. Larger loads may not run during hours of darkness, from noon Saturday to sunrise Sunday, 4 pm to 8 pm Sunday, or from noon the day before to sunrise the day after a restricted-travel holiday. Overweight-only loads may run 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. Weekend travel is allowed within limits.
How much does a Wisconsin oversize permit cost?
The state permit fee depends on the load's size and weight. The full cost of a move also includes escorts, police, route surveys, engineering, and the truck rate, which vary by route. FreightDeck estimates all of it for your exact load — price your Wisconsin load with FreightDeck →.
Can oversize loads move on weekends and holidays in Wisconsin?
Weekend travel is restricted for loads over 12 ft wide or 13.5 ft high or 150 ft long. Movement stops on New Year's Day, Easter weekend (Sat & Sun), Memorial Day + preceding Sat/Sun, Independence Day, Labor Day + preceding Sat/Sun, Gun deer season opening Sat & Sun, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve (Default list (annual WisDOT list governs). >12 W/13.5 H/150 L: noon day before until sunrise day after; all oversize: 4-8 pm on holiday and day before in 5 counties); check the permit conditions for exact times.
Does Wisconsin require a route survey?
Yes, once a load is over 16 ft high or 16 ft wide. The survey checks every bridge, sign, signal and wire on the route and is filed with the permit; it usually takes longer than the permit itself, so start it first. What a route survey involves →
Are any loads exempt from oversize permits in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin publishes exemptions or relaxed rules for farm equipment, logging trucks, baled hay 12 ft; christmas trees sept 15-dec 15, and logging skidders/forwarders/harvesters/feller bunchers (for example non-interstate, lighting/marking requirements). Exemptions are narrow and usually limited to specific roads and daylight hours; anything else over the legal limits needs a permit.
Does a Wisconsin permit cover Michigan?
No. Every state issues its own permit, and a move crossing into Michigan, Minnesota, or Iowa needs a separate permit there with that state's escort and travel rules. FreightDeck prices every state on the route in one quote.