How to Read a Missouri Oversize Permit: Field-by-Field Guide

A Missouri oversize or overweight (OSOW) permit comes from MoDOT Motor Carrier Services, and it is ordered only online, through MoDOT Carrier Express. The rule behind it is one long regulation, 7 CSR 10-25.020, which MoDOT rewrote effective in spring 2025. The short version: a single-trip permit covers one load, one origin and one destination, and the move must finish in seven moving days. Oversize loads move in daylight unless they are 12'6" wide or less. St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield have weekday rush-hour curfews. Loads up to 16 feet wide may now run on weekends. And six holidays shut down permitted moves from noon on the last business day before.

This guide walks through what a Missouri permit holds and the published rule behind each part, so a driver or dispatcher knows what to check before rolling. Every rule below links to its source. MoDOT does not publish a filled-in sample permit, so where a detail depends on your own permit, the answer is the same: read the permit and ask Motor Carrier Services. Where MoDOT’s own documents disagree with each other, we say so.

MI 01

Who issues Missouri oversize permits

Under RSMo 304.200.1, MoDOT’s chief engineer issues special permits for vehicles over the width, length, height and weight limits, or vehicles that cannot keep minimum speed. The statute says each permit is for a single trip or a set period, may not run past the vehicle registration’s expiration, and names the highways and bridges you may use. The Highways and Transportation Commission writes the permit rules (304.200.3), which are now 7 CSR 10-25.020 (PDF). Cities may issue their own permits for their streets (304.200.4).

MoDOT’s Oversize Overweight permits page says Motor Carrier Services accepts OSOW applications through MoDOT Carrier Express only. New customers complete an online application and receive a user ID and password by email, per the MoDOT Carrier Express page and the Motor Carrier Services FAQ (PDF, May 28, 2026). The one exception is noncommercial building (house) moves over routine limits, which are permitted by MoDOT district offices under section (16) of the rule.

MoDOT publishes the rule as a booklet too: the Missouri OSOW Permit Regulations Book (PDF), with legal size and weight tables and the statutes in the back.

MI 02

The top of the permit: number, type, dates and fees

Start at the top. Find the permit number (shown here only as a placeholder, MO-XXXXXXXX; we never show real ones), the permittee and account, the permit type and the travel dates. Then check:

• Permit type and validity. Under 7 CSR 10-25.020(1)(H), each single-trip permit covers one load, one origin and one destination, and the move must be done in seven moving days. The only exception is the multi-stop permit for farm implement deliveries. The online application guide (PDF) says picking a “From Date” sets a 7-day window, and the system adds travel days when weekend or holiday restrictions block movement. Annual blanket permits (section (6)) are tied to one power unit, cover up to 12'6" wide and 150 feet long at legal height and weight, and expire at 12:00 a.m. on January 1 of the next year. There are also 30-day, project, highway-crossing and emergency permits.
• Superload. Section (15)(A) treats loads over routine limits, generally over 16 feet wide, 16 feet high, 150 feet long or 160,000 pounds gross, as super heavy and large loads. MoDOT’s superload route survey Q&A (PDF) adds loads over the allowed axle weights or not in a routine axle configuration. Allow at least two weeks for the route evaluation, and expect a route survey (see the route section below).
• Fees. Section (4)(B), repeated on MoDOT’s fee sheet (PDF): single-trip oversize $15; single-trip over 16' wide, 16' high or 150' long $15 plus a $250 movement feasibility fee; single-trip overweight up to 160,000 pounds $15 plus $20 per 10,000 pounds over legal gross; over 160,000 pounds, add a bridge and roadway analysis fee of $425 (0–50 miles), $625 (51–200 miles) or $925 (over 200 miles). Annual blankets run $128 (single commodity) to $400 (multiple commodity). Fees are paid before the permit issues and are not refunded if the permit becomes invalid.
• Amendments. A permit amendment is $2. Single-trip permits may only be amended within two business days of the start date, and once a permit is in effect the permittee, origin, destination and commodity cannot be changed ((4)(B)17).
• Accuracy is on you. Under (3)(A)13, permittees are responsible for the accuracy of their permits and must tell Motor Carrier Services about any error before the move starts. Under (3)(A)7 and 8, a misrepresentation, a move not in strict compliance, or an altered permit makes the permit void.

Carry it. Section (9)(A) says the permit must accompany the move until the move is completed. The online application guide says permits are delivered by fax or email, chosen on the Payment page. The MoDOT documents we checked do not say whether showing the permit on a phone or tablet is enough, so ask Motor Carrier Services before relying on an electronic copy alone.

MI 03

Vehicle, load, dimensions and axle weights

The load section shows what you applied for. Section (4)(A) says an oversize application must show the width, length and height of the commodity itself, plus the overall width, overall length, trailer-and-load length and overall height. An overweight application must show axle loads and axle spacings measured center to center. The online application guide also asks for the commodity, the make and last four digits of the serial number of equipment, and each piece’s dimensions before it is loaded. Section (3)(A)12 says permission is granted only for the dimensions and weight specified. If the loaded truck doesn’t match, the permit doesn’t cover it.

Context for those numbers. Missouri legal limits without a permit:

One mismatch to know about: MoDOT’s legal size and weight sheet (PDF) lists a 15-foot legal height in commercial zones, but the FAQ lists only 13'6" and 14', and 304.170.2 as we read it says 14' on interstates and designated routes and 13'6" elsewhere. If you are counting on 15 feet inside a commercial zone, confirm it with Motor Carrier Services first.

Routine permit maximums. The FAQ and legal size sheet list the most Missouri will routinely permit: 16 feet wide, 16 feet high, 150 feet overall (60 feet single unit, 75 feet truck-trailer) and 160,000 pounds (152,000 for specialized equipment). Section (11)(D) caps permitted axle weights at:

Gross weight then depends on the axle configuration in section (11)(C), from 104,000 pounds on a 5-axle (1-2-2) with at least 51 feet between first and last axles, to 120,000 on a 6-axle, 130,000–150,000 on 7 axles, and 144,000–160,000 on 8 to 12 axles, each with minimum spacings between groups. Other tractor-trailer setups up to 160,000 pounds may still get a routine permit if they pass a bridge analysis ((11)(E)), and cranes and other specialized equipment use the gross weight tables in (11)(G).

Lift axles don’t count. Section (11)(B)7 says that under no circumstances will lift axles, meaning axles whose weight can be adjusted with manual valves, be counted in weight computations. An extra axle can be added to a group only if every axle shares a common equalization system with automatic valves. Axles in tandem, triple, quadrum and booster groups need dual wheels or equal tread width. Our guide to reading overweight permit axle weights explains axle groups in more detail.

Height. Under (10)(C), height is limited to the vertical clearance of the structures on the route. Raising or removing overhead lines and signals is the permittee’s job, lifting or pushing an overhead obstruction to get clearance is prohibited, and the permittee must check every structure and wire before moving. Over 17 feet, superloads need written approval from the utility companies ((15)(C)).

MI 04

The route section

MoDOT decides the route. Section (1)(D) says time and cost savings are not the main factors: MoDOT reserves the right to set routing and travel time for every move, based on safety, structure capacities and clearances, road widths and traffic. Routes stay on the state highway system and are as direct as possible. In Carrier Express, the online application guide says you can run a route on the Trip page before you apply. When a route shows “Analysis Failed”, right-click the red section to see whether a work zone (with its dates and allowed dimensions), a vertical clearance or a weight-restricted bridge caused it.

Rules to read for in the route section:

• Stay on the route. Under (3)(A)6, leaving the prescribed route without specific Motor Carrier Services authorization voids the permit. If you meet a condition the permit didn’t plan for, or emergency signs that cast doubt on the trip, notify Motor Carrier Services right away for instructions.
• One mile for services. Under (1)(J), you may go up to one mile onto another adjoining state highway for food, fuel, repairs and rest, but only if no structures are crossed, no posted weight limits are exceeded, you can clear overhead structures safely and the load doesn’t block traffic.
• Off the state system. City and county roads need approval from whoever maintains them, and you must obey their bridge postings ((1)(D)).
• Speeds and bridge lanes. A permit may set maximum and minimum speeds and lane restrictions on structures ((1)(G)). Read those lines closely on overweight moves.
• District contact. When the permit requires it, call the district representative named on it before you travel ((3)(A)14).
• Bridges and spacing for wide loads. For loads over 12'6" to 14' wide, traffic may have to be stopped at bridges under 28 feet wide on two-lane highways. Over 14' to 16', that rises to bridges under 32 feet wide, routes need at least 24-foot pavement with 4-foot shoulders, and there is no movement on two-lane highways when dirt shoulders are wet. Both classes keep at least 1,000 feet between oversize vehicles ((13)(A), (14)(A) and (C)).
• Long loads. Over 150 feet long, the permittee must drive the route, or use MoDOT-approved roadway geometric modeling software, before the permit issues and attest that every turn can be made ((3)(A)5). If the load then can’t make the route, new permit fees apply.
• Superload route surveys. The route survey Q&A says every superload needs one: drive the roads, measure lanes, shoulders, wires and signals, list tight turns and low bridges, contact local law enforcement, and file an emergency plan with parking spots and contacts. Over 350,000 pounds, an extra power unit must go with the load ((15)(D)).

Our post on bridge clearance maps for trucks lists free sources for checking low clearances along a route.

MI 05

Escort vehicles and flaggers

Missouri publishes escort counts in the rule and in a one-page escort requirements table (PDF, rev. January 20, 2026). The table says requirements are cumulative (width, length, height and weight each count) and that, apart from unusually complex loads, no more than two front and two rear escorts are required, plus law enforcement when needed. The civilian escort counts, from the table and 7 CSR 10-25.020 sections (9)(G), (13)(B), (14)(B) and (15)(G):

Law enforcement escorts. Under section (15)(G)5, Missouri State Highway Patrol escorts are required when a load exceeds 16 feet wide on any two-lane highway, 18 feet wide on divided or multi-lane undivided highways, 150 feet long or 17 feet high, or whenever the route or load is complex enough. Motor Carrier Services may waive the patrol escort or allow local or military law enforcement instead. If the patrol escorts the load, it sets travel dates and times unless the permit says otherwise ((15)(F)4), and it may do a Level I inspection first.

Where MoDOT’s documents disagree. The rule and the FAQ’s escort list (May 28, 2026) match: law enforcement over 150 feet long, over 17 feet high, and over 16 feet wide on two-lane highways. The newer-dated escort table (January 20, 2026) sets law enforcement only over 200 feet long, over 18 feet high and over 18 feet wide, and its 16'–18' width row does not mention law enforcement on two-lane roads. The table may reflect how Motor Carrier Services uses its waiver power, but we can’t confirm that. Follow the escort conditions printed on your permit, and if they are unclear, ask Motor Carrier Services before you book escorts.

How escorts run. Front escorts travel about 300 feet ahead of the load and rear escorts about 300 feet behind, closer in heavy traffic or in towns ((9)(H)). Each load and each dimension gets its own escort, and convoys are not allowed ((9)(G)4). The height detection vehicle must have a vertical clearance device and continuous two-way communication with the power unit, and it counts as the front escort unless more than one front escort is required ((9)(G)3). Loads over 12'6" wide need continuous two-way communication between the truck and every escort ((13)(B), (14)(B)).

The escort vehicle and operator. Section (8) requires an operator at least 18 years old who is properly licensed and obeys traffic laws, and a properly licensed single-unit vehicle of standard size (a car, pickup, utility vehicle or the like) with a clear view front and rear. The escort shows an OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD sign at least 5 feet by 1 foot, black on yellow with 10-inch letters, readable from 300 feet, plus two red or orange fluorescent flags on staffs at the front corners (front escort) or rear corners (rear escort). The permittee must make sure the escort carries the insurance required by law. The rule we checked lists no escort certification, so if a shipper or another state asks for one, ask Motor Carrier Services what Missouri accepts. MoDOT links the FMCSA pilot car escort best practices guidelines (PDF) from its OSOW page.

Flaggers. Under (9)(I), flagging is required when an overwidth load is as wide as, or wider than, the travel lane on a two-lane bridge, or when the load spills into the next lane. A flagger is also needed if the load breaks down partly in the roadway. The escort driver may act as the flagger, and traffic control must follow the MUTCD. Our guide to pilot car escort requirements covers escort roles in general.

MI 06

Travel times, curfews, weekends and holidays

Missouri’s time rules are spread across several sections of 7 CSR 10-25.020. Read the travel-time lines on your permit against each one.

• Daylight by default. Travel is limited to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset ((9)(B)). Sunrise and sunset are the National Weather Service times ((1)(L)).
• Night moves. Loads no wider than 12'6", at legal height and no longer than 110 feet, may move at night on single-trip and blanket permits, with lighted or reflective signs, clearance lights instead of flags, and continuous two-way radio contact with any escorts ((10)(F)). Hay up to 14 feet wide may move at night ((10)(E)). Overweight loads within those dimensions get day and night movement, outside holidays and the tourist areas ((11)(A)).
• Weather. No movement when roads are hazardous, such as snow- or ice-covered, in hazardous crosswinds, or when visibility is under 500 feet ((9)(B)).
• Metro curfews, Monday to Friday ((9)(E)), for oversize loads (not overweight-only loads):
  • St. Louis City and County, all routes except Route 370: 6:30–9:00 a.m. and 3:30–6:30 p.m. Parts of St. Charles County (I-70, Route 40/61 (I-64), Route 94) and Jefferson County (I-55, Routes 21, 30 and 141) carry the same windows, some by direction only.
  • Kansas City, on and inside the area bounded by Routes 150, 291, I-470, 152 West and I-435 (Platte County) exit 24 south to the Kansas line: 7:00–9:00 a.m. and 4:00–6:00 p.m.
  • Springfield city limits, all state routes: 7:00–9:00 a.m. and 4:00–6:00 p.m., except I-44 and U.S. 60 (4:00–6:00 p.m. only) and U.S. 65 (7:00–9:00 a.m. and 3:30–6:00 p.m.).
• Wider loads off the divided highways. Loads over 12'6" wide, and superloads, may run on interstates and other divided highways in daylight, but on all other state routes they may not move Monday to Friday from 6:30–9:00 a.m. or 3:30–6:00 p.m. ((13)(A), (15)(F)).
• Tourist areas. No Saturday or Sunday movement on Routes 5, 42 and Business 54 at the Lake of the Ozarks (May 25 through Labor Day) or on Routes 76 and 13 near Branson (May 1 through November 30) ((9)(D)). The Branson window is still open through the end of this month.
• Weekends. The rule allows Saturday and Sunday travel for moves 16 feet wide and less, except in tourist areas and holiday periods ((15)(F)3), and MoDOT’s OSOW page lists this as one of the 2025 changes. Read it as no weekend travel over 16 feet unless your permit says otherwise. Note the mismatch: MoDOT’s online application guide, created in December 2021, still says loads over 14 feet wide cannot move on weekends and that the system moves a weekend start date to Monday. The current rule governs. If Carrier Express still shifts your dates, ask Motor Carrier Services.
• Night moves inside urban areas. Short moves of major equipment with origin and destination inside a major urban area may be permitted from 1:00–6:00 a.m. Monday to Friday and 1:00 a.m. to noon Sunday, outside holiday periods, with lighted signs and amber lights at the extremities ((9)(F)).

Holidays. Under (1)(I), movement is restricted for New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The restriction starts at 12:00 noon on the last business day before the holiday and runs until one-half hour before sunrise on the first business day after it. If July 4 falls on a Saturday it is observed Friday, and if it falls on a Sunday it is observed Monday. MoDOT’s OSOW page publishes the dates:

The other Missouri state holidays on that page, including Veterans Day (November 11), Lincoln’s Birthday, Truman Day and Columbus Day, close the Jefferson City office but are not movement restrictions, and Carrier Express stays open 24/7. MoDOT had not posted 2027 dates past New Year’s when we checked, so look for them on the OSOW page before planning a Memorial Day 2027 move. Our guide to checking curfews and travel restrictions shows a quick way to line time windows up with your trip dates.

Emergencies. Under section (12), emergency moves (derailments, disasters, utility repairs) may run day or night, seven days a week, on a permit or verbal approval, with the tourist, curfew, night and holiday limits waived for the initial response. A formal permit must be bought on the next working day, and emergency moves still stop at weigh stations. MoDOT’s after-hours emergency number is (573) 291-4517, and the OSOW page says no non-emergency permits are available there.

MI 07

Signs, flags and lights

Section (10)(A) of 7 CSR 10-25.020 sets the marking rules for the permitted vehicle:

• OVERSIZE LOAD signs, front and rear, over 10'6" wide. At least 7 feet long by 18 inches high, with 10-inch letters of 1⅝-inch stroke, black on yellow, reading “OVERSIZE LOAD” or “WIDE LOAD.” The sign may be split to fit crash-avoidance equipment.
• Rear sign for long loads. When a combination is over 110 feet long or a single unit over 50 feet long, a sign goes on the rear of the load.
• Flags. Red, yellow or orange fluorescent flags at least 18 inches square, in good condition, at the extreme ends or projections of every overwidth and overlength load, and on all four corners of manufactured and sectional homes. Section (8)(E) adds that flags must be clean, with no advertising or wording.
• Night and low visibility. For night travel and when visibility is under 500 feet, signs must be lighted or reflective and clearance lights replace flags at the extreme ends of the load ((10)(F), (12)(J)).

The rule doesn’t require a sign on loads that are only overweight. Check your permit for any added marking conditions.

MI 08

Insurance, office and contacts

Insurance. Section (2) and MoDOT’s insurance sheet (PDF) require combined single limit auto liability of at least $750,000 for routine moves and $2,000,000 for super heavy and large loads and for noncommercial house moves, covering every vehicle on the permit. That policy may not include cargo, which must be insured separately, and very heavy permits may need more coverage. Vehicles must be licensed for the maximum weight to get an overweight permit ((1)(K)).

Who to call.

• MoDOT Motor Carrier Services: toll-free 1-866-831-6277 (the FAQ says option 4 reaches an OSOW agent), 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central, Monday to Friday, per the Motor Carrier Services page; local 573-751-7100; email contactmcs@modot.mo.gov; 830 MoDOT Drive, PO Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
• After-hours emergencies only: (573) 291-4517.
• Online: MoDOT Carrier Express, open 24/7, with the OSOW user guides, escrow funding and blanket permit instructions.
• House moves: MoDOT district offices in St. Joseph, Hannibal, Lee’s Summit, Jefferson City, the St. Louis area, Springfield and Sikeston.

Two contact mismatches, so check before you rely on an address. The rule’s district list in (16)(A) puts the St. Louis office in Chesterfield and the Sikeston office at 2675 North Main Street, while the FAQ lists Town and Country and 201 North Main Street. The FAQ also gives 800-877-8499 for the Central Office, while the OSOW and Motor Carrier Services pages use 1-866-831-6277. And MoDOT’s OSOW page says the 2025 rule changes took effect March 31, 2025, while the rule’s own history and the regulations book say March 30, 2025. One more: the FAQ lists annual blanket permits up to 12'4" wide, while section (6) of the rule says 12'6".

Accepting a permit also means accepting its conditions: under (3)(A), the permittee takes full responsibility for injury or damage caused by the move, including to state highways and bridges, and agrees to hold MoDOT and the Highway Patrol harmless.

MI 09

A pre-trip checklist, and where JaloPermit fits

Before departure on a Missouri permit, confirm:

1. The permit is with the load, the dates fit the seven-moving-day window, and the origin, destination and commodity are right. Errors must be fixed with Motor Carrier Services before you roll.
2. Every dimension, axle weight and axle spacing on the permit matches the loaded truck, with no lift axle counted toward weight, and the power unit is licensed for the weight.
3. You will drive the route exactly as listed, using the one-mile allowance only for food, fuel, repairs and rest, and you have approval for any city or county roads.
4. Escorts match the permit, the escort table and the rule, the height pole vehicle is set if you are over 15'6" high, and you know whether a Highway Patrol escort is needed.
5. The move stays in daylight unless the load qualifies for night travel, it avoids the St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield curfews and the tourist-area weekends, and it clears every holiday window, such as Thanksgiving (noon November 25 until just before sunrise November 27, 2026).
6. Signs, flags and lights match section (10), and your insurance meets the $750,000 or $2,000,000 minimum.

JaloPermit can speed up the reading part. Drop an already-issued, text-based permit PDF into the permit decoder on the JaloPermit homepage and it lays out the route, escorts, time limits, dimensions and limits on one route card, with weigh stations, truck stops and low-bridge alerts. Then compare it with the original. For the state rules at a glance, see the Missouri page in the JaloPermit Atlas. For a general walk-through of any state’s permit, see how to read an oversize load permit. Missouri borders several states we have covered the same way: Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Illinois. Our Indiana, Ohio and Texas guides cover common I-70 and I-44 corridor states. If your trip crosses state lines, read multi-state oversize permit trips.

JaloPermit, which publishes this guide, is a reading aid for issued permit PDFs. It is not a permit-filing service and it does not plan routes or provide navigation. The issued permit always wins.

JaloPermit reads text-based PDFs only, not scans or photos. Guests get three free decodes a day with no account and no card. Logged-in users get 10 free decodes a day. After those free decodes, each one is $3.50. There is no subscription.

Questions about how JaloPermit reads a permit? Email support@jalopermit.org.

MI 10

FAQs