Kansas Oversize & Overweight Permit Rules
What a load can be in Kansas without a permit, where the permit and escort tiers start on 2-lane roads and multi-lane roads, when it can move, and who to call. Every figure is the JaloPermit Atlas entry for Kansas, shown as the app shows it.
Rules as of Jul 31, 2026 · Links checked Jul 13, 2026
Read this before you trust a number. Rules change. The issued permit, posted signs and the state permit office always win over this page. JaloPermit is a reading aid, not a permit-filing service. Guests get 3 free decodes a day with no account and no card, logged-in users get 10 a day, and extra decodes are $3.50 each with no subscription.
What moves in Kansas without a permit
Legal limits are the dimensions and gross weight a vehicle may run at without an oversize or overweight permit. Kansas publishes its length limit as semitrailer, so compare it against that measurement on your permit, not the overall rig.
Where the permit and escort tiers start
| Dimension | Legal without permit | Permit tier starts | First escort on 2-lane roads | First escort on multi-lane roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8'6" | 8'7" | 14'1" · Front + (Rear or amber light) | 14'1" · Front + (Rear or amber light) |
| Height | 14'0" | 14'1" | 16'1" · Front + High pole | 16'1" · Front + High pole |
| Length | 59'6"semitrailer | 85'1" | 126'1" · Front + Rear | 126'1" · Front + Rear |
| Weight | 80,000 lbs | 80,001 lbs | 150,001 lbs · Front + Rear | 150,001 lbs · Front + Rear |
"Permit tier starts" is the lowest size in the Atlas ladder that needs a permit. "First escort" is the lowest size that adds a private or police escort on that road class; the full ladder with each tier's rule and source is below.
Kansas escort ladder, tier by tier
Open a tier to read the rule behind it, quoted with its source. Amber tiers add a police escort or a superload review; grey tiers are permit-only with conditions.
On 2-lane roads
Escorts begin at 14'1" wide
Width
Permit only up to 14'
Front + (Rear or amber light)14'1" – 16'6"
Width exceeding 14' on highways of fewer than 4 lanes: front and rear escorts required (K.A.R. 36-1-36(f)(1); 36-45-8(b)(4)). Except for superloads and large structures, the rear escort may be eliminated if a warning light is attached to the top of the towing vehicle and to the rear of the load 2-8 ft above the road (36-1-36(f)(1)) and a rear warning sign per K.S.A. 8-1911(l)(1) is fitted (36-45-8(b)(4)(C)). Kansas' real distinction is lane count (fewer than 4 lanes), approximated here as non-interstate. An amber warning light may replace the rear escort. Source: K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(4) (KDOT escort-vehicle procedures) - Cornell LII exact copy.
Front + Rear16'7"+
Large structure (width exceeding 16'6", K.A.R. 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(2)); rear escort not eliminable (36-1-36(f)(1) exception excludes large structures). An escort vehicle must be stationed at side-road intersections during movement (36-1-38). Escort operator route survey required within 14 days before the move (36-45-7). District-reviewed Large Structure permit.
Height
Permit only up to 16'
Front + High pole16'1" – 18'
Height exceeding 16': at least 1 front escort required (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(3)) and the escort preceding the load must carry a height pole (36-45-8(c)) set at the permitted load's height plus 3 inches (36-45-6(d)). Loads more than 17' high: carrier must notify all appropriate utilities on the route (36-1-36).
Front + Rear + High pole18'1"+
Large structure (height exceeding 18', K.A.R. 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(2)); the front escort carries a height pole set at load height plus 3 inches (36-45-8(c); 36-45-6(d)). Escort stationed at side-road intersections (36-1-38); escort operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7); utility notification required over 17' (36-1-36).
Length
Permit only up to 90'
Permit required90'1" – 126'
No length-based escort under Kansas rules below 126 ft. K.A.R. 36-45-8(b) requires escorts only for superloads, large structures (over 16'6" wide or over 18' high), loads over 16' high and loads over 14' wide. KDOT may still print escort conditions on the K-TRIPS permit for a particular route; follow the permit. Source: K.A.R. 36-45-8(b); K.A.R. 36-45-1(g), (o); K.A.R. 36-1-36(f).
Front + Rear126'1"+
KDOT processes length exceeding 126' (the routine Standard Permit ceiling) under Large Structure permits (KDOT House Transportation testimony 2025-03-05). Encoded conservatively with the large-structure escort minimum of 1 front and 1 rear (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(2)), an escort stationed at side-road intersections (36-1-38), and an escort-operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7). Note: K.A.R. 36-45-1 defines 'large structure' by width/height only, so the front+rear encoding for overlength-only loads is a conservative inference from KDOT's permit processing, not explicit regulation text — follow the escort provisions printed on the permit.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 150,000 lbs
Overweight permit required; no escort is triggered by weight alone at or below 150,000 lbs gross (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(1) requires escorts only for superloads; KDOT Standard Permit covers up to 150,000 lbs with no bridge analysis). Caution: a load whose axle group(s) exceed K.A.R. 36-1-37 limits is a superload regardless of gross weight (36-45-1).
Front + Rear150,001 lbs+
Superload (gross weight exceeding 150,000 lbs, or axle groups exceeding K.A.R. 36-1-37 limits; 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(1)). If the permit requires the superload to slow down at bridges, one ADDITIONAL escort vehicle is required (36-45-8(b)(1)). KDOT bridge analysis must be completed before travel; escorting companies must be certified; single-trip permits only (36-1-38). Escort-operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7).
On multi-lane roads
Escorts begin at 14'1" wide
Width
Permit only up to 14'
Front + (Rear or amber light)14'1" – 16'6"
Width exceeding 14': at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(4)). Rear escort may be eliminated if warning lights are attached to the top of the load and to the rear 2-8 ft above the road and a rear warning sign per K.S.A. 8-1911(l)(1) is fitted (36-45-8(b)(4)(A)-(C)). Conservative reading: K.A.R. 36-1-36(f)(2) says non-superload/non-large-structure loads on highways of 4+ lanes 'shall not require escorting' — follow the escort provisions printed on the K-TRIPS permit. Kansas' real distinction is lane count (4+ lanes), approximated here as interstate. Kansas Turnpike applies its own oversize rules. An amber warning light may replace the rear escort. Source: K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(4) (KDOT escort-vehicle procedures) - Cornell LII exact copy. Not for a superload (over 150,000 lb gross, or any axle group over the K.A.R. 36-1-37 limits): it needs a front and a rear escort vehicle (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(1)).
Front + Rear16'7"+
Large structure (width exceeding 16'6", K.A.R. 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(2)); rear escort not eliminable and required even on 4+ lane highways (36-1-36(f)(2)). An escort vehicle must be stationed at side-road intersections during movement (36-1-38). Escort operator route survey required within 14 days before the move (36-45-7). District-reviewed Large Structure permit.
Height
Permit only up to 16'
Front + High pole16'1" – 18'
Height exceeding 16': at least 1 front escort required (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(3)) and the escort preceding the load must carry a height pole (36-45-8(c)) set at the permitted load's height plus 3 inches (36-45-6(d)). Loads more than 17' high: carrier must notify all appropriate utilities on the route (36-1-36).
Front + Rear + High pole18'1"+
Large structure (height exceeding 18', K.A.R. 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(2)); the front escort carries a height pole set at load height plus 3 inches (36-45-8(c); 36-45-6(d)). Escort stationed at side-road intersections (36-1-38); escort operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7); utility notification required over 17' (36-1-36).
Length
Permit only up to 90'
Permit required90'1" – 126'
No length-based escort under Kansas rules below 126 ft. K.A.R. 36-45-8(b) requires escorts only for superloads, large structures (over 16'6" wide or over 18' high), loads over 16' high and loads over 14' wide. KDOT may still print escort conditions on the K-TRIPS permit for a particular route; follow the permit. Source: K.A.R. 36-45-8(b); K.A.R. 36-45-1(g), (o); K.A.R. 36-1-36(f).
Front + Rear126'1"+
KDOT processes length exceeding 126' (the routine Standard Permit ceiling) under Large Structure permits (KDOT House Transportation testimony 2025-03-05). Encoded conservatively with the large-structure escort minimum of 1 front and 1 rear (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(2)), an escort stationed at side-road intersections (36-1-38), and an escort-operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7). Note: K.A.R. 36-45-1 defines 'large structure' by width/height only, so the front+rear encoding for overlength-only loads is a conservative inference from KDOT's permit processing, not explicit regulation text — follow the escort provisions printed on the permit.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 150,000 lbs
Overweight permit required; no escort is triggered by weight alone at or below 150,000 lbs gross (K.A.R. 36-45-8(b)(1) requires escorts only for superloads; KDOT Standard Permit covers up to 150,000 lbs with no bridge analysis). Caution: a load whose axle group(s) exceed K.A.R. 36-1-37 limits is a superload regardless of gross weight (36-45-1).
Front + Rear150,001 lbs+
Superload (gross weight exceeding 150,000 lbs, or axle groups exceeding K.A.R. 36-1-37 limits; 36-45-1): at least 1 front and 1 rear escort (36-45-8(b)(1)). If the permit requires the superload to slow down at bridges, one ADDITIONAL escort vehicle is required (36-45-8(b)(1)). KDOT bridge analysis must be completed before travel; escorting companies must be certified; single-trip permits only (36-1-38). Escort-operator route survey within 14 days (36-45-7).
When a permitted load can move
- Standard hours
Oversize loads move in daylight only, one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. No movement when visibility is under one-half mile or when highway surfaces have ice, snow pack or drifting snow.
- Night travel
Oversize loads, meaning over legal width, length or height, must not move from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. Overweight-only loads that stay within legal width, length and height may run 24 hours a day, except on ice, snow pack or drifting snow.
- Weekend travel
No day-of-week restriction in Kansas statute or KDOT regulation. Oversize permit loads may move any day within daylight hours; overweight-only loads that are legal size may move any day around the clock.
- Holiday restrictions
No statewide holiday travel ban appears in Kansas statute or KDOT regulation. Individual permits may still carry date, route or time conditions, so read the permit before a holiday move.
- Urban restrictions
No statewide urban curfew in statute or regulation. Route-specific limits, including no-travel windows on given road segments, are applied when K-TRIPS builds the route and are printed on the permit.
Signage Kansas expects
- Oversize load sign
An OVERSIZE LOAD sign is required when the load exceeds legal width or length: yellow, at least 7 feet long by 18 inches high, black letters at least 10 inches high with a 1 2/5 inch brush stroke, readable from 500 feet. Overweight-only loads must not display it.
- Flags
Red flags on all four corners of an oversize load. A load extending beyond the sides or more than 4 feet past the rear needs red flags at least 12 inches square at the extremities. Amber warning lights on the load are required only to drop the rear escort.
Kansas permit office
The permit office is the authority on every number on this page. Call it, or open the official site, before you rely on a threshold for a load that is close to a line.
Already have your permit?
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What are the legal limits in Kansas without an oversize or overweight permit?
In Kansas, the legal limits without an oversize or overweight permit are 8'6" wide, 14'0" high, 59'6" long (semitrailer) and 80,000 lbs gross. Legal overhang is 3'0" front and 4'0" rear. Anything over those figures needs a permit from the Kansas permit office before it moves.
When does an oversize load need an escort or pilot car in Kansas?
On 2-lane roads in Kansas, escorts begin at 14'1" wide. On multi-lane roads, escorts begin at 14'1" wide. The first escort tier is "Front + (Rear or amber light)" at 14'1" – 16'6" wide. Every tier on this page quotes its rule and source.
Can oversize loads travel at night, on weekends or on holidays in Kansas?
Night travel: Oversize loads, meaning over legal width, length or height, must not move from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. Overweight-only loads that stay within legal width, length and height may run 24 hours a day, except on ice, snow pack or drifting snow. Weekend travel: No day-of-week restriction in Kansas statute or KDOT regulation. Oversize permit loads may move any day within daylight hours; overweight-only loads that are legal size may move any day around the clock. Holidays: No statewide holiday travel ban appears in Kansas statute or KDOT regulation. Individual permits may still carry date, route or time conditions, so read the permit before a holiday move.