Maine Oversize & Overweight Permit Rules
What a load can be in Maine without a permit, where the permit and escort tiers start on undivided roads and divided roads, when it can move, and who to call. Every figure is the JaloPermit Atlas entry for Maine, 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 Maine without a permit
Legal limits are the dimensions and gross weight a vehicle may run at without an oversize or overweight permit. Maine publishes its length limit as overall combination, 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 undivided roads | First escort on divided roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 8'6" | 8'7" | 12' · Front escort | 12' · Rear escort |
| Height | 13'6" | 13'7" | 15'1" · Front + High pole | 15'1" · Front + High pole |
| Length | 65'0"overall combination | 65'1" | 80' · Front escort | 80' · Rear escort |
| Weight | 80,000 lbs | 80,001 lbs | No escort tier (permit only) | No escort tier (permit only) |
"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.
Maine 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 undivided roads
Escorts begin at 12' wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 11'11"
Over-width permit required above 8'6" — ch. 157 §12(3)(A): "A permit is required when the overall width of the vehicle or load, including all structural parts, exceeds eight feet six inches." No pilot vehicle is required by width alone below 12'0". Night moves are the exception: "One or more Maine State Police officers must be present to escort overdimensional vehicles moving at night" (§18(2)(B)), and one pilot vehicle is required for any emergency off-hour move (§15(5)). Non-interstate rows model Maine's UNDIVIDED-highway case, where §16(2)(A) puts pilot vehicles in front. SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Front escort12' – 14'6"
1 pilot vehicle in front — §16(2)(A): "Pilot vehicles must travel in front of the overdimensional vehicle(s), unless traveling on a divided highway in which case, the pilot vehicle must follow." Threshold from TABLE 1 ("Greater than 12 feet and less than 16 feet") and TABLE 2 ("Greater than 12 feet and less than or equal to 14 feet 6 inches"); floor set at 12'0" because a multi-state permit triggers at "Greater than or equal to 12 feet". A DIVIDED non-interstate highway follows the interstate row (pilot behind) instead — the road-class split is an approximation of Maine's divided/undivided rule.
Front + Rear14'7" – 15'11"
2 pilot vehicles, one ahead and one behind. Manufactured/modular/mobile homes greater than 14'6" at the base, on all highways except divided highways: §21(D)(2)(b) "Two pilot vehicles are required. One pilot vehicle must precede the load and one pilot vehicle must follow the load" (TABLE 2: "2 Pilot Vehicles | Maine Only | Greater than 14 feet 6 inches and less than 16 feet"). Loads that are NOT homes need only 1 pilot in front in this range (TABLE 1: "Greater than 12 feet and less than 16 feet"), but the band schema cannot separate load types, so the shipped 2-escort tier is kept as the conservative value. At exactly 14'6" a home is still in the 1-pilot tier (TABLE 2 is inclusive).
Front escort + Police16' – 19'11"
1 pilot vehicle + 1 police escort — TABLE 1: "1 Pilot Vehicle + 1 Police Escort or 2 police escorts when the Maine State Police, MaineDOT or BMV deems necessary | Greater than or equal to 16 feet and less than 20 feet"; §17(1)(B); §12(3)(E) "Police escorts are required for permits issued for widths of 16 feet or more"; statutory floor 29-A §2382(9-A). Off the Interstate a move within one county may use a county sheriff's escort, but "a move across county lines must use a state police escort" (§1(54)). Manufactured homes also reach this tier at eaves 16'9" or more (TABLE 2).
Front escort + Police20'+
2 police escorts + 1 pilot vehicle — TABLE 1: "2 Police Escorts + 1 Pilot Vehicle | Greater than or equal to 20 feet". Vehicles 20 feet and wider also require utility and town department notifications, movement only during clear visibility, and movement outside commuter and school-bus hours (§8(18)). A move across county lines must use a state police escort (§1(54)). Open-ended: Maine publishes no upper width tier. Two police escort vehicles are required 20 ft wide and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: 29-250 CMR ch. 157 §16 TABLE 1 (2nd police escort waivable by MSP, never below the statutory one).
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'
Over-height permit required above 13'6" — §12(5)(A): "A permit is required when any structural part of the vehicle exceeds 13 feet 6 inches; however, the load may extend 6 inches beyond this, making the legal height with load 14 feet." No pole car and no escort by height below 15'0". Bridge and overpass clearances are posted only when under 14'6" (§12(5)(D)); the Maine Turnpike limit is 13'6" and the Turnpike Authority may require pilot vehicles and State Police escorts at lesser dimensions than this rule (§19(1),(3)). Any authorized night move requires a Maine State Police escort (§18(2)(B)). SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Front + High pole15'1"+
1 pole car — §12(5)(E): "A pole car is required when overall height exceeds 15 feet", and TABLE 1 and TABLE 2 both carry "1 Pole Car | Maine Only | Height: Greater than 15 feet". Replaces the shipped 16'1" trigger, which no Maine source supports. Height alone triggers nothing further: §17(1) lists only length 125 feet, width 16 feet and rear overhang over 15 feet. The applicant is responsible for contacting the appropriate public utility companies for movement or alteration of overhead wires (§12(5)(C)); a route review may be required (§14(4)). Pole car encoded in front per §16(2)(A)'s default placement on undivided highways. Open-ended: Maine publishes no upper height tier.
Length
Permit required65'1" – 79'11"
Over-length permit required above the legal combination length — §12(4)(A): "Generally, the maximum length, which does not require an over length permit is 45 feet for a single unit vehicle and 65 feet for a combination of vehicles. There are exceptions in §2390 for longer combinations vehicles (LCV's) to allow an overall length in excess of 65 feet under some conditions"; 29-A §2390(1)(B). Replaces the shipped 74'1" floor, which was the tree-length-log exemption (§12(4)(C)(1)), not a legal length. Over-length permits are not required for fire department vehicles, utility distribution/transmission pole moves as described, or disabled vehicles under tow (§12(4)(B)). No pilot vehicle by length alone below 80 feet, except that any authorized night move requires a Maine State Police escort (§18(2)(B)) and an emergency off-hour move requires 1 pilot vehicle at any size (§15(5)). SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Front escort80' – 124'11"
1 pilot vehicle in front — TABLE 1 and TABLE 2: "Greater than 80 feet and less than 125 feet", placed by §16(2)(A): "Pilot vehicles must travel in front of the overdimensional vehicle(s), unless traveling on a divided highway in which case, the pilot vehicle must follow." Floor set at 80'0" because a multi-state permit triggers at "Greater than or equal to 80 feet". The shipped file put this pilot at the rear on both road classes; front is correct for undivided highways. Permitted over-length vehicles may not follow nearer than 200 feet to another vehicle except when passing (§12(4)(D)).
Front escort + Police125' – 149'11"
1 pilot vehicle + 1 police escort — TABLE 1: "Greater than or equal to 125 feet and less than 150 feet"; §17(1)(A); §12(4)(F) "Police escorts are required for permits issued for lengths of 125 feet or more"; statutory floor 29-A §2382(9-A) ("125 feet or more in length ... unless ... accompanied by a police escort"). Off the Interstate a move within one county may use a county sheriff's escort, but a move across county lines must use a state police escort (§1(54)). A three working day notice must be given to the State Police when their services are required (§17(5)(B)).
Front escort + Police150'+
2 police escorts + 1 pilot vehicle — TABLE 1: "2 Police Escorts + 1 Pilot Vehicle | Greater than or equal to 150 feet (See Section 8)". The shipped row carried only 2 vehicles. Loads 150 feet and longer also require utility and town notifications, clear-visibility travel only, movement outside commuter and school-bus hours, and public outreach by the permittee (§8(18)). Open-ended: the shipped 200-foot ceiling is not a Maine number. Two police escort vehicles are required 150 ft long and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: 29-250 CMR ch. 157 §16 TABLE 1.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 177,000 lbs
Overweight permit required above the legal gross limit for the configuration — §12(2)(A): 5-axle combination 80,000 lbs, 6-axle combination 100,000 lbs, with the footnote "100,000 lbs. is legal on 6 or more axles consisting of a minimum of a 3-axle truck tractor in combination with a tri-axle semitrailer on General Law Highways", so a 6-axle rig under 100,000 lbs may need no permit at all in this band. Maine publishes NO weight-based escort threshold: §12(2)(F) — "Pilot vehicles or police escorts may be required when the Issuing Authority deems it necessary on extreme weights." Named narrow case: a 5-axle crane weighing 110,001 to 130,000 lbs crossing bridges with a 5 M.P.H. travel restriction requires a rear pilot vehicle, or an impact attenuator, or a "VEHICLE STOPS WHEN FLASHING" sign (§12(1)(5)) — count stays 0 because two of the three paths use no pilot. Permits are not granted for posted roads (§12(2)(A)(2)) and cover only MaineDOT/NETC roads and bridges; municipalities permit their own ways (§8(2)).
Permit required177,001 lbs+
Above Maine's published permit-weight table. §12(2)(D) lists "The maximum weights for which a permit may be granted, without a special and detailed review by the Maine Department of Transportation", ending at 177,000 lbs for an 8-axle truck tractor-semitrailer; heavier moves need that review, and "Weights in excess of the above are considered extreme loads and may require detailed engineering reviews" (§12(2)(D)(2)). No published weight escort threshold — pilot vehicles or police escorts at the Issuing Authority's discretion on extreme weights (§12(2)(F)); the Maine Turnpike Authority may require pilot vehicles and State Police escorts at lesser dimensions and weights than this rule (§19(1)). Bridge postings still apply regardless of routing (§8(12)).
On divided roads
Escorts begin at 12' wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 11'11"
Over-width permit required above 8'6" — ch. 157 §12(3)(A): "A permit is required when the overall width of the vehicle or load, including all structural parts, exceeds eight feet six inches." No pilot vehicle is required by width alone below 12'0". Night moves are the exception: "One or more Maine State Police officers must be present to escort overdimensional vehicles moving at night" (§18(2)(B)), and one pilot vehicle is required for any emergency off-hour move (§15(5)). Interstate rows model Maine's DIVIDED-highway case (§16(2)(A)); Maine's own split is divided vs undivided, not interstate vs other. SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Rear escort12' – 14'6"
1 pilot vehicle. TABLE 1 (loads other than mobile/modular homes): "1 Pilot Vehicle | Maine Only | Greater than 12 feet and less than 16 feet". TABLE 2 (manufactured/modular/mobile homes): "1 Pilot Vehicle | Maine Only | Greater than 12 feet and less than or equal to 14 feet 6 inches". Floor set at 12'0" because a multi-state (NETC/NOOPA) permit triggers at "Greater than or equal to 12 feet"; a Maine-only permit triggers just above 12'0". Rear position because §16(2)(A) requires the pilot to follow on a divided highway.
Rear escort14'7" – 15'11"
1 pilot vehicle, following. General loads stay at one pilot to just under 16 feet (TABLE 1: "Greater than 12 feet and less than 16 feet"). Manufactured/modular/mobile homes wider than 14'6" at the base: §21(D)(2)(a) "Divided highways — One pilot vehicle is required to follow the load on divided highways." Both rules give ONE following pilot on a divided highway, which is why the shipped 2-escort interstate tier is corrected to 1 here. The 2-pilot requirement survives unchanged on the non-interstate (undivided) row.
Rear escort + Police16' – 19'11"
1 pilot vehicle + 1 police escort — TABLE 1: "1 Pilot Vehicle + 1 Police Escort or 2 police escorts when the Maine State Police, MaineDOT or BMV deems necessary | Maine Only | Greater than or equal to 16 feet and less than 20 feet". Independently required by §17(1)(B) and §12(3)(E) ("Police escorts are required for permits issued for widths of 16 feet or more") and by statute 29-A §2382(9-A). On the Interstate Highway System the escort must be a Maine STATE police escort (29-A §2382(9-A)(C); ch.157 §18(1)(A)). Manufactured homes also reach this tier at eaves 16'9" or more (TABLE 2).
Rear escort + Police20'+
2 police escorts + 1 pilot vehicle — TABLE 1: "2 Police Escorts + 1 Pilot Vehicle | Maine Only | Greater than or equal to 20 feet". Vehicles 20 feet and wider also require utility and town department notifications, movement only during clear visibility, and movement outside commuter and school-bus hours (§8(18)). On the Interstate the escorts must be Maine State Police (§18(1)(A); 29-A §2382(9-A)(C)). Open-ended: Maine publishes no upper width tier (the shipped 20'0" ceiling was not a Maine number). Two police escort vehicles are required 20 ft wide and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: 29-250 CMR ch. 157 §16 TABLE 1 (2nd police escort waivable by MSP, never below the statutory one).
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'
Over-height permit required above 13'6" — §12(5)(A): "A permit is required when any structural part of the vehicle exceeds 13 feet 6 inches; however, the load may extend 6 inches beyond this, making the legal height with load 14 feet." No pole car and no escort by height below 15'0". Bridge and overpass clearances are posted only when under 14'6"; the Maine Turnpike limit is 13'6" and many Turnpike bridges clear only 13'6" (§12(5)(A),(D); §19(3)), and the Turnpike Authority "may require pilot vehicles and State Police escorts at lesser dimensions and weights than required by this rule" (§19(1)). Any authorized night move requires a Maine State Police escort (§18(2)(B)). SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Front + High pole15'1"+
1 pole car — §12(5)(E): "A pole car is required when overall height exceeds 15 feet", and TABLE 1 and TABLE 2 both carry the row "1 Pole Car | Maine Only | Height: Greater than 15 feet". This replaces the shipped 16'1" trigger, which no Maine source supports. Height alone triggers nothing further in Maine: §17(1) lists only 125 feet of length, 16 feet of width and rear overhang over 15 feet. The applicant "is responsible for contacting the appropriate public utility companies for any movement or alteration of overhead wires" (§12(5)(C)) and "may be required to conduct a route review prior to making the move" (§14(4)). §16(2)(A) puts pilot vehicles in front except on divided highways where they follow; the pole car is encoded in front on both road classes, as shipped — confirm placement with the Overlimit Permit Unit. Open-ended: Maine publishes no upper height tier.
Length
Permit required65'1" – 79'11"
Over-length permit required above the legal combination length — §12(4)(A): "Generally, the maximum length, which does not require an over length permit is 45 feet for a single unit vehicle and 65 feet for a combination of vehicles"; 29-A §2390(1)(B): "The maximum overall length of a combination of vehicles may not exceed 65 feet unless otherwise permitted by law." This replaces the shipped 74'1" floor, which came from the tree-length-log exemption (§12(4)(C)(1): logs to 74 feet unpermitted, 80 feet permitted), not from any legal length. Conservative on the Interstate: a truck tractor with a semitrailer not exceeding 48 feet may exceed 65 feet overall there without an over-length permit (29-A §2390(1)(E),(F),(I)). No pilot vehicle by length alone below 80 feet, except that any authorized night move requires a Maine State Police escort (§18(2)(B)) and an emergency off-hour move requires 1 pilot vehicle at any size (§15(5)). SEPARATE TRIGGER THIS LADDER CANNOT ENCODE — REAR OVERHANG: TABLE 1 requires 2 PILOT VEHICLES when rear overhang is "Greater than 5 feet and less than 15 feet 1 inch", and 1 POLICE ESCORT + 1 pilot vehicle when it is "Greater than 15 feet" (independently §17(1)(C): police escorts are required "when the rear overhang is greater than 15 feet"). Maine's legal rear overhang is 4 feet, so a load that is legal in width, height and length can still owe two pilots. Measure your rear overhang separately.
Rear escort80' – 124'11"
1 pilot vehicle — TABLE 1 and TABLE 2: "1 Pilot Vehicle | Maine Only | Greater than 80 feet and less than 125 feet". Floor set at 80'0" because a multi-state permit triggers at "Greater than or equal to 80 feet". Rear position per §16(2)(A) (the pilot must follow on a divided highway). Permitted over-length vehicles "may not follow nearer than 200 feet to another vehicle except when passing" (§12(4)(D)).
Rear escort + Police125' – 149'11"
1 pilot vehicle + 1 police escort — TABLE 1: "1 Pilot Vehicle + 1 Police Escort or 2 police escorts when the Maine State Police, MaineDOT or BMV deems necessary | Greater than or equal to 125 feet and less than 150 feet". Independently required by §17(1)(A), by §12(4)(F) ("Police escorts are required for permits issued for lengths of 125 feet or more") and by statute — 29-A §2382(9-A): "A person may not operate a single vehicle or a combination of vehicles of 125 feet or more in length ... unless the vehicle or combination of vehicles is accompanied by a police escort." On the Interstate Highway System this must be a Maine State Police escort (§2382(9-A)(C); ch.157 §18(1)(A)).
Rear escort + Police150'+
2 police escorts + 1 pilot vehicle — TABLE 1: "2 Police Escorts + 1 Pilot Vehicle | Maine Only | Greater than or equal to 150 feet (See Section 8)". The shipped row carried only 2 vehicles; Maine's table requires three. Loads 150 feet and longer also require utility and town notifications, movement only in clear visibility, movement outside commuter and school-bus hours, and public outreach by the permittee including press release and municipal notification (§8(18)). Open-ended: the shipped 200-foot ceiling is not a Maine number. Two police escort vehicles are required 150 ft long and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: 29-250 CMR ch. 157 §16 TABLE 1.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 177,000 lbs
Overweight permit required above the legal gross limit for the configuration — §12(2)(A) tables a 5-axle combination at 80,000 lbs and a 6-axle combination at 100,000 lbs, and its footnote reads "The Maine Interstate System is restricted to 80,000 lbs. except that a combination vehicle consisting of a 3-axle truck tractor and a tri-axle semitrailer may operate up to 100,000 lbs. for as long as a federal law exempting Maine from the 80,000 lbs. interstate limit is in effect." Maine publishes NO weight-based escort threshold: §12(2)(F) — "Pilot vehicles or police escorts may be required when the Issuing Authority deems it necessary on extreme weights." One narrow named case: "A 5-axle crane, weighing between 110,001 to 130,000 pounds, and crossing bridges with a 5 M.P.H. travel restriction requires: (1) a pilot vehicle traveling at the rear of the permitted crane; or (2) the crane or follow-vehicle must be equipped with an impact attenuator; or (3) a sign with the text 'VEHICLE STOPS WHEN FLASHING'" (§12(1)(5)) — count stays 0 because two of the three compliance paths use no pilot. Overweight-only loads able to move with the flow of traffic may move at any time of day (§12(2)(E)). Multi-state NETC/NOOPA envelope caps at 108,000 lbs on five axles and 120,000 lbs on six or more (§20).
Permit required177,001 lbs+
Above Maine's published permit-weight table. §12(2)(D) lists "The maximum weights for which a permit may be granted, without a special and detailed review by the Maine Department of Transportation", topping out at 177,000 lbs for an 8-axle truck tractor-semitrailer (159,000-167,000 lbs at 7 axles, 140,000 at 6, 130,000 at 5); heavier moves need that special and detailed review, and "Weights in excess of the above are considered extreme loads and may require detailed engineering reviews" (§12(2)(D)(2)) — allow two to five business days. Still no published weight escort threshold: pilot vehicles or police escorts may be required when the Issuing Authority deems it necessary on extreme weights (§12(2)(F)). Escorts on a heavy load normally come from its width or length rows instead.
When a permitted load can move
- Standard hours
Oversize: daylight only, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset (29-250 CMR ch. 157). Overweight-only loads that are legal size and can move with the flow of traffic may travel any time of day.
- Night travel
Oversize night travel only if a State Police Troop Commander authorizes it and State Police escort (ch. 157 sec. 18). Overweight-only moves may run at night. Timber harvesting equipment may move nights in March-April if under 11'6" wide and 75' long, ground frozen, with 2 pilots.
- Weekend travel
April 22-November 18: Saturday travel 30 minutes before sunrise to 12 PM. June 3-August 26: Saturday ends 9 AM on I-95 and 12 PM on other roads. Sunday moves are not routine; Sundays in July and August need MaineDOT Traffic Engineering pre-clearance, two working days notice.
- Holiday restrictions
No oversize travel on holidays or holiday weekends unless an emergency off-hour move is authorized. Holiday requests need MaineDOT Traffic Engineering pre-clearance with at least two working days notice. BMV publishes the major and minor holiday list annually.
- Urban restrictions
Loads 20' or wider or 150' or longer must avoid commuter and school bus hours, move only in clear visibility, and give utility and town notice. Maine Turnpike travel follows Maine Turnpike Authority rules and needs a separate MTA permit; many Turnpike bridges clear only 13'6".
Signage Maine expects
- Oversize load sign
OVERSIZE LOAD sign at least 7' wide by 18" high, 10" black letters on yellow, on the front bumper and at the rear (29-250 CMR ch. 157 sec. 14). Signs must be removed or covered and amber beacons extinguished whenever the vehicle is not oversize.
- Flags
Red or fluorescent orange, 18" by 18", on the extreme ends of the front bumper and on the extreme ends of the load (ch. 157 sec. 14). Tree length log loads: overhang beyond 4' needs a 12" fluorescent cloth and a red light at night.
- Beacons
Amber only, no other color: one 6" flashing or 4" rotary light, or a bar of four amber flashing or strobe lights, centered on the cab roof, or at the highest forward point of the load if it overhangs the cab (ch. 157 sec. 14).
Maine 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.
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What are the legal limits in Maine without an oversize or overweight permit?
In Maine, the legal limits without an oversize or overweight permit are 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, 65'0" long (overall combination) and 80,000 lbs gross. Legal overhang is 3'0" front and 4'0" rear. Anything over those figures needs a permit from the Maine permit office before it moves.
When does an oversize load need an escort or pilot car in Maine?
On undivided roads in Maine, escorts begin at 12' wide. On divided roads, escorts begin at 12' wide. The first escort tier is "Front escort" at 12' – 14'6" wide. Every tier on this page quotes its rule and source.
Can oversize loads travel at night, on weekends or on holidays in Maine?
Night travel: Oversize night travel only if a State Police Troop Commander authorizes it and State Police escort (ch. 157 sec. 18). Overweight-only moves may run at night. Timber harvesting equipment may move nights in March-April if under 11'6" wide and 75' long, ground frozen, with 2 pilots. Weekend travel: April 22-November 18: Saturday travel 30 minutes before sunrise to 12 PM. June 3-August 26: Saturday ends 9 AM on I-95 and 12 PM on other roads. Sunday moves are not routine; Sundays in July and August need MaineDOT Traffic Engineering pre-clearance, two working days notice. Holidays: No oversize travel on holidays or holiday weekends unless an emergency off-hour move is authorized. Holiday requests need MaineDOT Traffic Engineering pre-clearance with at least two working days notice. BMV publishes the major and minor holiday list annually.