Mississippi Oversize & Overweight Permit Rules
What a load can be in Mississippi 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 Mississippi, 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 Mississippi without a permit
Legal limits are the dimensions and gross weight a vehicle may run at without an oversize or overweight permit. Mississippi 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" | 13' · Front escort | 13' · Rear escort |
| Height | 13'6" | 13'7" | 15'7" · High pole | 15'7" · High pole |
| Length | 53'0"semitrailer | 53'1" | 99'1" · 1 escort | 99'1" · 1 escort |
| Weight | 80,000 lbs | 80,001 lbs | 300,000 lbs · Police escort | 300,000 lbs · Police escort |
"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.
Mississippi 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 13' wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 12'11"
Permit required. No daylight escort. At night on a two-lane roadway a load 10'0" or wider requires a front escort plus rear amber lights.
Front escort13' – 17'11"
13'0" or greater on a two-lane roadway requires at minimum a front escort and flashing amber lights on the rear of the load.
Front escort18'+
Front escort required. A police blue-light escort may also be required at 18'0" and over, at MDOT discretion. Super Load review over 17'0". Above 20 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'6"
Permit required. No escort and no height pole below 15'7".
High pole15'7" – 15'8"
A height pole escort is required at 15'7" or more. Super Load review over 15'7". Utility and railroad written permission needed above 16'7".
High pole + Police15'9"+
At 15'9" or more, two blue-light escorts plus a height pole escort. Exceptions at the MDOT Permit Division Director's discretion by route. Two police escort vehicles are required 15 ft 9 in high and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.iii.
Length
Permit required53'1" – 99'
A trailer over 53'0" requires an oversize permit. No escort is required until total combination length exceeds 99'0".
1 escort99'1" – 159'11"
Total length over 99'0" requires a permit and a front and/or rear escort; MDOT sets the position. Super Load review over 121'0".
1 escort + Police160'+
Two blue-light law enforcement escorts, one front and one rear, on all loads beginning at 160'0" total length. Two police escort vehicles are required 160 ft long and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.ii.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 299,999 lbs
Overweight permit required. No weight-based escort below 300,000 lbs. Super Load review at 189,999 lbs or greater.
Police escort300,000 lbs+
Two blue-light escorts required at 300,000 lbs or more. Exceptions at the MDOT Permit Division Director's discretion by route. Two police escort vehicles are required 300,000 lb and over; no private escort is required for this alone. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.iv (no private escort is set by weight alone).
On multi-lane roads
Escorts begin at 13' wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 12'11"
Permit required. No daylight escort. At night on a divided highway a load 10'0" or wider requires a rear escort plus rear amber lights.
Rear escort13' – 17'11"
13'0" or greater on a divided highway requires at minimum a rear escort and flashing amber lights on the rear of the load.
Rear escort18'+
Rear escort required. A police blue-light escort may also be required at 18'0" and over, at MDOT discretion. Super Load review over 17'0". Above 20 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'6"
Permit required. No escort and no height pole below 15'7".
High pole15'7" – 15'8"
A height pole escort is required at 15'7" or more. Super Load review over 15'7". Utility and railroad written permission needed above 16'7".
High pole + Police15'9"+
At 15'9" or more, two blue-light escorts plus a height pole escort. Exceptions at the MDOT Permit Division Director's discretion by route. Two police escort vehicles are required 15 ft 9 in high and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.iii.
Length
Permit required53'1" – 99'
A trailer over 53'0" requires an oversize permit. No escort is required until total combination length exceeds 99'0".
1 escort99'1" – 159'11"
Total length over 99'0" requires a permit and a front and/or rear escort; MDOT sets the position. Super Load review over 121'0".
1 escort + Police160'+
Two blue-light law enforcement escorts, one front and one rear, on all loads beginning at 160'0" total length. Two police escort vehicles are required 160 ft long and over, in addition to the private escorts. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.ii.
Weight
Permit required80,001 lbs – 299,999 lbs
Overweight permit required. No weight-based escort below 300,000 lbs. Super Load review at 189,999 lbs or greater.
Police escort300,000 lbs+
Two blue-light escorts required at 300,000 lbs or more. Exceptions at the MDOT Permit Division Director's discretion by route. Two police escort vehicles are required 300,000 lb and over; no private escort is required for this alone. Source: MDOT Permit & Motor Carrier Division Manual, Super Load Permit 9.c.iv (no private escort is set by weight alone).
When a permitted load can move
- Standard hours
Daylight Hours are sunrise to sunset for loads 12'0" wide or less. For loads over 12'0" wide, Daylight Hours are 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset, per National Weather Service times.
- Night travel
Night movement is allowed up to 12'0" wide, 150,000 lbs, 99'0" long and 4'0" rear overhang; height over 13'6" is route dependent. Under 10'0" wide needs rear amber lights only. At 10'0" or wider add a front escort on two-lane roads, a rear escort on divided highways.
- Weekend travel
MDOT publishes no general Saturday or Sunday prohibition; the daylight, night and holiday rules govern. The Special Heavy Equipment Blanket Permit limits loads over 12'0" wide to daylight Monday through Saturday. Sealed container and 57-foot box van permits allow 7 days a week.
- Holiday restrictions
No movement after 12:00 noon on the day preceding or on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, unless the permit allows otherwise.
- Urban restrictions
No statewide city or metro curfew is published. MDOT may exclude specific portions of roadway or routes on the permit face, ExpressPass routes around low bridges and low-weight conditions, and movement is prohibited on all posted bridges.
Signage Mississippi expects
- Oversize load sign
Required on the front and rear of loads over 12'0" wide. The sign measures 84 inches by 18 inches with OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD in 10-inch black letters, 1-5/8 inch brushstroke, on a yellow or orange background.
- Flags
Red warning flags 18 inches square are displayed on all corners about 6 feet above the pavement on loads over 10'0" wide and not over 12'0" wide. Above 12'0" wide, Oversize Load signs and flashing amber lights are required.
- Beacons
Two 5-inch flashing amber lights visible at 500 feet, mounted about 6 feet above the pavement on the rear corners, are required on loads over 12'0" wide. Amber lights on the rear of the load are also required for all night movement.
Mississippi 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 Mississippi without an oversize or overweight permit?
In Mississippi, the legal limits without an oversize or overweight permit are 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, 53'0" 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 Mississippi permit office before it moves.
When does an oversize load need an escort or pilot car in Mississippi?
On 2-lane roads in Mississippi, escorts begin at 13' wide. On multi-lane roads, escorts begin at 13' wide. The first escort tier is "Front escort" at 13' – 17'11" wide. Every tier on this page quotes its rule and source.
Can oversize loads travel at night, on weekends or on holidays in Mississippi?
Night travel: Night movement is allowed up to 12'0" wide, 150,000 lbs, 99'0" long and 4'0" rear overhang; height over 13'6" is route dependent. Under 10'0" wide needs rear amber lights only. At 10'0" or wider add a front escort on two-lane roads, a rear escort on divided highways. Weekend travel: MDOT publishes no general Saturday or Sunday prohibition; the daylight, night and holiday rules govern. The Special Heavy Equipment Blanket Permit limits loads over 12'0" wide to daylight Monday through Saturday. Sealed container and 57-foot box van permits allow 7 days a week. Holidays: No movement after 12:00 noon on the day preceding or on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, unless the permit allows otherwise.