South Carolina Oversize & Overweight Permit Rules
What a load can be in South Carolina 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 South Carolina, 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 South Carolina without a permit
Legal limits are the dimensions and gross weight a vehicle may run at without an oversize or overweight permit. South Carolina 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" | 12'1" · Front escort | 14'1" · Front + Rear |
| Height | 13'6" | 13'7" | 16' · Front + High pole | 16' · Front + High pole |
| Length | 53'0"semitrailer | 53'1" | 125' · Rear escort | 125' · Rear escort |
| Weight | 80,000 lbs | 130,001 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.
South Carolina 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 12'1" wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 12'
Permit required above 8'6" wide; no escort required at or below 12 feet.
Front escort12'1" – 14'
One front escort on two-lane highways. SCDOT may add a rear escort where deemed necessary for safety.
Front + Rear14'1" – 16'
One front and one rear escort on all roadways. Over 14 feet wide must travel four-lane highways and must be alone on any bridge 18 feet wide or less.
Front + Rear + Police16'1"+
One front and one rear civilian escort PLUS one front and one rear police escort, all roadways. Over 16 feet also needs county Resident Maintenance Engineer approval. Two police escort vehicles are required over 16 ft wide, in addition to the private escorts. Source: SCDOT, Guidelines for Movement over South Carolina Highways of Oversize and Overweight (OSOW) Vehicles and Loads, § Q Escort Requirements.
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'11"
Permit required above 13'6" high; no escort required below 16 feet. Permitted height must clear every overhead structure on the route by at least 3 inches.
Front + High pole16'+
16 feet and greater (inclusive): one front escort with a height measuring device for the entire move, plus an SCDOT-approved route survey before the permit is issued. Above 20 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Length
Permit required53'1" – 124'11"
SC sets no overall length limit on combinations; the permit trigger is a trailer over 53 feet or excess overhang. No escort below 125 feet overall.
Rear escort125' – 150'
Overall length 125 feet up to and including 150 feet: one rear civilian escort on all roadways.
Front + Rear150'1"+
Overall length greater than 150 feet: one front and one rear civilian escort on all roadways. SCDOT's normal permitted maximum overall length is 125 feet. Above 200 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Weight
Permit required130,001 lbs+
No weight-based escort. Over 130,000 lbs is a superload needing SCDOT routing analysis (3-5 business days); travel days and any escorts are set on the permit.
On multi-lane roads
Escorts begin at 14'1" wide
Width
Permit required8'7" – 12'
Permit required above 8'6" wide; no escort required at or below 12 feet.
Permit required12'1" – 14'
No escort required on interstates. SCDOT mandates the front escort only on two-lane highways, but reserves the right to add a rear escort for safety.
Front + Rear14'1" – 16'
One front and one rear escort on all roadways. Over 14 feet wide must travel four-lane highways and must be alone on any bridge 18 feet wide or less.
Front + Rear + Police16'1"+
One front and one rear civilian escort PLUS one front and one rear police escort, all roadways. Over 16 feet also needs county Resident Maintenance Engineer approval. Two police escort vehicles are required over 16 ft wide, in addition to the private escorts. Source: SCDOT, Guidelines for Movement over South Carolina Highways of Oversize and Overweight (OSOW) Vehicles and Loads, § Q Escort Requirements.
Height
Permit required13'7" – 15'11"
Permit required above 13'6" high; no escort required below 16 feet. Permitted height must clear every overhead structure on the route by at least 3 inches.
Front + High pole16'+
16 feet and greater (inclusive): one front escort with a height measuring device for the entire move, plus an SCDOT-approved route survey before the permit is issued. Above 20 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Length
Permit required53'1" – 124'11"
SC sets no overall length limit on combinations; the permit trigger is a trailer over 53 feet or excess overhang. No escort below 125 feet overall.
Rear escort125' – 150'
Overall length 125 feet up to and including 150 feet: one rear civilian escort on all roadways.
Front + Rear150'1"+
Overall length greater than 150 feet: one front and one rear civilian escort on all roadways. SCDOT's normal permitted maximum overall length is 125 feet. Above 200 ft, this row's escorts are the minimum; the permit sets any more.
Weight
Permit required130,001 lbs+
No weight-based escort. Over 130,000 lbs is a superload needing SCDOT routing analysis (3-5 business days); travel days and any escorts are set on the permit.
When a permitted load can move
- Standard hours
Sunrise to sunset, Monday through Sunday, for loads up to 12 feet wide and for loads over 12 up to 15 feet wide. Loads over 15 feet wide may move only between 9 AM and 3 PM on school days and 9 AM and 4 PM on other days.
- Night travel
Not permitted for oversize loads; movement is sunrise to sunset. Overweight-only loads that are legal in every dimension and gross up to 130,000 lbs may be granted continuous 24-hour travel on request from the SCDOT permit office.
- Weekend travel
Saturday and Sunday travel is allowed; loads move Monday through Sunday. Exception: Memorial Day through Labor Day, no weekend movement east of I-95 on Myrtle Beach area routes such as US-378, SC-327, US-76, SC-576, US-501, SC-22, SC-31, SC-9 and US-17.
- Holiday restrictions
No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. The Permit Director may extend the ban from 12:00 noon the day before a holiday to 12:00 noon the day after, based on route and load size.
- Urban restrictions
Near large urban areas, loads over 12 up to 15 feet wide may not move 7-9 AM on weekdays, 3-6 PM on school days, or 4:30-6 PM on non-school days. The over-15-foot window of 9 AM-3 PM school days and 9 AM-4 PM other days applies statewide, not just in cities.
Signage South Carolina expects
- Oversize load sign
Required on loads 12 feet wide or wider, on the front of the towing vehicle and on the rear of the vehicle or load. Banner at least 12 inches high by 7 feet wide, reading OVERSIZE LOAD or WIDE LOAD in black letters 10 inches high and 1.5 inches wide on yellow.
- Flags
Loads 12 feet wide or wider must fly 18-inch square fluorescent red or orange flags at all four outer corners of the load. Any load extending more than 4 inches past the sides or 4 feet or more past the rear must be marked with an 18-inch red flag.
- Beacons
Loads over 12 feet up to 14 feet wide need one flashing or strobe amber light on the rear of the load, visible 500 feet at 360 degrees. Over 14 feet up to 16 feet wide, amber lights are required on each outer rear corner.
South Carolina 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 South Carolina without an oversize or overweight permit?
In South Carolina, 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 6'0" rear. Anything over those figures needs a permit from the South Carolina permit office before it moves.
When does an oversize load need an escort or pilot car in South Carolina?
On 2-lane roads in South Carolina, escorts begin at 12'1" wide. On multi-lane roads, escorts begin at 14'1" wide. The first escort tier is "Front escort" at 12'1" – 14' wide. Every tier on this page quotes its rule and source.
Can oversize loads travel at night, on weekends or on holidays in South Carolina?
Night travel: Not permitted for oversize loads; movement is sunrise to sunset. Overweight-only loads that are legal in every dimension and gross up to 130,000 lbs may be granted continuous 24-hour travel on request from the SCDOT permit office. Weekend travel: Saturday and Sunday travel is allowed; loads move Monday through Sunday. Exception: Memorial Day through Labor Day, no weekend movement east of I-95 on Myrtle Beach area routes such as US-378, SC-327, US-76, SC-576, US-501, SC-22, SC-31, SC-9 and US-17. Holidays: No travel on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. The Permit Director may extend the ban from 12:00 noon the day before a holiday to 12:00 noon the day after, based on route and load size.