Permit Information

The Commissioner or his designee upon receiving an application may issue a permit for non-divisible loads that exceed the legal limits established for all roads in the state of Georgia.

Types of Permits and Fees

• Single Trip

  May only be used once for movement during the times specified on permit; must include a description of the load; name of transporter; origin and destination, routes of travel and insurance provider information.

  Standard Single - $30.00

  • Width & Height Limit of 16'
  • Weight Limit of 150,000 lbs.

  Superload Single- $125.00

  • Width & Height greater than 16'
  • Weight Limit 150,001 to 180,000 lbs.

  Superload Plus - $500.00

  • Weight over 180,000 lbs.
  • Requires Bridge Analysis
    Note: May take up to three (3) weeks for approval.

  Continuous travel allowed for loads with a gross weight of 125,000 lbs. and no dimensions except during weather conditions and holidays listed in 672-2.03(b).

• Annual Permits

  Are good for one (1) year from date of purchase; are interchangeable within the same company, as long as the original is in the transport vehicle at the time of movement; may be used for any load type that is not divisible, and does not exceed any dimension. Required to maintain $300,000 liability insurance with the Georgia Department of Transportation as the certificate holder and must be on file with said Department for the duration of the permit.

  Standard Annual- $150.00

  • Width-12'0"
  • Height Limit-14'6"
  • Weight Limit-100,000 lbs.
  • Length Limit-100'0
    Note: Containerized freight allowed 100,000 pounds on 5 axles.

  NHS Annual - $500.00

  • Width-14'0 " (allowed up to 14'8" from the base to a point 10'0" above the ground for upper portion of the load)
  • Height Limit-14'6"
  • Weight Limit-100,000 lbs.
  • Length Limit-100'0
        Note: Travel on NHS routes only-see map.

• Special Permit Limits

  Height - 18'0"
  Length - No Set Limits
  Width - 16'0" Weight-(Noted below)

  Number of Axles	Typical Weight Allowed
  1	23,000 pounds
  2	46,000 pounds
  3	60,000 pounds
  4	92,000 pounds
  5	100,000 pounds
  6	125,000 pounds
  7	148,000 pounds
  8	150,000 pounds

• How to Obtain Permits

  Applications may be submitted to the Atlanta office by mail or in person, submit application in duplicate, facsimile or with a commercial permit service.

  Address:
  Department of Transportation
  Oversize Permit Unit
  935 E Confederate Avenue, Building 24
  Atlanta, GA 30316
  

  Permit Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
  Annual Permits - 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  

  Fax Telephone Numbers: (404)635-8501, (404)635-8509

  Permit Service: Application may be made by calling to any commercial permit service.

  • Divisible loads are not allowed under a permit. Dozer blades may be hauled with the dozer attached, or if disassembled, loaded for minimum width and up to 100,000 pounds gross weight only.
  • Insurance - Customers must provide state, policy number and company name when ordering a trip permit. Certificate of coverage must be on file with Department. Proof of insurance is required showing a minimum coverage for bodily injury of a minimum of $300,000.00 for each person and $1 million for multiple persons as a result of any one occurrence; and for property damage a minimum of $1 million.
  • Permit information that customers are required to have contains tractor and trailer information (including length, width, height and gross and axle weights), origin and destination, routes to be traveled, effective dates and where permit is to be faxed and insurance provide information.

Requirements, Restrictions and Fines

• Georgia Escort Requirements

  Length:	For any permitted load whose length exceeds 75' but is less than or equal to 100' a rear escort/amber light is required.
  Length:	For any permitted load whose length exceeds 100' but is less than or equal to 125' a vehicle rear escort is required.
  Length:	For any permitted load whose length is greater than 125' a vehicle front and vehicle rear escort is required.
  Height:	For any permitted load whose height is 15' 6" or greater a vehicle front escort with a height sensor is required.
  Width:	For any permitted load whose width exceeds 12' but is less than or equal to 14'8" a vehicle front escort and a rear escort/amber light is required for travel on a 2 lane roadway. A vehicle rear escort is required for the same permitted load to travel on a 4-lane highway. For travel on a Limited Access Highway/Interstate System a rear escort/amber light is required.
  Width:	For any permitted load whose width exceeds 14' 8" up to and including 16' shall require a vehicle front escort and a vehicle rear escort for movement upon a 2-lane roadway. A vehicle rear escort is required for movement of the same permitted load on a Limited Access Highway/Interstate System.
  Width:	For permitted loads whose width exceeds 16' or for loads not defined above, the department shall determine escort requirements on a case by case basis.
  Houses:	Houses will require a police front escort and a police rear escort.

  Sign Requirements

  Signs are required on all escorts and vehicle transporting loads requiring a permit. Sign must have black letters on a yellow or orange background. Letters must be at least eight inches high and four inches wide.

  The sign must be at least six feet wide by one foot tall, and read "OVERSIZE LOAD". One sign must be displayed on the front of the towing vehicle and one sign on the rear of the trailer as well as, the front escort and the rear escort vehicles when required. Additionally, all mobile homes must have a sign which contains the name and telephone number of the mover and must be legible from a distance of 50 feet. "Oversize load" signs must be removed when load/vehicle is legal.

  Flag Requirements

  Red flags, 18 inches square must be displayed on all four corners of the load and all extremities.

• Restricted Travel

  No permitted load will be allowed to travel into or through the area bounded by I-285 (Atlanta bypass), unless the vehicle is making a pickup or delivery within the area. The driver must be prepared to show proof of such pickup of delivery. In addition, a permit issued for the movement of a vehicle or load is not valid between the hours of 6 a.m. through 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking on the interstate and limited access highway rights-of-way will not be allowed for permitted vehicles waiting for authorization.

  Movement of a permitted vehicle or load will take place only on Monday through Saturday, thirty (30) minutes after sunrise to thirty (30) minutes before sunset, unless otherwise shown on the permit.

  Houses may only be moved Monday through Saturday from 9:00am to 3:00pm unless otherwise noted on the permit.

  No permitted vehicle or load will be moved during foggy weather, snow or icy conditions or during the following legal holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

  Travel not allowed on routes with bridges of less than 28 feet lateral clearance.

  Travel Days: Monday through Saturday

• Violations and Fines

  Misdemeanor Violations, uniform traffic citations, vary from county to county.

  Overweight Fines (Governed by the Dept. of Public Safety)

  Zero to 1,000 pounds overweight is 0.8 cents per pound:

  • Plus 1.5 cents per pound next 2,000 pounds overweight
  • Plus three cents per pound next 2,000 pounds overweight
  • Plus four cents per pound next 3,000 pounds overweight
  • Plus five cents per pound for all excess weight over 8,000 pounds
  • Overweight fines are assessed based on allowable weights. Overweight vehicles may be fined for either gross, tandem or axle weight violations, whichever produces the larger fine. If overweight on a permitted load, the fine is assessed at 125 percent of the rate imposed for operating without a permit. Operator may shift a load by hand to avoid an overweight axle violation. All excess weight over 6,000 pounds must be off loaded. Sliding axles change configuration of vehicle and are not considered shifting of load.