Alberta Oversize and Overweight Permits
Contact (877) 792-5056 for Oversize Permits in Alberta.
Wide Load Shipping is the company to contact for permits and pilot car services in Alberta. We help businesses and individuals safely ship their oversized and overweight loads.
Alberta Oversize Load Restrictions and Limits
Below are the legal load limits by Alberta DOT
- Length: 75′ 3 feet.
- Width: 8′ 6 feet.
- Height: 13′ 7 feet.
- Weight: 6,000 kg maximum on the steer axle. Tandem and Tridem Axles: 17,000 kg. All axle weights are subject to the size of the tire.
Routine Trucking Permits in Alberta
Here are the maximum dimensions and weight a load can be, even with permits from the Alberta DOT:
- Length: 170′ 8 feet.
- Width: 14′ 7 feet.
- Height: 17′ 5 feet.
- Weight: Depends on your axle spacings, combinations, and tire sizes.
- Overhang: 19.9 feet, depending on the route.
Permitted Oversize Load Travel Times and Restrictions in Alberta
Alberta DOT travel times and restrictions for oversize and overweight trucking:
- The rule of 1/2 hour before sunrise until one full hour after sunset is observed in Alberta.
- Travel is allowed on Fridays until 3 pm for loads that exceed 12’7 feet in width.
- Travel is allowed and unrestricted on Saturdays unless stated on your permit.
- Night travel is permitted for loads over length as long as you have 1 rear pilot car/escort vehicle and are on multiple-lane roads. If your shipment is no longer than 137′ 10 feet on a single-lane road, you must have 1 front pilot car/escort vehicle and 1 rear pilot car/escort vehicle.
- Weekend travel is permitted only for loads over 14 feet in length. If your shipment is more than 14′ feet 7 inches wide, you can travel only during daylight hours. You may not travel on Sundays if it is over 12′ 7″ feet wide.
- No travel is permitted on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Provincial Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Family Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Adverse Weather Conditions
- If adverse weather conditions interrupt your shipment, you must pull over at the nearest suitable location, even if it is on the side of the road, unless you are overwidth.
- Overwidth loads must continue until they can turn off the road completely and remain until adverse weather conditions stop.
- Shipments over 14′ 7 feet in width or 17′ 5 feet in height are not permitted to travel with snow or fog visibility less than 492 feet if the road is covered with snow or any other conditions that may affect the driver from proceeding with the absolute safety in mind first and foremost.
Frost Laws
- Alberta has frost laws, but when they are in effect, they change yearly based on testing with a heat flow model that measures 30 cm below the surface. So, if you are shipping during the spring months, you must contact the DOT for the exact frost law restriction dates. Exemptions include milk and bread trucks, farm machinery, water, fuel, fertilizer, mail, and buses.
When Are Pilot Cars Required in Alberta?
If your shipment exceeds any of the following dimensions, you must be escorted by a pilot car.
- Length: If your shipment is more than 111 feet in overall length, you must have 1 rear pilot car on single-lane roads. For shipments over 124′ 8 feet, you must have 1 front pilot car/escort and 1 rear pilot car/escort.
- Width: If your shipment is more than 12′ 7 feet wide, you must have 1 front pilot car/escort on a single-lane road or one rear pilot car/escort on multiple-lane roads. Shipments over 14′ 7 feet wide require 1 front pilot car/escort and 1 rear pilot car/escort on single-lane roads. If your shipment exceeds 18 feet, you must have 1 front and 1 rear pilot car/escort vehicle on all roads.
- Height: Alberta does not usually use pilot cars with high poles. Instead, it has designated routes for shipments that are over-height. The routes can be viewed on the Alberta DOT high-load corridor page.
- Weight: As long as your shipment can maintain the minimum required speed limit, you will probably not be required to have a pilot car/escort by the Alberta DOT.
- Overhang: If your shipment has an overhang of more than 21′ feet 4 inches, you will need one rear pilot car/escort vehicle. If your overhang is over 29′ feet 6 inches, you need one front and one rear pilot car/escort vehicle.
Pilot Car Requirements in Alberta
Pilot car (escort vehicle) requirements for operating in Alberta province are as follows:
- Pilot and escort vehicle operators are NOT required to take a DOT certification course to operate in Canada.
- Your vehicle is required to have a lighted sign box that’s a minimum of 180 cm x 35 cm x 10 cm (72″ x 14″ x 4″), 2 – 175 mm (7″) diameter flashing lights mounted on the top of the sign box on each side with 2 amber strobing or rotating lights a minimum of 203 mm (8″) mounted between the flashing lights on top of the box as well.
- The sign box must light up and be visible from a minimum distance of 200 meters (656 feet).
- The sign box must have either a red and white D sign or a yellow with black lettering stating “OVERSIZE LOAD,” “WIDE LOAD,” OR “LONG LOAD.”
- If you have the “D” sign, your letter must be no less than 20 cm (8 feet) in height with a 4 cm (1 ⅝ feet) line thickness.
- If you have the yellow sign, your lettering must be no less than 20 cm (8 feet) with a 4 cm (1 ⅝ feet) line thickness.
- The sign box must be mounted on the vehicle’s top and covered when not in operation.
- You are also expected to have the following items inside the vehicle: a CB radio or high-powered 2-way radio, a first aid kit, fire extinguishers of type A, B, and C, each at least 2 liters, three reflective road triangles, three traffic cones, a reflective vest (worn while working), a slow/stop sign, three red or orange safety flags no less than 40 x 40 cm (16″ x 16″), a nose cone flashlight, and a hard hat.
Shipment, Truck, and Trailer Markings in Alberta
Truck, trailer, and shipment signs, banners, and flags in Alberta
- All trucks hauling oversize or overweight loads must have a strobing, flashing, or rotating amber light mounted to the roof that is visible from 360 degrees at a minimum distance of 200 meters (656′).
- All 4 outermost corners of the overall shipment and any obtrusive points must have flags mounted to them that are safety red or orange no less than 40 cm x 40 cm (16″ x 16″) and have the flags exchanged for lighting if moving during the night.
- The front and rear of the overall shipment must have signs stating the nature of the load, such as “OVERSIZE LOAD,” “WIDE LOAD,” or “LONG LOAD. ” These signs must be mounted on the front and rear of the overall shipment.
- Signs must be a minimum of 12′ in height and 6′ in width with a yellow background and black letting with lettering thickness no less than 4 cm (1 5/8″) thick.
Request a Quote for Oversize Loads in Alberta Today
We’re here to ensure your oversize or overweight load is accompanied by the right permits and pilot cars when traveling within or through Alberta. We also offer affordable hauling services.
Get a quote today or call us at (877) 792-5056 for more information.
