2024 New Hampshire Oversize Permits And Regulations

Contact (877) 792-5056 for Oversize Permits in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire can be a tough state to ship oversize and overweight loads in. Therefore, contacting a professional company like Wide Load Shipping is essential to help you get the required shipping permits. We have a team of logistics agents who’re familiar with the requirements in New Hampshire and will ensure your load is accompanied by the right paperwork. Below we have more information about pilot cars, superloads, and more.

Oversize Load Limits in New Hampshire

New Hampshire legal load sizes and weight before a permit is required:

• Width: 8’ 6 feet.
• Height: 13’ 6 feet.
• Length: 53 feet.
• Weight: 80,000 lbs GVW. 

NOTE:  Everything above is dependent on your axle spacing and tire sizes. Also, note that in the event that you are less than 73,280 lbs pounds (GVW) the single axle limit is increased to 22,440 lbs if needed, and you are allowed up to 36,000 lbs on your tandem axles.

When Pilot Cars/escort Escorts Are Required in New Hampshire

You will be required to have pilot cars if you are any of the following:

• Length: If over 150′, one rear escort is required. For additional see the “superloads” section above.
• Width: If you are over 12′ wide 1 pilot car/truck escort is required. If over 18′, you will require 2 pilot cars/truck escorts and may be required to have a state police escort (on some routes, 2 of them). When requesting state police, you must give a minimum of 48 hours of advanced notice.
• Height: If over 13′ 6″, the state will require you to have a route survey. A height pole escort may not have to accompany the load once the survey is completed. It’s up to the state, depending on how high the load is and the route.
• Weight: As long as the load can maintain minimum speed limit requirements and does not require special bridge restrictions, you will probably not be required to have a pilot car/escort.
• Overhang: Over 15′ in length required 1 pilot car/escort. If you are on a 2 lane undivided highway, you will be required to have 2 pilot cars/truck escorts if over 12′ wide as well.

NOTE: Please use the link above in “routine permits” for clarification on pilot car/truck escort requirements as they have quite a few “and”, “if”, “but,” and “however” statements.

What’s the Cost of Trucking Permits In New Hampshire?

Below is a list of costs of different oversize and overweight permits in New Hampshire. Wide Load Shipping will help you acquire trucking permits for your load. Call us now at (877) 792-5056.

1. Oversize single trip permit in New Hampshire: $6
2. Oversize annual permit for vehicles less than 75 feet in length, 10’6 feet in width, 13’6 feet in height, and legal weight: $115 for statewide haul and $60 for a move within an 100-mile radius for based and registered carriers only
3. Overweight permits for vehicles and loads over the legal limit but not exceeding the following weight;

• 50,000 pounds: $5.50
• 50,001 to 60,000 pounds: $6.50
• 60,001 to 70,000 pounds: $7.50
• 70,001 to 80,000 pounds: $8.50
• 80,001 to 90,000 pounds: $9.50
• 90,001 to 100,000 pounds: $10.50
• Each additional 10,000lbs: $2

We Offer Trucking Permits in the Following Cities in New Hampshire;

Manchester, NH; Nashua, NH; Concord, NH; Derry, NH; Rochester, NH; Dover, NH; Salem, NH; Merrimack, NH; Hudson, NH; Londonderry, NH; Keene, NH; Bedford, NH; Portsmouth, NH; Goffstown, NH; Durham, NH; Laconia, NH; Milford, NH; Hampton, NH; Exeter, NH; Windham, NH. Hooksett, NH; Lebanon, NH; Pelham, NH; Claremont, NH; Somersworth, NH;

We Offer Trucking Permits in the Following Counties in New Hampshire;

Hillsborough County; Rockingham County; Merrimack County; Strafford County; Grafton County; Cheshire County; Belknap County; Carroll County; Sullivan County; Coos County

Oversize and Overweight Permit Limits in New Hampshire

Here’s the maximum weight your load can be, even with a permit in New Hampshire:

• Single Axle Weight Permits: 25,000 pounds
• Tandem axles Weight Permits: 50,000 pounds
• Tridem axles Weight Permits: 70,000 pounds
• Quadem axles Weight Permits: 85,000 pounds
• Five axle Weight Permits: 130,000 pounds
• Six axle Weight Permits: 140,000 pounds
• Seven axle Weight Permits: 150,000 pounds
• Eight axle Weight Permits: 160,000 pounds

Below are the maximum dimensions a load can be even with a permit in the state of New Hampshire:

• Max Length With Permit: 110 feet
• Max Overhang With Permit: 15 feet
• Maximum Width With Permit: 16 feet
• Maximum Height With Permit: 16 feet

Please refer to the super load section if your overweight or oversize load exceeds any of these dimensions or 180,000 pounds. Any permitted load with weight is subject to a detailed bridge analysis.

NOTE: A bridge review is required when: any single axle is over 27,500 lbs. or any axle of tandem groups is over 25,000 lbs. If any axle in a tridem axle group combination is over 22,500 lbs. and/or if any axle group of a quadem axles is over 20,000 lbs. If a 5-axle combination group is over 100,000 lbs. If a 6-axle combination group is over 120,000 lbs. If a 7-axle combination group is over 130,000 lbs. And finally for a combination of 8 or more axles that is over 149,999 lbs.

Learn More About Super Load Permits in New Hampshire

When is a load considered a superload in New Hampshire?

• Superload Weight: over 160,000 pounds of gross weight.
• Superload Length: over 110 feet long.
• Superload Width: over 16 feet in width.
• Superload Height: over 16 feet in height.

New Hampshire Pilot Car/Escort Vehicle Requirements

What is required to operate in the state of New Hampshire:

This is quoted verbatim out of the New Hampshire pilot car and truck escorts manual:

(a) Escort vehicles shall be the size of a compact car or larger. The drivers of escort vehicles shall maintain visual and 2-way radio contact with the permitted vehicle at all times. When one escort is required, it shall precede a load on undivided highways and follow the load on divided highways. Escort vehicle requirements shall be the same on both 4-or-more-lane divided highways and on 2-lane roads on the designated system as follows unless otherwise stated:
(b) No escort shall be required for overall widths less than 12 feet 0 inches. One escort vehicle shall be required for the overall width of 12 feet 0 inches or more.
(c) No escort vehicle shall be required for an overall length of less than 80 feet 0 inches. One escort vehicle shall be required for an overall length of 80 feet 0 inches or more.
(d) No escort vehicle shall be required if the overhang is less than 15 feet 0 inches with proper flags displayed. One escort vehicle shall be required if the overhang is 15 feet 0 inches or more.
(e) A second escort vehicle shall be required under circumstances involving excessive overhang and overwidth. On a 2-lane, undivided highway, 2 escorts shall be required when the overhang is 15 feet 0 inches or more to the rear, and where the width is 12 feet 0 inches or more. On an interstate in instances of overwidth with overhang in excess of 15 feet 0 inches, a second escort vehicle shall be required.
(f) The applicant shall furnish 1 escort vehicle equipped with an operating top-mounted, flashing, or rotating amber light for all loads, including hauling vehicle, 12 feet 0 inches or more in width or 80 feet 0 inches in length. A state police escort shall be required when load, including hauling vehicle, exceeds 18 feet 0 inches in width. In instances of overall length only of 100 feet and 0 inches or more, a state police escort shall be required unless exempted from this requirement by state police due to determination that weather conditions are optimum, visibility is not impaired, traffic flow is not heavy or other conditions which shall not compromise safe movement.
(g) When escorting a move, the escort vehicle shall be operated with headlights on in the low beam position.
(h) When traffic following a permitted move has accumulated to 7 or more vehicles, the permitted load and escorts shall yield the right-of-way for these vehicles to pass at the nearest, accessible, safe location. When crossing bridges on 2-way highways where the bridge width is 24 feet and 0 inches or less, the escort vehicle shall stop all traffic while the load is on the bridge.
(i) Escort vehicles preceding oversize loads shall display a warning sign affixed to the front with a legend reading, “OVERSIZE LOAD”. The escort vehicle following oversize loads shall display a warning sign affixed to the rear with a legend reading, “OVERSIZE LOAD”. The signs shall have not less than 10-inch high black letters of a 1.4-inch stroke on a yellow background, and signs shall be made of durable material unaffected by moisture. The shape of the sign shall be varied to fit the escort vehicle but shall not be less than 5 feet 0 inches wide and 12 inches high. 
(j) The initial contact will be with State Police who will then either make an escort vehicle available or contact the appropriate Sheriff’s Department for assistance.

SIGNS

Escort vehicles preceding oversize loads shall display a warning sign affixed to the front with a legend reading, “OVERSIZE LOAD.” The escort vehicle following oversize loads shall display a warning sign affixed to the rear with a legend reading, “OVERSIZE LOAD.” The signs shall have not less than 10-inch high black letters of a 1.4-inch stroke on a yellow background, and signs shall be made of durable material unaffected by moisture. The sign’s shape shall be varied to fit the escort vehicle but shall not be less than 5 feet 0 inches wide and 12 inches high.

Required Truck and Load Markings in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire DOT requires you to have the following on your truck and load:

Warning signs shall be displayed on the front and the hauling vehicle’s rear or load, whichever provides the best rear display. The legend shall read OVERSIZE LOAD. The signs shall be seven feet (7’) wide and eighteen inches (18”) high with ten inches (10”) high black letters featuring one and five-eights (1 5/8”) (series C) brush strokes on a yellow background. Signs shall be made of durable material unaffected by moisture.

Red flags at least 12 inches square, secured by at least one corner or mounted on a staff, shall be required on all over-dimensional loads to mark load extremities longitudinally and laterally adequately. Over-width loads shall have at least 2 and up to 6 flags mounted at the widest extremity and corners of the load and placed to not increase the overall load width. Over-length loads or loads with rear or front end overhang over 4 feet 0 inches shall display one flag at the end of the overhang if less than 2 feet 0 inches wide and 2 flags if the overhang is over 2 feet 0 inches wide.

NOTE: All oversize load signs shall be removed, covered, or otherwise sight restricted when not being used for an oversize move.

Hours of Operation and Travel Restrictions in New Hampshire

Travel times that are permitted by the New Hampshire DOT:

Movement of over-dimensional loads shall be restricted to daylight hours. Daylight hours are considered to be the period one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. Permits are void during periods of slippery pavement conditions or inclement weather (e.g. fog, haze, heavy rain, freezing rain, snow) creating hazardous driving conditions. Permits are also void during weekends and the following holidays: 

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Civil Rights Day
• Washington’s Birthday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

If a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be also restricted as a holiday. If a holiday falls on Saturday, the previous Friday shall be restricted as a holiday. The permit supervisor shall further restrict the movement of over-dimension vehicles as traffic volumes or highway conditions warrant such action in the interest of public safety. Although subject to requirements for permits, vehicles that are overweight only and which are operated at normal traffic speeds shall not be restricted as to the time of movement.

NOTE: Travel through Manchester is restricted during the hours of 7 AM until 9:00 AM and 3:00 AM until 6:00 PM.  Toll road requirements are the same as other highways. 

MORE USEFUL RESOURCES 

New Hampshire  Road Closures

New Hampshire Frost Laws