2024 South Dakota Oversize Permits and Regulations

Contact (877) 792-5056 for Oversize Permits in South Dakota.

Are you shipping oversize or overweight loads in South Dakota? Wide Load Shipping has a team of professional agents to help you acquire shipping permits in South Dakota to avoid fines during transport. Below we have more information about pilot car requirements, permit limits, and superloads.

Oversize Legal Load Limits in South Dakota

Below are the maximum load sizes in South Dakota before you need a permit. 

Length: 53 feet.
Width: 8’ 6 feet.
Height: 13’ 6 feet.
Weight: 80,000 lbs. GVW, 20,000 single, 34,000 tandem.
Overhang: 3′ in the rear and 6′ in the front.

When Are Pilot Cars Required in South Dakota?

Pilot Car and Escort vehicle information:

Length: If the load is 75′ to 95′ on a 2-load road, you will need one rear pilot car (escort).
Width: 10′ 6″ to 12′ wide on a 2-lane road requires 1 front pilot car. On a 4-lane road, up to 12′ wide requires no escorts. When the load is 12′ 1″ to 14′ wide 1 front and 1 rear pilot car (escort) is required on all 2 lane roads and 1 rear on all 4 lane roads. For loads 14′ 1″ – 15′ wide 1 front and 1 rear pilot car (escort) is required. 15′ 1″ to 16′ wide on 2 lanes requires 2 front pilot cars (escorts) and 1 rear pilot car (escort). On 4 all-lane roads 1 front and 2 rear pilot cars (escorts) are required. If you do have a permit for weekend travel, you will be required to have a police escort. Districts and Parkways may require additional escorts as well. Vehicles traveling with a width of over 14′ wide will not be allowed to travel on Fridays except on Parkway. The maximum width allowed on the Parkway is 16′, and must be accompanied by a police escort if over 15′.
Height: If the height of the load exceeds 15′, a front high pole card is required. For South Dakota vertical clearances, they have a list of the bridge heights online here.
Weight: Check with the State to see if your weight class will require a pilot car/escort.
Overhang: If the front overhang is over 10′ on 2 or 4-lane roads 1 front pilot car (escort) is required. If the rear overhang exceeds 10′ on a 2 or 4-lane road, one rear escort is required.

South Dakota bridge weight limit map.

What’s the Cost of Trucking Permits In South Dakota?

Here are the costs of shipping permits in South Dakota. Wide Load Shipping will help you acquire the right permits for your load. Call us today at (877) 792-5056.

• Single trip oversize and overweight permits in South Dakota: $25 or $200 for a book of 10. An additional overweight fee of $0.02 per ton-mile if the motor vehicle exceeds the weight of 40,000 lbs on two axles, 60,000 lbs on three axles, 80,000 lbs on four axles, 85,000 lbs on five axles, 90,000 lbs on six axles, and 95,000 lbs or more on seven axles. 
• Annual oversize permit: $60
• Longer combination vehicle permit: $100 for a book of 10 permits
• Overweight booster axle permit: $60
• Annual lift axle or variable load axle: $60 (Not valid for use on Interstate Highways)
• Annual manufactured home permit: $60 
• Manufactured home single trip permit: $25
• Slow movement on interstate highway single trip permit: $20
• Annual slow movement on interstate highway permit: $60
• Oversized trailer annual permit: $60
• Overlength semi-trailer single trip permit: $25
• Annual overlength semi-trailer permit: 60

We Offer Trucking Permits in the Following Cities in South Dakota;

Sioux Falls, SD; Rapid City, SD; Aberdeen, SD; Brookings, SD; Watertown, SD; Mitchell, SD; Yankton, SD; Pierre, SD; Huron, SD; Vermillion, SD; Spearfish, SD; Brandon, SD; Box Elder, SD; Rapid Valley, SD; Madison, SD; Sturgis, SD; Harrisburg, SD; Tea, SC; Belle Fourche, SC; Dell Rapids, SC; Hot Springs, SC; Mobridge, SD; Canton, SD; Milbank, SD; Blackhawk, SD

We Offer Trucking Permits in the Following Counties in South Dakota;

Minnehaha County; Pennington County; Lincoln County; Brown County; Brookings County; Meade County ; Codington County; Lawrence County; Yankton County; Davison County; Beadle County; Hughes County; Union County; Clay County; Oglala Lakota County; Lake County; Roberts County; Butte County

Oversize and Overweight Permit Limits in South Dakota

Below are the maximum weight and dimensions a load can be even with a permit in the state of South Dakota:

• Max Length With Permit: Depends
• Max Overhang With Permit: 30′ rear and 15′ front
• Maximum Width With Permit: 16 feet
• Maximum Height With Permit: 15 feet
• Maximum Weight With Permit: 120,000lbs

Pilot Car Requirements and Certifications in South Dakota

Pilot car and escort vehicle requirements in South Dakota:

All pilot cars/escort vehicles must display a bumper or roof-mounted “OVERSIZE LOAD” sign visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle. The sign must be at least 5′ long and 12″ in height, yellow in color with black letters no less than 10″ tall and 1 1/2″ in width. Vehicle must have 2 safety flags red or orange in color, and be a minimum of 18″ of length and/or height mounted at a 40 to 70-degree angle on all 4 corners of the vehicle. Company identification signs must be placed on both sides of the pilot car (escort vehicle) displaying the name of the company, and phone number and be placed on both the left and right-hand sides of the vehicle. These signs must be no less than 8″ tall x 12″ wide and identity writing must be plainly legible. The vehicle must be equipped with a horizontally mounted rotating (or strobe) amber-colored flashing light which must be visible from a 360-degree angle from a minimum of 500 feet. Vehicles must be equipped with a CB radio or 2-way communication device, 2 – 5 pound fire extinguishers type A, B, and C, a sign with the word “STOP” on one side and “SLOW” on the other with dimensions of no less than 18″ in diameter with a minimum of 6″ letters. A red safety-colored flag with a handle no less than 18″ square, 3 reflective emergency road triangles or 18″ traffic cones, 2 OVERSIZE LOAD banners (yellow with black lettering), and a safety-colored (red, orange, yellow, or lime green) vest, jacket or shirt (used while directing traffic).

For a vehicle to qualify, all pilot car/escort vehicles must have a gross weight of over 2,000 pounds but also have a manufacturer’s gross weight rating of fewer than 26,000 pounds.

Travel Times and Restrictions in South Dakota

Permitted travel times and restrictions in South Dakota:

Important info:  See the South Dakota DOT current route restriction report.  No weekend travel is permitted in STATE. However, you can request to travel on the weekend when you apply for your permit. They have been known to grant weekend travel to loads that are say 14′ in width or a little on the heavy side but do not count on approval. Travel is not permitted on the following holidays: New Year’s day, Good Friday, Memorial day, Independence day, Labor day, Thanksgiving day, and Christmas day. The permit office is also closed on these days as well.

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South Dakota Road Closures