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Permits by state
What CDOT requires before an oversize or overweight load moves in Colorado: legal limits, permits and fees, pilot escorts by route color, Denver curfews and holidays. Sourced from CDOT and 2 CCR 601-4.
Last verified: against official state sources.
The numbers
| Dimension | Legal limit |
|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in |
| Height | 14 ft 6 in |
| Length | Semitrailer up to 57 ft 4 in (no overall limit for tractor-semitrailer); single unit 45 ft; combinations 70 ft |
| Overhang | 4 ft front, 10 ft rear |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb Interstate; 85,000 lb non-Interstate |
| Axles | 20,000 lb single; tandem 36,000 lb Interstate / 40,000 lb other state highways |
Sources: CDOT: Rules & Regulations; CDOT: Permitting Information. Checked Oct 15, 2026.
Permits
Get extra-legal permits before entering Colorado, through the COOPR permitting system. Standard single-trip permits allow up to 17 ft wide, 16 ft high, 130 ft long on four-lane (120 ft non-mountain two-lane, 110 ft mountain two-lane), 25 ft front / 35 ft rear overhang, and 200,000 lb, subject to CDOT maps.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single trip oversize | $30 |
| Single trip overweight / OSOW | $30 plus $10 per axle |
| Annual OS / OW / OSOW | $250 / $400 / $400 |
| Chapter 6 Special (200,000-500,000 lb) | $250 |
| Superload (over 500,000 lb, or double dolly over 15 ft wide) | $800 |
CDOT notes a surcharge may be added; verify with the state for the current amount.
Source: CDOT: Permitting Information. Checked Oct 15, 2026.
Pilot cars
Escorts depend on the route color on CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map:
| Route | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Red | Over 8 ft 6 in wide needs a Chapter 6 Special permit |
| Blue | Over 8 ft 6 in to 11 ft: 1 front; over 11 to 13 ft: front and rear; over 13 ft: Chapter 6 permit |
| Yellow | Over 11 to 13 ft: 1 front; over 13 to 15 ft: front plus rear pilot or flashing light; over 15 ft: Chapter 6 permit |
| Green | Over 13 to 15 ft: 1 front on two-lane, rear pilot or flashing light on four-lane; wider: see rule 408.2.4 |
| Special / Superload permits | At least 1 front and 1 rear, unless CDOT says otherwise |
Pilot escorts need Colorado certification (or AZ, FL, MN, OK, UT, WA or SC&RA) and $1 million insurance.
Sources: 2 CCR 601-4 (PDF); CDOT: Permitting Information. Checked Oct 15, 2026.
When you can roll
Night: up to 12 ft wide with flashing lights; over 12 to 14 ft with one front pilot on two-lane and one rear on four-lane; over 14 ft not allowed at night without a Chapter 6 permit.
Denver curfew: no extra-legal travel 6-9 AM and 3-6 PM Mon-Fri on listed Denver-area segments (e.g., I-25 from I-225 to 120th Ave, I-70 from Ward Rd to I-225) unless a Chapter 6 or Superload permit allows it.
Holidays: no travel 6 AM-9 PM on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, and noon-9 PM on the Friday before Memorial Day and Labor Day. If July 4 falls on a Saturday, also noon-9 PM the Friday before; on a Sunday, noon-9 PM the Monday after.
Sources: CDOT: Rules & Regulations; 2 CCR 601-4, Sections 401 and 404 (PDF). Checked Oct 15, 2026.
Permit office
Apply through COOPR. Routing questions: 303-757-9539. freight.colorado.gov: Permitting Information
Rather not deal with it? Run your load through our permit checker, then call (310) 989-6530.
Quick answers
The legal width in Colorado is 8 ft 6 in without a permit.
The legal height in Colorado is 14 ft 6 in without a permit.
A single trip oversize permit is $30.
Escorts depend on route color; on blue routes, loads over 8 ft 6 in to 11 ft wide need one front pilot.
Extra-legal loads may not travel 6 AM to 9 PM on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.
Answers summarize the sourced sections above. Last verified Oct 15, 2026.
Keep reading
For lanes, industries and how we plan Colorado moves, see Heavy Haul Trucking in Colorado. For cross-state answers on pilot cars, legal width and height, superloads and holiday rules, see the Heavy Haul FAQ.
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