OVERVIEW
PERMITS: Maryland oversize permits are valid for five travel days. Must have permit prior to entering the state.
OPERATING TIME: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, Monday through Friday and Saturday until Noon (see Restricted Travel, below, for some exceptions). Also, beginning April 1, 2013, Maryland started allowing night travel from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am when dimensions do not exceed 12’ wide, 75’ long, 14’-6” high and 120,000 pounds on routes that are not otherwise restricted. Night travel must be requested when applying for the permit. This is listed as a pilot program so it may change.
RESTRICTED TRAVEL: No movements across any toll facilities allowed from noon Friday until 9:00 am Monday. This restriction is also applied to all of I-95 from Baltimore to the Delaware line. Over 12′ wide or over 92,000 pounds can only travel 9:00 am to 3:30 pm (and Saturday until Noon) when on the Capital Beltway I-495/I-95 and Baltimore Beltway I-695. If 14′ wide or more, travel is only allowed from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm (and Saturday until Noon on any highway. No travel on six major Holidays and Holiday weekends (check with the Permit Office).
BALTIMORE CITY: Baltimore permits for the predefined route into or out of Dundalk Marine Terminal are now included with the Maryland state permit provided the dimensions are under 120,000 pounds, 12′ wide, 14′-6″ high and 85′ long. Loads with other Baltimore destinations or origins, or loads exceeding these dimensions have to be ordered separately from Baltimore City, which is usually slow with a 24-hour (minimum) turn-around time.
LEGAL DIMENSIONS
Length:
- 53′ semi-trailer on Interstate and designated highways
- 48′ trailer all other roads
- Trailers over 48′ are not to exceed 41′ kingpin to center of rear tandem axles, and not more than 4′ set back from front of trailer to kingpin
Overhang:
- 3′ front
- 6′ rear
Width:
- 8′-6″ Interstate & designated highways
- 8′ all other roads
Height: 13′-6″ (over 13′-6″ not permitted on flat-bed).
Weight: 80,000 Gross
- Single – 20,000
- Tandem – 34,000
- Tridem – 42,500
ROUTINE PERMIT LIMITS
Length: 120′
Width: 16′
Height: 16’ (overheight cannot be permitted on a flatbed). Over 14′-6″ now requires a route survey.
Weight: 120,000 (non-Interstate) to 150,000 (Interstate)
- Single – 27,000
- Tandem – 52,000
- Tridem – 63,000
Loads exceeding these dimensions are treated as super loads. Over 120,000 pounds gross on any non-Interstate routes is a superload.
ESCORTS
Length:
- Over 85′ – one escort
- 140′ or more – two escorts
Width:
- Over 13′ – one escort
- 14′ or more – two escorts
- 16′ or more – Police escort
Montgomery and Prince George Counties: loads over 12′ wide on two-lane undivided – two escorts
Height: 14′-6″ or more – one escort with height pole (some routes may have other requirements), and a route survey must
accompany application.
Weight:
- Over 120,000 pounds – one civilian escort, and Police escort is required on entire route if any part of the route is on non-Interstate highways
- Over 130,000 pounds – Police escort is required even on Interstate-only routes.
Signs, Flags, and Lights: “Oversize Load” or “Wide Load” signs are required if the vehicle and load exceeds 9′ in width.