OVERVIEW

PERMITS: New Mexico oversize permits are valid for five days. New Mexico permits can also be purchased at Ports of Entry provided the size of the load does not require a bridge check or route survey.

OPERATING TIME: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, Monday through Saturday. If overweight only, continuous travel is allowed. Continuous travel is allowed if not exceeding 10′ wide, 14′-6″ high, 120′ long and/or 140,000 lbs.

RESTRICTED TRAVEL: Movement prohibited between the hours of 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the municipalities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Espanola. In Santa Fe, movement is also prohibited between the hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., except for SR599. Curfew times do not apply to I-25 through Santa Fe, but they do apply on Interstates in Albuquerque. No movement is allowed when any weather condition restricts visibility to less than 1000′, or when wind speed is 25 miles per hour or more. No travel on major holidays. Closure may start at noon on the day before Holiday.

LEGAL DIMENSIONS

Length:

  • 57′-6″ trailer on designated highways
  • 65′ overall length on all other roads

Overhang: 7′ rear

Width: 8′-6″

Height: 14′

Weight: 80,000 Gross

  • Single – 21,600
  • Tandem – 34,320 10′ Spread – 39,000
  • Tridem – Depends on spacings

ROUTINE PERMIT LIMITS

Length: Depends on routes.

Width: Depends on routes.

Height: Depends on routes. 15′-6″ needs a route survey; 18′ needs utility surveys and clearance from municipal and local authorities.

Weight:

  • Gross Weight
  • 5 axles – 105,000
  • 6 axles – 119,000
  • 7 axles – 127,000
  • Single – 23,000 on Interstate, 18,000 – 20,000 all other roads, depending on spacings
  • Tandem – 46,000
  • Tridem – 60,000
  • Quad – 68,000

Note: NM treats a 10+’ spread combination as a tandem rather than two singles.

ESCORTS

Length:

  • Over 90′ – one escort
  • Over 110′ – two escorts

Width:

  • Over 14′ – 1 escort (a few routes require an escort for over 12′ wide)
  • Over 20′ – also needs police escort and flagman

Height: Over 16′ – one escort and route survey (some routes may require route survey for lower heights)

Signs, Flags, and Lights: “Oversize Load” or “Wide Load” signs required on front of towing unit and on rear of load for any oversize, overweight or overweight only load. Red flags at least 12″ square must be affixed to front right and left sides of towing unit and to each corner of the load. Towing vehicles pulling oversize loads that exceed 12′ wide may display an amber rotating flashing beacon atop the cab.

NOTES

Bulldozer blades and arms over 14′ wide (measured at right angles to the trailer axis) shall be detached and hauled in a manner to not create a safety hazard. Dozer blades shorter than 14′ wide may be hauled without being detached provided the dozer is firmly supported. If buckets, blades, counterweights, etc., are easy to remove, they must be removed, but can be hauled with the load. Blade can be detached and hauled with the dozer on same trailer if the load would be overweight with or without the blade. It should be stated on the permit. On wide loads, side mirrors must extend far enough to avoid view being blocked by the load.

LINKS

For more in depth information, check out the New Mexico Department of Transportation

For information about our transportation services, head over to our Services page