Colorado Oversize & Overweight Permits
Colorado permits over 8'6" wide, 14'6" high, or the legal weight limits (C.R.S. 42-4-510). A rear escort or flashing light kicks in at 13' wide on the Interstate, two escorts at 15' on two-lane roads, and your escort driver must hold Colorado P/EVO certification. Single-trip oversize is about $30, a special permit about $250. Long combination vehicles are parked on Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day.
When Colorado needs a permit
Colorado permits over 8'6" wide, 14'6" high, or the legal weight limits (C.R.S. 42-4-510). A rear escort or flashing light kicks in at 13' wide on the Interstate, two escorts at 15' on two-lane roads, and your escort driver must hold Colorado P/EVO certification. Single-trip oversize is about $30, a special permit about $250. Long combination vehicles are parked on Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day.
Thresholds, escorts, and curfews
- Legal max before a permit: Permit needed over 8'6" wide, 14'6" high on any state highway (C.R.S. 42-4-504), past legal length (about 57'4" on the semitrailer), or over the legal weight limits. A posted overhead structure below 14'6" still governs your clearance.
- Escort / pilot car: Colorado sets escorts by route color on CDOT's Pilot Escort and Oversize Restriction Map, not by lane count. Blue routes: 1 front escort over 8'6", front and rear over 11'. Yellow routes: 1 front over 11', front plus either a rear escort or a flashing yellow light over 13'. Green routes: 1 front over 13' on a two-lane (a rear escort or flashing light on four-lane), front and rear over 15'. White routes: a rear escort or flashing light over 15'. Over 16' high is barred unless a front pilot carries a height pole. Length takes a front escort over 85' on mountainous two-lane and over 110' on other two-lane, and a rear escort over 115' on four-lane. Escort drivers must hold Colorado P/EVO certification (2 CCR 601-4 ch. 4).
- Superload: Over 17' wide or over 16' high is a special/superload permit with a route survey and structural review, roughly 6 to 10 business days to approve. Very heavy non-divisible loads (in the 200,000 lb range and up) get the same engineering treatment.
- Travel curfew: Sunrise to sunset for most loads. Up to 12' wide you can run nights with proper lighting; 12'-14' wide needs an escort to move at night, and over 14' wide is barred at night. Curfew windows are printed on the permit addendum. Long combination vehicles are banned outright on Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day, with Friday or Monday roll-over when the holiday lands on a weekend.
- Permit fee: Single-trip oversize is about $30; a single-trip special (superload) permit runs about $250. Annual and fleet permits are available for repeat runs.
Colorado Oversize Permit FAQ
When do I need an oversize permit in Colorado?
Does Colorado require a pilot car or escort?
Can I move an oversize load at night or on weekends in Colorado?
What does an oversize permit cost in Colorado?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://freight.colorado.gov/permitting-information. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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