West Virginia Oversize & Overweight Permits

When West Virginia needs a permit

West Virginia keeps it cheap at the desk: single-trip is $20 plus $0.04 per ton-mile overweight, and a blanket permit runs $200 oversize or $500 oversize-and-overweight. Over 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, or 80,000 lb needs a permit from the Division of Highways. Escorts start early on two-lane roads, from 10'6" wide, with a front pole car over 15' high. Superloads carry no size cap but every one clears a bridge analysis, and you move in daylight.

Thresholds, escorts, and curfews

• Legal max before a permit: Permit needed over 8'6" wide, 13'6" high, 80,000 lb gross, or over legal length (53 ft semitrailer, 40 ft single unit, 70 ft overall on US/WV/county routes). Single-trip permits top out at 16' wide and 120,000 lb gross before a load becomes a superload. The WVDOT Division of Highways permit office issues, self-issue through the gotpermits sites.
• Escort / pilot car: Escorts come early and depend on lane count. On two-lane roads a front escort is required from 10'6" wide, front and rear over 12', front and rear over 14', and two front plus one rear from 15' to 16' (route-specific above 16'). Four-lane thresholds are lighter (rear escort over 12'). Height over 15' adds a front pole car. Confirm the exact escort on the permit.
• Superload: No size ceiling in words. Anything over the single-trip limits (over 16' wide or over 120,000 lb gross) is a superload, and every superload clears a bridge analysis. The fee matches a single trip, but the engineering review and route-suitability sign-off set the calendar.
• Travel curfew: Loads 14' wide or less move sunrise to sunset seven days a week; wider than 14' is weekday-only, sunrise to sunset Monday through Friday. No travel on the major holidays. Non-oversize overweight up to 135,000 lb (110,000 lb on the Turnpike) can run around the clock on request. The WV Turnpike sets its own width and time limits, and terrain and posted structures drive routing.
• Permit fee: Single-trip is $20 (over-dimension or overweight) plus $0.04 per ton-mile for overweight. Superload carries the same $20 base. Blanket/annual permits are $200 for oversize or $500 for oversize-and-overweight.

More for West Virginia