Michigan Oversize Permit, Wide and Heavy Haul Information

Summary:

• Permits in Michigan are issued for daylight hours only (Monday-Friday), with holiday restrictions around major holidays and their adjacent weekends.
• The state requires specific signage (“OVERSIZE LOAD” signs 5′ x 12′ with 8″ black letters on yellow background), 18″ square fluorescent red flags at corners and widest points, and a minimum of two flashing amber lights on the rear of the vehicle.
• Michigan offers both single-trip permits and extended annual permits, though permits are restricted during spring weight restriction periods.

Operating Hours, Restricted Travel, and Holiday Restrictions

Permits are issued only for daylight hours (1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset) Monday through Friday. Permits shall not be issued starting noon the day before and continuing through the dawn of the following day for these holidays: 

• New Year’s Day
• Labor Day
• Memorial Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Independence Day
• Christmas Day

When a holiday occurs on a Friday or Monday, permits are not valid for the period beginning noon before the three-day weekend and ending daylight of the first day after the three-day weekend.

Travel is permitted on weekends for loads not exceeding 10 feet in width, 14 feet in height, and 90 feet in length. This is similar to bordering states’ parameters and allows for weekend movement all day on Saturday and until 3:00 pm on Sunday. Mobile/modular homes are not eligible for weekend movement.

From February to April, there are additional limits, and specific routing may vary. Overweight permits will not be issued during this time. Maximum axle weights may be reduced up to 35%, and a tandem group may only be allowed 26,000 lbs. (13,000 lbs. per axle); two tandem groups may allow 26,000 lbs. for one group and 32,000 lbs. for the other tandem group.

Signs, Flags, Lights, and Escort Vehicle Requirements

Signs, signals, safety flags, and warning lights are required when moving heavy haul loads or superloads for the safety of everyone on the road.

Signs

“OVERSIZE LOAD” signs are required on the bumper of the truck and the other on the rear of the trailer for any over-dimensional freight.

Sign dimensions must be 5 feet long, 12 inches high, and use black letters that are 8 inches high on a yellow background.

Flags

If the overhang is 4 feet or more, you must display on the extreme rear of such a load a 12- inch red square flag in the daytime and a red light or lantern at night.

Lights

A minimum of two flashing or rotating amber lights must be on the outer rear portion of the vehicle.

Escort Vehicles

An escort vehicle must be a passenger vehicle with at least one flashing or rotating light on top of the cab. There must be displayed on the roof of the escort vehicle an OVERSIZE LOAD sign 5 feet long by 12 inches high with 8-inch-high black letters on yellow background. All flashing or rotating amber lights shall be visible for a distance of 500 feet. If the height of the vehicle exceeds 14 feet and 6 inches, the escort vehicle is required to have a fixed measure pole or device set at the clearance high to ensure the load can make it safely under.

Obtaining a Permit

Single trip permits may be issued for a five day period if so requested. A single trip permit is valid for one trip only, but may be issued to include a return move.

Extended permits may be issued on an annual basis and are issued based on the vehicle/load being transported, there are various categories of permits including construction, miscellaneous, agricultural, pipe and pole, and modular or mobile home.

The MDOT Permit Gateway (MPG) is the portal for ordering and renewing permits. 

Partnering with a Logistics Company

Transporting oversize and overweight loads through Michigan requires strict adherence to state regulations and permit requirements. By understanding the operating hours, restricted travel times, signage, and permit application process, you can ensure safe and legal transport. If you are interested in streamlining the oversize permit process in Michigan, consider partnering with a modular logistics company like Stream. Contact our experts to ensure a seamless wide and heavy haul experience for your project. 

Read more:

• Over-Dimensional and Heavy Haul Permitting 101
• What You Need to Know About State Oversize Permits for Over-Dimensional, Wide, and Heavy Haul Trucking
• State Oversize Permit & Wide Load Regulations: Simplified

Stream Logistics is a transportation logistics company specializing exclusively in High Stakes Freight® , or freight where there is significant risk in moving your product. We help you transport freight when there are projects with timelines and delivery sequences, shipments with high complexity, and shipments with unique constraints.