Missouri Oversize Permit, Wide and Heavy Haul Information

Summary:

• Missouri restricts oversize load travel to one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset (with continuous movement allowed for overweight-only loads), and has specific holiday restrictions around major holidays.
• The state requires “OVERSIZE LOAD” signs (7′ x 18′ with 10″ letters) for loads over 10’6″ wide, red/yellow/orange flags (18″ square) at extreme ends of overwidth/overlength loads, and escort vehicles for loads over 12’6″ wide with specific requirements based on road type and load dimensions.
• Missouri oversize permits are valid for seven days and must be obtained before entering the state.

Operating Hours, Restricted Travel, and Holiday Restrictions

For oversize loads in Missouri, travel is limited to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Continuous movement is allowed for loads that are only overweight. Additional curfews apply in the Lake of the Ozark, Branson, Kansas City and St. Louis areas. Additionally, movement on state highway systems may be restricted Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in certain areas.

Movement for oversize loads is restricted on the following holidays: 

• New Year’s Day(January 1)
• Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
• Independence Day (July 4) – In the event Independence Day falls on Saturday, the restriction begins at 12:00 noon on the preceding Friday. Movement will resume one-half hour before sunrise the following Sunday. If Independence Day falls on Sunday, the restriction begins at 12:00 noon on the preceding Saturday. Movement will resume one-half hour before sunrise the following Monday.
• Labor Day (first Monday in September)
• Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – The restriction for Thanksgiving will begin at 12:00 noon on Wednesday and apply until one-half hour before sunrise on the following Monday.
• Christmas Day (December 25).

When Christmas and/or New Year’s Day fall on Friday or Saturday, the restriction will begin at 12:00 noon on the day preceding the holiday. Momvement will resume one-half hour before sunrise the following Monday. When Christmas and/or New Year’s Day fall on Sunday, the restriction will begin at 12:00 noon on the preceding Friday. Movement will resume one-half hour before sunrise the following Monday. On all holidays not mentioned, the restriction will begin at 12:00 noon on the day preceding the holiday. Movement will resume one-half hour before sunrise on the day following the holiday.

Signs, Flags, Lights, and Pilot Car Requirements

Signs, flags, and lights may be required when moving oversize loads or superloads for the safety of others on the road.

Signs

Oversize load signs at least seven feet (7’) long by eighteen inches (18”) high with ten-inch (10”) letters of one and five-eighths inch (1 5/8”) stroke must be displayed front and rear for loads exceeding ten feet six inches (10’6”) in width on all highways.

When the overall length of a combination unit exceeds ninety feet (90’) or the overall length of a single unit exceeds fifty feet (50’), an oversize load sign is required on the rear of the load. The sign’s background must be yellow with black lettering. The legend for these signs should read “OVERSIZE LOAD” or “WIDE LOAD.”

Flags

Red, yellow, or orange fluorescent flags in good condition with a minimum size of eighteen inches (18”) square must be displayed at the extreme ends or projections of all overwidth and overlength loads, and all four (4) corners of manufactured and sectional home units.

Lights

Oversize load signs are required and shall be lighted or reflectorized. Clearance lights in lieu of flags shall be mounted at extreme ends or load projections when moving after daylight hours and/or when visibility is less than five hundred feet (500’).

Pilot Cars

For routine moves, no escort is required for loads up to and including 12’6” in width. One escort is required on the interstate and designated route system for loads over 12’6” to 14’ wide. This escort must be in the rear on dual-lane, divided, or multi-lane pavement and in the front on two-lane pavement. 

Travel on routes off the interstate and designated route system requires one front and one rear escort. One rear escort is required on the interstate and other divided highways for loads over 14’ and up to 16’ wide. One front and one rear escort required on all multi-lane undivided and two-lane highways. A rear escort is required when the vehicle and load length exceed 90’ for a combination unit on all highways except divided highways. A height detection vehicle is required to precede overheight loads exceeding 15’6”.

Night movement for hauling over width ten feet, six inches (10’6”) and hay fourteen feet (14’) in width will be allowed by single trip permit. Height and length must be legal. This movement will require a front and a rear escort on all two- (2-) lane and multi-lane undivided state highways. A rear escort is required on interstate and other dual lane divided state highways.

Obtaining a Permit

In Missouri, oversize permits are valid for up to seven days. You must be in possession of the permit before entering the state of Missouri.

You can order permits at the official Missouri state website here: https://mcs.modot.mo.gov/mce/login.htm. New customers must complete the Motor Carrier Application and obtain a username and password on the MCS webpage at www.modot.org/mcs.

Partnering with a Logistics Company

Transporting oversize and overweight loads through Missouri 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 Missouri, 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.