South Carolina Oversize/Overweight Permits

Call (888) 799-8858 for South Carolina oversize/overweight permits

South Carolina

Permit Types

1. Single-Trip Permits

Valid for 7 days. These permits are issued for the following:

  • Manufactured Home
  • House
  • Portable Building
  • Lead Cask
  • Tires on Open Top Container
  • Fire Apparatus
  • Road Machinery
  • Implement of Husbandry
  • Forestry Equipment
  • Other Non-Reducible loads

2. Multi-Trip Permits

  • Non-Divisible Loads – Max dims: 14′ width, 13’6″ height, 90,000 lbs. weight on 5 or more axles, max 40,000 lbs. on tandem axles.
  • Containerized Cargo – Max dims: 8’6″ width, 13’6″ height, 90,000 lbs. weight on 5 or more axles, max 40,000 lbs. on tandem axles.
  • Manufactured Home – Max dims: 14′ width, 13’6″ height, legal weight.
  • Tires on Open Top Container
  • Culvert Pipe
  • Cotton Modular
  • Sheet Tobacco
  • Bulk Agricultural

PERMITS: South Carolina oversize permits are valid for 7 days. You must have a permit prior to entering the state.

OPERATING TIME: Operation is permitted from one-half hour after sunrise to one-half hour before sunset, Monday through Saturday. No Sunday travel. Overweight-only loads not exceeding 130,000 lbs. gross may travel continuously if they can maintain traffic flow speed. Loads exceeding 130,000 lbs. may travel Monday through Friday only.

LEGAL DIMENSIONS

Height: 13’6″
Width: 8’6″  on Interstate and designated highways
Length: 53’ semitrailer and load (not to exceed 41’ from the center of kingpin to center of rear tandem).
Overhang:
  • 5’ rear overhang on a 48’ semi-trailer
  • None on a 53’ semi-trailer
Weight: 80,000 lbs. of Gross weight

  • Single – 20,000 lbs.
  • Tandem – 34,000 lbs.
  • Tridem – 35,200 lbs. (depends on spacings)

Note: SC will not permit overhang with multiple pieces. They will only permit for a non-divisible load.

PERMIT LIMITS

Width: 16’
Length: 125’
Overhang:
  • 3’ at the front of trailer
  • 10’ at the rear on 48’ to 53’ semi-trailer
Weight:  

  • 5 axles – 90,000 lbs.
  • 6 axles – 110,000 lbs.
  • 7 axles – 130,000 lbs.
Height: No set limits – limits determined by route. Must be at least 6″ of clearance from any overhead structure.
Axle Weights:
  • Single – 20,000 lbs.
  • Tandem – 40,000 lbs.
  • Tridem – 60,000 lbs.
  • Quad – 80,000 lbs.

Loads that exceed these dimensions or weights are considered superloads.

ESCORTS FOR WIDELOAD AND OVERSIZED SHIPPING

Generally, no escorts are required on divided highways. Escorts must be certified for loads over 12’ wide

When Escorts are Needed:

On 2-Lane Highways:

Width over 12′ 1 escort

On All Highways:

Overhang Over 10’ rear – 1 escort
Width over 14′ 2 escorts
Width over 16′ 3 escorts minimum and may require police escorts
The permittee is responsible for vertical clearances. No specific escort needs to be given for height and length.

SIGNS, FLAGS & LIGHTS

“Oversize Load” signs are required at the front and rear for all loads exceeding 12wide, and flags are required on each corner. A rotating amber beacon or strobe light is required on the rear of loads exceeding 12wide up to 14wide. When the width is over 14′ wide up to 16′ wide, a rotating amber beacon or strobe is required on each outer rear corner of the load. When traveling from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, or when windshield wipers must be used, or when inclement weather or other conditions reduce visibility below 500′, a red flag must be displayed at the extreme rear of the load, and a rotating amber beacon light or strobe light must also be displayed there.

 RESTRICTED TRAVEL

Loads over 12′ wide up to 15′ wide are not permitted to be moved over state highways in close proximity to large urban areas between the hours of 7:00 – 9:00 AM and 3:00 – 6:00 PM on school days and 4:30 – 6:00 PM on other days, and loads over 15′ wide up to 16′ wide must be moved between the hours of 9:00 – 3:00 on school days and 9:00 – 4:00 on other days. Routes between I-95 and the Myrtle Beach area are prohibited on Friday and Saturday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is no travel on major holidays and holiday weekends.

In large metropolitan areas (Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville), no travel is permitted between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. and between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. on school days and from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on all other days. Operators of house or extremely large load movers must have city permits and prior local approval before operating within any city’s limits.

You can also obtain any trip and fuel permits you may need with our sister site!