Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility for a Permit:

Permits can only be issued for the movement of loads and/or vehicles when there exists good cause and the loads and/or vehicles are reasonably non-divisible. General guidelines toward divisibility are:

Non-divisible means any load or vehicle **exceeding applicable length, width, height, or weight limits** which if separated into smaller loads or vehicles would:

Fax, mail, or deliver completed Caltrans Transportation Permit application forms to our office.

Transportation Permits office hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Walk-in counter service is available from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Faxed applications are accepted 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

• The Permits office is open on three State holidays: Martin Luther King's Birthday, Cesar Chavez Day, and Veterans Day. Walk-in counter service is NOT available on these State holidays.
• The Permits office is closed on: New Year's Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day After Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

For information on how to contact our Transportation Permits office, please click here.

For enforcement reasons, these questions should be directed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) @ (916) 843-3400.

In general:

Warning Lights

CVC Sec. 25270: Any pilot car required by the permit referred to in Section 35780 or 35790, or any vehicle or combination of vehicles subject to the permit if specified in the permit, shall be equipped with flashing amber warning lights to the front, sides or rear. The pilot car and any vehicles required by the permit to have flashing amber warning lights, shall display the flashing amber warning lights while actually engaged in the movement described in the permit. The warning lamps shall be removed or covered with opaque material whenever the pilot car is not escorting the movement described in the permit.

Lamp on Projecting Load

CVC Sec. 25103. Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends from the left side of the vehicle one foot or more, there shall be displayed at the extreme left side of the load during darkness: (a) An amber lamp plainly visible for 300 feet to the front and rear of the vehicle. (b) An amber lamp at the front visible for 300 feet to the front and a red lamp at the rear plainly visible for 300 feet to the rear of the vehicle if the projecting load exceeds 120 inches in length. The lamp shall not contain a bulb rated in excess of six candlepower.

Projecting Lights, Mirrors or Devices

CVC Sec. 35109: Lights, mirrors, or devices which are required to be mounted upon a vehicle under this code may extend beyond the permissible width of the vehicle to a distance not exceeding 10 inches on each side of the vehicle.

Clearance and Side-Marker Lamps

Shall comply with CVC Sec. 25100.

For more information related to lighting equipment, please refer to Division 12, Chapter 2 of the California Vehicle Code.

For enforcement reasons, these questions should be directed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) @ (916) 843-3400.

In general:

Warning Signs on Loads and/or Vehicles

All loads and/or vehicles being moved on State highways which exceed 8'-6" in width, 80'-0" in length shall display appropriate warning signs.

Signs shall be posted on the front and rear of the vehicle or on the front of the lead vehicle and the rear of the back trailer with multi-vehicle combinations. The lettering shall be a 10-inch minimum height with a 1-5/8-inch minimum brush stroke, and a minimum 1-inch margin all around. All signs shall be black letters on a yellow background, mounted at least 18 inches above the road surface front and rear. Signs shall be neat, clean, legible, mounted securely and visible from straight ahead or behind and to 45-degree either side thereof.

Signs shall be posted on front and rear and shall read "LONG LOAD" or "OVERSIZE". The "LONG LOAD" sign shall be used whenever overall length exceeds 100 feet. The "OVERSIZE" sign shall be used for shorter lengths and other oversize features. The more definitive signs reading "WIDE LOAD", "LONG LOAD", "OVERSIZE LOAD", "EXCESSIVE FRONT OVERHANG" or "EXCESSIVE REAR OVERHANG" may be substituted for the "OVERSIZE" sign when appropriate. The "LONG LOAD" sign shall have preference when length exceeds 100-feet and other oversize features exist.

Warning Signs on Pilot Cars

CVC Sec. 27904.5: Subject to Section 35783.5, a pilot car shall display neat, clean, and legible signs containing the word "OVERSIZE." The words "OVERSIZE LOAD," "WIDE LOAD," or "LONG LOAD" may be substituted as applicable. The sign shall be a minimum of 48 inches above the ground and shall be legible at 45 degrees from either side when read from the front or rear. The sign shall have a bright yellow background with a minimum projected area of 440 square inches. The lettering shall be black with a 1-inch minimum brush stroke width and a 6-inch minimum letter height.

Removal of Warning Signs

CVC Sec. 35783.5: Warning signs required by the terms of a permit shall either be removed from the vehicle or covered from the view of other motorists whenever the vehicle is operating without the load that required the permit.

For enforcement reasons, these questions should be directed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) @ (916) 843-3400.

In general:

Flags on Vehicles and/or Loads

CVC Sec. 25104: Any vehicle or equipment that requires a permit issued pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 35780) of Chapter 5 of Division 15 because it is wider than permitted under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 35100) of Division 15 shall display a solid red or fluorescent orange flag or cloth not less than 12 inches square at the extreme left front and left rear of the vehicle or equipment, if the vehicle or equipment is being operated other than during darkness.

CVC Sec. 24604: Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends, or whenever any integral part of any vehicle projects, to the rear four feet or more beyond the bed or body of the vehicle, there shall be displayed at the extreme end of the load or projecting part of the vehicle during darkness, in addition to the required tail lamp, two red lights with a bulb rated not in excess of six candlepower plainly visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the sides and rear. At any other time there shall be displayed at the extreme end of the load or projecting part of the vehicle a solid red or fluorescent orange flag or cloth not less than 12 inches square.

Warning Flags on Pilot Cars

CVC Sec. 28100: A pilot car shall display at least one red warning flag on each side of the vehicle. The flags shall be a minimum of 16 inches square, and shall be mounted so as to be visible from both the front and rear of the vehicle. The flags shall be removed or covered when the vehicle is not operating as a pilot car.

Projecting Lights, Mirrors or Devices

CVC Sec. 35109: Lights, mirrors, or devices which are required to be mounted upon a vehicle under this code may extend beyond the permissible width of the vehicle to a distance not exceeding 10 inches on each side of the vehicle.

Vehicle inspections are performed to record data and evaluate the acceptability of extralegal vehicles.  A record is provided for the convenience of the owner and used by the Department when appropriate on permit application. Inspections will be required on:

• Four-axle power units.
• Tractors that exceed 20,000 lbs on the steering axle.
• Fixed-load vehicles.
• Heavy haul combinations routed as 9 axles or more.
• Vehicles with mechanical distribution systems.
• Vehicle combinations where there is reason to believe a weight distribution problem or a dimensional inconsistency exists.
• Any change in ownership of a fixed-load vehicle will require re-inspection.
• Boat trailers that require extralegal weight.

Inspections will be performed by Headquarters Permit Vehicle Inspectors. Headquarters Vehicle Inspectors may be reached at the following telephone numbers.

Note: Permit Vehicle Inspectors are often scheduled for inspections days or weeks in advance.
The transporter is encouraged not to wait until the last minute to request an inspection.

Equipment reviews may be requested when the vehicle equipment falls outside of the Department's extralegal load parameters or policies. Equipment reviews are performed by the HQ Equipment Engineer. A detailed check list is provided to assist in obtaining relevant vehicle information. All submittals are processed in a timely manner. For scheduling purposes, please allow a minimum of 20 business days for review. Once the review is complete, a letter containing the findings and decision will be issued.

HQ Equipment Engineer may be reached at the following telephone number (916) 654-4385. For additional information and check list, refer to the following link.

Equipment Reviews

Maximum Width: 16'-0" including eves. No hardship program.

• Units less than 12'-0" width require a tractor not less than 6,500 pounds.
• Units at 12'-0" width or above require a tractor not less than 9,500 pounds.

Maximum Length: 80'-0" unit length including tongue.

Maximum Combination Vehicle Length:

• 105'-0" for a two-axle power unit.
• Unlimited for a power unit with three or more axles.

• The Transportation Permits Manual can be ordered from our Publications Unit. The cost is $27.00.
• The Single Trip Pilot Car Maps can be ordered from our Publications Unit. The cost is $15.00.

Click here to go to the Publications Unit web site where you can view all available publications and download the forms necessary to place an order. You can also order directly using your credit card.

Publications staff can be reached at: (916) 263-0822, (916) 263-0865 or by fax at: (916) 263-0469.

Contact webmaster for suggestions on website.

Revised 1/9/13