Heavy Haul Resource Center
State by State Compliance
Alabama Over-Size and Heavy Guide
This page is a guide to the general wide, tall and heavy transportation rules, regulations, and permits. We have sourced links at the bottom of this page to get our readers all of the information possible. Our goal and purpose is to enable any person to move high, wide and heavy loads throughout America. For more information or to request a quote, please click here.
Alabama Width Guide
Legal Width Limit: Eight (8) Feet wide on roads with less than twelve (12) foot lanes; eight (8) feet and six (6) inches on roads with at least twelve (12) foot lanes.
Permit Width Range: Any width between legal width limit (above) and 1 Escort width (below).
Width Escort Qty 1: Loads greater than twelve (12) feet and up to Fourteen (14) feet wide require
- One (1) front escort on two-lane roads
- One (1) rear escort for multilane roads
Width Escort Qty 2: Loads greater than fourteen (14) feet wide require one (1) front and one (1) rear escort on all roads.
Super Load: Any width over sixteen (16) feet wide.
Special: For mobile homes, the rear escort may be replaced by the following described lighting system: Two (2) flashing or strobe lights, visible for 360 degrees at 500 feet shall be mounted six (6) feet above ground level on the rear corners of the mobile home. Control of the lighting system shall be inside the tractor cab with a warning device to alert the driver in the event the lighting system malfunctions. If the lighting system malfunctions, the driver is to proceed to the first area where the load can be safely removed from the roadway and parked until the lighting system is repaired.
Alabama Height Guide
Legal Height Limit: The overall height of the load on the trailer cannot exceed Thirteen (13) feet and six (6) inches. 450-3-1-.02
Permit Height Range: Any height between legal height limit (above) and 1 Escort height (below).
Height Escort Qty 1: Loads greater than fifteen (15) feet, six (6) inches will require one (1) front escort.
Height Escort Qty 2: The State of Alabama’s DOT does not specify a height where two (2) escorts are required.
Survey and Bucket Trucks: Loads greater than seventeen (17) feet in height require a route survey and utility notification. More specifically, a bucket truck is required on loads that exceed sixteen (16) feet and six (6) inches in height.
Super Load: Total height above sixteen (16) feet.
Special: A permit to operate a vehicle which exceeds the statutory limits of height, weight, or length shall be issued only on condition of payment of proof of insurance of $300,000 split limit coverage or $1,000,000 combined single limit coverage as a minimum. The insurance will be conditioned for payment to ALDOT and will be held in trust to pay the owners of bridges, traffic signals, signs, or other highway structures damaged by a vehicle operating using the permit.
Alabama Length Guide
Legal Length Limit: According to 450-3-1-.02 Legal Lengths are defined as:
- Forty (40) feet for a single vehicle
- Fifty-Seven (57) feet for a truck-semi-trailer combination
- Fifty-Seven (57) feet for semi-trailers including load used in a truck tractor-semi-trailer-trailer combination.
- Twenty-Eight (28) feet for semi-trailers and trailers used in truck tractor-semi-trailer-trailer combination.
- Forty-Five (45) Feet for Motor Homes and Motor Buses.
- Sixty-Five (65) feet for car haulers; seventy-five (75 feet for stinger-steered units
Legal Overhang (Front and Rear): Five (5) feet.
Permit Length Range: Any height between legal height limit (above) and 1 Escort height (below).
Length Escort Qty 1:
- A single rear escort is required for lengths greater than ninety (90) feet up to 125 feet, inclusive, except that mobile homes may use the approved lighting system, described in (4) above, instead of a rear escort.
- A rear escort is required for any permitted vehicle transporting a load extending more than five (5) feet beyond the rear of the vehicle.
- A front escort is required for any permitted vehicle transporting a load extending ten (10) feet or more beyond the front of the vehicle.
Length Escort Qty 2:
- A front and a rear escort are required for lengths greater than 125 feet up to 150 feet. ALDOT may require additional escorts for lengths less than 150 feet when deemed necessary.
Front & Rear Police Escorts: Front and rear law enforcement escorts are required for lengths greater than 150 feet.
Super Load: One Hundred and Fifty (150) feet of length or more.
Special: A permit to operate a vehicle which exceeds the statutory limits of height, weight, or length shall be issued only on condition of payment of proof of insurance of $300,000 split limit coverage or $1,000,000 combined single limit coverage as a minimum. The insurance will be conditioned for payment to ALDOT and will be held in trust to pay the owners of bridges, traffic signals, signs, or other highway structures damaged by a vehicle operating using the permit.
Alabama Weight Guide
Legal Weight Limit: The Legal weight for the state of Alabama is 80,000 pounds (36287.39 Kgs) Gross Weight. That includes the weight of the truck and trailer.
Permit Weight Range: Weight restrictions are based on number of axles. 2 Axle 44,000 lbs | 3 Axle 66,000 lbs | 4 Axle 88,000 lbs | 5 Axle 102,000 lbs | 6 Axle 124,000 lbs | 7 Axle 146,000 lbs | 8 Axle 168,000 lbs.
Super Load: Gross Weight Exceeds 250,000 lbs.
Special Instructions: A letter from the manufacturer is required certifying the shipment is reduced to the lowest possible size and weight configuration as well as an explanation of why it can not be shipped by other means such as by barge or port. Loads exceeding 150,000 pounds (68038.8 kilograms)are subject to a full scale structural bridge analysis if bridges are in the route. A special weight authorization (SWA) is required from the permit office to initiate the necessary bridge rating section investigation as well. Night travel (9PM – 6AM) may be required with a state trooper or police escort (minimum of 2 when travelling). A route survey will probably be required. The Alabama State Troopers Association handles all of the scheduling of police/trooper escorts after your super load permit has been issued. A lighting system configured from strobe warning lights must be placed on each extremity of the shipment in addition to basic requirements such as flags and oversize load signs. All rail road crossings must be identified and railroad must be notified in advance of your intent to cross as well as date and time. ALDOT will more than likely verify this with the railroad and not issue a super load permit until verified. It is the carriers responsibility to notify the railroad of each intended crossing. At each rail crossing you will find a small plaque with a phone number and a “crossing number” that identifies each crossing for submitting cross requests.
Contact and Reference
Fide Freight hopes you find this information helpful and valuable to your company or operation. If you would like to learn more, please visit our Heavy Haul Resource Center or our State by State Compliance Guide.
Click Here if you are looking for a quote to an over-sized or over-weight shipment.
Click Here to see the State of Alabama’s DOT Rules PDF.
Click Here to see the State of Alabama’s DOT Rules Weight Restrictions PDF.