By Evan Reid, Founder of Haul Handbook · Updated Jul 18, 2026
Florida legal limits (no permit needed at or under these)
Axle weight limits
Gross weight is one ceiling; each axle group carries its own limit, and a load can be legal on gross weight yet overweight on an axle. Exceeding any of these needs an overweight permit.
Permit fees
- Single trip
- Overdimension trip permits are valid 10 days and priced by dimension tier (Rule 14-26.008, F.A.C., Table 1A, effective 4/24/2018). Overweight trip permits are priced per mile by weight tier, billed in 25-mile increments rounded up to the nearest dollar. For weights over 80,000 lb an administrative cost of 3.33 USD is added, and a 5.00 USD electronic transmission fee applies per trip permit when applicable.
Overweight permit fee tiers (annual)
Annual overweight permits are priced by the gross weight the load reaches, in fixed steps.
To price a specific load, try the oversize permit cost estimator, or compare every state on the national oversize permit table.
Escort thresholds
Travel restrictions
- Daylight only
- Most oversize movements are daytime only. Loads up to 10 ft wide (with flags) and up to 80 ft long may move all hours; nighttime movement otherwise requires District Traffic Engineering Office or Office of Maintenance approval plus law enforcement escort.
- Curfews
- No movement in congested areas during peak traffic hours unless specifically authorized (applies to loads over 85 ft long and wide loads in high-traffic areas).
Superload and beyond-permit review
Loads past the standard single-trip permit thresholds get individual state review rather than an off-the-shelf permit.
Florida rules do not define a formal 'superload' class. The practical line is the PAS self-issuance ceiling: loads over 16 ft wide, 18 ft high, 150 ft long, or 200,000 lb (140,000 lb self-propelled) cannot be self-issued and go to State Permits Office review.
Applications are reviewed for compliance with Chapter 14-26, F.A.C.; restricted bridges and roadways are identified on the permit. Over 199,000 lb only trip permits are issued (per-mile pricing), never annual or multi-trip. Over 16 ft wide or 16 ft high movements are limited to local moves with law enforcement escorts.
Self-issue first
Florida lets carriers issue their own trip and annual permits online for loads under the published width, height, length, and weight ceilings, and those ceilings sit high enough to cover most working loads. Anything larger goes to the State Permits Office for engineering review, with restricted bridges and roads written onto the permit itself.
How the fees work
Overdimension trip permits price by dimension tier and run for a set number of days. Overweight trip permits price per mile by weight tier, billed in mileage blocks, with a small administrative charge above the legal weight limit and an electronic transmission charge where it applies. Annual permits carry flat tier prices. Every figure renders from the sourced fee arrays, never from this prose.
Escorts scale with the load
Smaller oversize moves run without escorts, using flags, signs, and lights under the rule. As width, height, or length climbs past each sourced threshold, the rule adds one qualified escort, then two, then law enforcement, and the largest moves are restricted to local runs. Escort drivers hold their own qualification and requalify on a fixed cycle.
When loads can move
Most oversize movement is daytime only, with weekend and holiday moratoria unless the permit says otherwise, and congested-area movement is barred at peak hours for longer loads. Poor visibility parks the load until conditions improve. The sourced restriction fields carry the exact operational lines.
Before you reach the state line
Florida requires the permit in hand before the vehicle enters the state. Pull the permit through the online system before the trip starts; the pre-entry rule is statutory, not a courtesy.
How to read this page
A value reading "Not confirmed" means we could not verify the figure on an official agency page at review time, so it stays open rather than guessed. Superload moves above the standard permit thresholds get individual review by the state; contact the permit office named on this page. For the rest of the Florida permit stack, see Florida trucking permits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I self-issue a Florida oversize permit online?
- Yes, for loads under the published self-issue ceilings, through FDOT's Permit Application System. Larger moves go to the State Permits Office for review. The sourced ceiling fields on this page carry the exact dimensions and weight.
How much does a Florida oversize permit cost?
- Less than in most states. Overdimension trip permits price by dimension tier, overweight trips price per mile by weight, and annual permits carry flat tier prices. The sourced fee tables on this page render every figure with its rule citation.
When does a Florida oversize load need an escort?
- Once width, height, or length passes the sourced thresholds in the movement rule. Escort counts step up with size, law enforcement joins the largest moves, and the biggest dimensions are limited to local runs. The escort table on this page renders each sourced step.
Does the permit have to be issued before entering Florida?
- Yes. FDOT requires overdimensional and overweight permits before the vehicle enters the state, under the statute cited on this page. Self-issuing online ahead of the trip is the standard route.
Haul Handbook publishes educational information about trucking registration and compliance requirements. This is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Rules, fees, and deadlines change; confirm with the agency before you file or pay.