Illinois Oversize / Overweight Regulations

What is considered as "Oversized Load" in Illinois?

Dimensions: Width: 8' 6" Height: 13' 6"' Length Overall 65'' Legal Overhang: Front 4', Rear 10'

What is considered as "Overweight Load" in Illinois?

Weights: Single Axle: 20,000 lb. Tandem axle: 34,000 lb. Tridem: 42,500 lb. Max Gross Weight: 80,000

Illinois Oversize / Overweight Permits

Illinois Pilot Cars / Escorts

Civilian escort vehicle is required: 

1. For all moves that exceed 14 feet 6 inches in width
2. For all moves that exceed 110 feet in length
   
3. For all moves that exceed 14 feet 6 inches in height
4. For any move across, upon, or along a highway when additional warning is required. 
5. When deemed necessary by the Department’s Bridge Office’s analysis, or by the Department’s District investigation.

Two civilian escort vehicles are required: 

1. For all moves that exceed both 14 feet 6 inches in width and 14 feet 6 inches in height
2. For all moves that exceed both 14 feet 6 inches in height and 110 feet in length; 
3. For all moves that exceed both 14 feet 6 inches in width and 110 feet in length. 
4. When deemed necessary by the Department’s Bridge Office’s analysis or by the Department’s District investigation. 

Three civilian escorts are required: 

1. For all moves that exceed 16 feet in width; 
2. For all moves that exceed 145 feet in length; 
3. For all moves that exceed 18 feet in height. 
4. When deemed necessary by the Department’s investigation.

Illinois State Police Escorts 

Illinois State Police escorts are required: 

• For all moves that exceed 18 feet in width; 
• For all moves that exceed 200 feet in length; 
• For all moves that exceed 18 feet in height; 
• For overweight moves where bridge restrictions require that all traffic be kept off of a structure while the permitted vehicle crosses; 
• For any move of an unusual nature where additional traffic control is necessary to alert the motoring public to the permit movement. 
• When deemed necessary by the Department's Bridge Office's analysis or by the Department’s District investigation. 

Illinois Axle Regulations

Maximum Legal Weight Allowed

Axle Group            Maximum

Single                    20,000 lb.

Tandem                 34,000

GVW                       80,000

Note: Two consecutive tandems may carry 34,000 lb. each providing the overall distance between fist and last axles is 36 feet or more.

Weights with permit:

6 or more-axle tractor semitrailer combination - 120,000lb; 48,000 on drive tandem and 60,000 lb on the trailer tandem.

5-axle tractor semitrailer combo - 100,000 lb gross; maximum of 48,000 lb on either tandem.

4-or-more-axle vehicle (axle spacing 23 ft. or more) up to and including 76,000 lb gross; maximum of 44,000 lb on on the tandem and 44,000 on the other.

3-or-more-axle vehicle (axle spacing 18 ft. or more): maximum 68,000 lb. gross; 20,000 lb on one axle and 48,000 on the tandem.

2-axle vehicle: maximum 48,000 lb., neither axle exceeds 25,000 lb.

Axle Group                      Maximum

Single                                25,000 lb

Tandem                            48,000 lb

Triple                                68, 000 lb

Quad                                76,000 lb

5 Axle  Vehicle                100,000 lb

6 Axle Vehicle                  120,000 lb

Illinois Trip and Fuel (IRP / IFTA) Permits

72- hour permits are vehicle specific. Permits are valid for 72 hours/3 days. Illinois currently allows the purchase of 3 IRP trip permits per vehicle before apportioned license (IRP) license must be purchased. No more than 3 trip permits may be issued per vehicle in any 12-month period. Permits are require for:

1. Carrier operates in two or more jurisdictions.
2. The power unit licensing weight is 26,001 lbs., or higher.
3. The power unit has more than two axles regardless of licensed weight.
4. The power unit is used in combination and the said combination is 26,001 lbs. or higher.

In lieu of obtaining an IFTA license, you may satisfy your Motor Fuel Use Tax obligation by purchasing Single-Trip Permits for each jurisdiction in which you are traveling. A Single Trip Permit for Illinois allows a motor carrier who operates commercial motor vehicles to travel into or through Illinois for a 96-hour period without being registered in a motor fuel use tax program.

If you are a carrier in need of a Single Trip Permit, please contact a Single Trip Permit provider. Single Trip Permits for Illinois must be purchased before entering Illinois.

Illinois Overweight / Oversize Fines

Under Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/15-112), “Any police officer having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful shall require the driver to stop and submit to a weighing.” The officer can use portable or stationary scales or, if not available, the officer can require that the vehicle be driven to the nearest available scale. If determined that the truck is overweight the officer will charge the driver accordingly and assess the appropriate fine amount set under 625 ILCS 5/15-111. Any person who refuses or fails to stop and submit his or her vehicle and load after being directed to do so by an authorized agent of the city, or who removes or causes the removal of any portion of the load prior to weighing, shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000).

Overweight Fines are incremental; the fine for the first 2000 pounds overweight is $73. The fines increase with every additional 500 pounds up to 24,000 pounds overweight, for which the fine is $3,975. More than 24,000 lb overweight, the fine increases an additional $75 for each increment of 500 lb.

Running Hours and Holiday Restrictions

"Oversize Load" Banners

All oversize loads exceeding legal width. Size: 7' long, 18" high Letters: Black, 12" high, 2" stroke Background: Yellow

Flag Requirements

All Oversize Loads: All flags shall be 18" square clean bright red flags with, displayed so as to wave freely on all four corners of the extremities of other over width objects, and at the extreme ends of all protrusions, projections, or overhangs.

Warning Lights: Color and Placement

Illuminated rotating, oscillating or flashing amber lights mounted on top of the vehicle, and on the rear of the load, if necessary, shall be in operation during the movement of all oversize and/or overweight permit loads and shall have sufficient intensity, when illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in all directions in normal sunlight.

Flags, Lights and Banners

Over dimension loads equal to or less than 14' 6" width, 15' 00" high, and/or 145' long, are authorized to move between ½ hour before sunrise and ½ hour after sunset, 7 days a week. Over dimension, loads greater than 14' 6" wide, 15' 00" high, 145' long are authorized between ½ hour before sunrise and ½ hour after sunset, Monday through Friday, and from ½ hour before sunrise until noon, Saturday. Permit movements are prohibited on Sunday. Over dimension permit movement is restricted on holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Over dimension permit movements will not be allowed later than noon on the day preceding a holiday or a holiday weekend. Categorical permit moves that are overweight only shall be allowed to move with no time restrictions.

Illinois Tire Regulations

Tire chains of reasonable proportion will be legal when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions causing vehicles to skid. Operating condition of pneumatic tires.

Use of Unsafe Tire. 1. No person or organization shall place, drive or move, or cause or allow to be placed, driven or moved, on a highway of this State, any vehicle equipped with one or more pneumatic tires deemed to be unsafe under a provision of paragraph (d) of this Section or a rule promulgated under paragraph (b) of this Section.

A pneumatic tire shall be deemed to be unsafe if it has:
1. Any part of a ply or cord exposed;
2. A tread or sidewall crack, cut, snag, or other surface interruption deep enough to expose a ply or cord;
3. Any bulge, knot, or separation;
4. Tread wear indicators flush with the tread outer surface in any 2 or more adjacent tread grooves at 3 locations approximately equally spaced around the circumference of the tire;
5. A depth of tread groove less than 2/32 of an inch or less than 1/32 of an inch if on a motorcycle or truckster, measured in any 2 or more adjacent tread grooves at 3 locations approximately equally spaced around the circumference of the tire, at least one of which, in the judgment of the inspecting officer, is a location at which the tread is thinnest, provided that any measurement over a tie bar, tread wear indicator, hump or fillet is excluded;
6. A depth of tread groove less than 4/32 of an inch at any one location and the tire is mounted on the front wheel
7. A marking which indicates that the tire is not intended for use on a public highway
8. Been regrooved or recut below the bottom of an original tread groove, except in the case of a special "regroovable" tire that was manufactured or retreaded with thick undertread, identified and regrooved in compliance with the applicable federal standards

Any police officer, upon reasonable cause to believe that a person or organization has acted or is acting in violation of any provision of this Section, shall require the driver, owner, or other appropriate custodian to submit the tire or tires to an inspection.

Illinois Annual Permits

The Illinois DOT has the authority to issue special permits with respect to highways under its jurisdiction for loads that cannot be reasonably dismantled or disassembled or are otherwise non-divisible. The permits may be issued as single-trip permits or for limited continuous operation (annual permits) and must indicate on which routes the vehicle may travel.

Permitted vehicles are allowed a scale tolerance of up to 2,000 lbs. on a single axle, 3,000 lbs. on a tandem axle, and 5,000 lbs. gross weight above the permitted limits.

The Department also has the authority to authorize, at its discretion, the movement of a vehicle in violation of any size or weight requirement that would not ordinarily be eligible for a permit if extreme necessity is shown that the vehicle and load should be moved without unnecessary delay. This discretional authority is limited to shipments of livestock, hazardous materials, liquid concrete in a mobile cement mixer, or hot asphalt (Ill Rev. Stat. ch. 625, §5/15-301[l]).

Dimensions: 

• Width: 12 feet 
• Height: 14 feet 6 inches 
• Length: 115 feet

Cost: $1000 

Time, it takes to receive: 1 business day

Illinois Road Conditions

Drivers should use caution driving through work zones. Use caution and do not drive recklessly through areas that road works are being conducted. Obey all speed reductions, signs, and lane restrictions. Be alert for workers when you travel through highway work zones. First offense for speeding in a work zone is $375, second offense is $1,000. Hitting a road worker is subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and 14 years in prison .

• Pay attention; conditions can change quickly.
• Remember: Traffic backups can occur at any time.

Illinois Manufactured Houses and Mobile homes

Following are the minimum size vehicles that may be used to tow manufactured homes: 

A) 8 feet wide manufactured home – passenger car. 

B) Over 8 feet up to 10 feet wide, 70 feet overall length manufactured home – ¾ ton truck.

C) Over 10 feet up to 12 feet wide, 115 feet overall length manufactured home – 1 ton truck with dual wheels. 

D) Over 12 feet wide up to 115 feet overall length manufactured home - 2 ton truck with dual wheels. 

Maximum Size Manufactured Home, Modular Home, or Oversize Storage Building 

The maximum size manufactured home, modular home section, or oversize storage building combination that may be moved in Illinois is 16 feet in width and 115 feet in length, including the towing vehicle. Movements under authority of a limited continuous operation permit shall be restricted to a maximum height of 15 feet.

Manufactured Home Frames 

Permits for over dimension manufactured home frames loaded on regular or lowboy semitrailers or on specially designed vehicles that are normally accepted as semitrailers and are normally licensed as semitrailers may be issued. A permit may be issued to tow one manufactured home frame. The Department issues stackable manufactured home frame limited continuous operation permits.

Mobile Home Emergency Moves 

In the event an area has been declared a disaster area by the President or Governor, house trailers may be authorized to move into the area without a standard permit. The house trailers may not exceed 12 feet wide and 85 feet combination length.

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Oversize / Overweight Regulations By State