Permits
Connecticut oversize permits are valid for three days.
Operating Time
Daylight only (one-half hour after sunrise to one-half hour before sunset), no weekends or holidays. Weekend travel is not allowed for overweight only loads. No moves 6:30 am to 9:00 am or 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Loads 13′-6″ wide or over 14′ high can only travel Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Connecticut is continuing its pilot program allowing some weekend travel. Weekend travel is allowed daylight to 12:00 noon Saturday and Sunday if load does not exceed 12′ wide, 13′-6″ high, 80′ long, or 120,000 lbs on five or more axles. Weekend must be requested when ordering permit.
Restricted Travel
No travel on major holidays (New Years, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas). If holiday falls on Monday, shut down is at 12:00 noon on the day before the Holiday. These rules may change year to year.
Legal Dimensions
Length: 48′ trailer.
Note: 53′ semi-trailer is only legal on Interstate and Designated Highways if the distance between the kingpin and the center of the rear axle does not exceed 43′. (Kingpin setting does not matter on a single piece OD load permit load but the 43’ maximum does apply on a multiple piece load, even when the extra pieces are legal size).
Note: You can be fined $750 if you have a 53′ semi-trailer traveling without a permit and kingpin setting over 43′ if you are traveling empty unless the return trip is shown on your permit!
Overhang: A permit is required on trailers 48′ long & cover over 4′ needs flagged for day and lighted for night.
Width: 8′-6″
Height: 13′-6″ (Note: CT will not issue a permit for overheight for any kind of a building.)
Weight: 80,000 Gross
Single – 22,400
Tandem – 36,000
Tridem – 42,500
Routine Permit Limits
Length: 130′
Width: 15′-11″
Height: 14′ (Route survey required for height over 14′); 13′-6” is the maximum height for any kind of building.
Weight:
Single – 22,500
Tandem – 45,000
Tridem – 67,500
Note: Connecticut does not go strictly by axle weights. They will go as high as 25,000 on a single, providing that the manufacturer’s rating is not exceeded and provided that the gross is within the limits stated above for 5, 6 or 7 axles.
Over 14′ wide, 14′ high or 120′ long is considered a Super Load. Over 140,000 lbs requires an engineer review.
Note: the maximum superload width in Massachusetts is 16 feet.
Escorts
Length:
Divided Highway
over 100′ – one escort
over 120′ – two escorts
Undivided Highway
over 80′ – one escort
over 100′ – two escorts
Overhang: Over 25′ – one escort likely.
Width: Over 12′ – one escort on divided highways, two escorts on undivided highways; over 13′-6″ – two escorts, 15′ (over 14’-11”) – three escorts.
Height: Over 14′ – one escort with pole (route survey required before ordering permit). Over 15′-3″ – two or more State Police escorts.
Miscellaneous
On loads up to 14′ wide, blade can remain attached. If overweight and weight can be reduced by removing the blade, then the blade must be hauled separately. Connecticut does not issue permits for containers. Connecticut will not issue a permit of overheight on any kind of building.
Signs & Flags
“Oversize Load” signs are required on loads over 10′ wide or 13′-6″ high. Over 4′ of overhang must be flagged during the day and lighted at night. Flags are required on all corners of the permitted vehicle on any oversize or overweight load, and on widest points of wide loads.
Note on 53’ Trailers and 43’ Kingpin limit. See important information in Legal Dimensions section above.
