Delaware oversize permit rules

What Delaware charges for a single-trip OS/OW permit, the limits that trigger one, and the escort thresholds — read from the state’s own publication. This rule has been in effect since 2023-06-11; we last read the source on 2026-07-07.

Oversize permit

$30

One price for a single-trip permit, whatever the dimensions. A 9-foot-wide load and a 16-foot-wide load pay the same.

Overweight permit

From $30

Scales with weight and axle count — there is no single figure.

A load that is both oversize and overweight pays this fee only, not both.

+ $20 Permigo service fee per permit, state fees at cost.

Legal limits

Exceed any one of these in Delaware and you need a permit for this state.

Limit	Interstate	Off-interstate
Width	8'6"	8'6"
Height	13'6"	13'6"
Length	60'0"	60'0"
Gross weight	80,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Single axle	20,000 lbs
Tandem axle	34,000 lbs
Trailer length	53'0"

What the permit costs

Delaware prices a single-trip permit as flat rate. One price for a single-trip permit, whatever the dimensions. A 9-foot-wide load and a 16-foot-wide load pay the same.

Superload threshold

Superload (§1.3): width ≥15' / height ≥15' / length ≥120' (inclusive) OR gross weight OVER 120,000 lb (exclusive — §5.1.1 alone says 'or greater'; 4 sources use '>'; warn at exactly 120,000). Fee: $60 + $10/8,000-lb-or-portion over the axle-count legal weight (billed). Review: Type 1 length ~5 business days; Types 2/3/4 ~10; Type 5 combination ~14 (the FAQ ceiling). Types 1/2/3/5 haulers contract 1 DSP trooper + patrol car (48-hour notice); Type 4 (weight) DSP discretionary since 11/2022. Route survey HP Form 16 (≤14 business days old) when DelDOT determines the move is extreme; HP Form 17 'SUPERLOAD Gate Keeping Checklist' normally required for Type 5. 911 centers + DelDOT TMC notified ≥1 hour before the move and at completion. DelDOT labor/equipment/evaluation reimbursed at actuals (§5.6.6, estimate signed ≥48 h ahead). Allow around 14 days for review.

Escort requirements

Thresholds by road class. Where two classes differ, the road you are actually on governs.

4+ lane (divided)

Width	Requirement
Over 13'0"	1 rear escortOver 13' wide up to 14': 1 escort. On multilane (4+ lane, divided) highways the escort FOLLOWS (rear). On 2/3-lane the same load is PRECEDED (front) — the position flips by road type (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.3, audited threshold '>13 ft', not 12'1").
Over 14'0"	1 front escort + 1 rear escortOver 14' wide (any road type): IMMEDIATE front + rear escort (2 escorts) — DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.4.
15'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort · superload15'0" or more wide = SUPERLOAD (§1.3 inclusive): front + rear civilians + 1 contracted Delaware State Police trooper (Type 2 special provisions §5.3.2.4.1). The separate §4.6.1.4 DSP line reads 'more than 15 feet' (exclusive) — at exactly 15'0" the DSP still attaches via the superload provisions. Route survey CONDITIONAL ('for a move of extreme width, as determined by DelDOT', §5.3.2.2.1); lateral clearance 3–6" per side. Review ~10 business days.

Height	Requirement
15'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · superload15'0" or more tall = SUPERLOAD: front + rear civilians + 1 contracted DSP trooper (Type 3 §5.3.3.4.1). NO height-pole rule exists in Delaware law
17'6" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort17'6" or more tall: a separate state police escort (third escort) is required (§4.6.1.6 verbatim — height is the ONLY dimension with this 17'6" DSP tier; the old width-17'6" band was a transposition error).

Length	Requirement
90'0" and over	1 rear escort90' or more overall length: 1 rear escort (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.5; audited threshold ≥90', not 85'). Threshold INCLUSIVE.
100'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort100' or more overall length: front + rear escort (2 escorts) — DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.5.
120'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort · superload120'0" or more overall = SUPERLOAD: front + rear + separate DSP escort (§4.6.1.5). Survey conditional ('extreme length', §5.3.1.2.1; HP Form 16, ≤14 business days old). Type 1 review typically 5 business days.

Rear overhang	Requirement
15'0" and over	1 rear escortRear overhang 15'0" or more: 1 rear escort (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.7). Legal rear overhang is 6' general / 10' for structural objects (pilings, poles, beams, pipes — §4501); over legal needs a permit. There is NO front-overhang escort trigger in the Admin Code.

Weight	Requirement
Over 120,000 lbs	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · superloadGVW over 120,000 lb = SUPERLOAD (Type 4): front + rear escorts; DSP is DISCRETIONARY — the mandatory third-escort sentence was STRUCK from §4.6.1.9 by 26 DE Reg. 408 (eff. 11/11/2022). DelDOT Bridge Management Section processes/approves the move (§5.3.4.2.2); any axle at or over 25,000 lb triggers automatic bridge review (§2.4/§5.6.5 — the live FAQ's 28,000 figure is stale). Superload fee $60 + weight fee billed. Peak-hour avoidance 6–9 a.m./3–7 p.m. advisory.

Weight

Requirement

Over 120,000 lbs

1 front escort + 1 rear escort · superloadGVW over 120,000 lb = SUPERLOAD (Type 4): front + rear escorts; DSP is DISCRETIONARY — the mandatory third-escort sentence was STRUCK from §4.6.1.9 by 26 DE Reg. 408 (eff. 11/11/2022). DelDOT Bridge Management Section processes/approves the move (§5.3.4.2.2); any axle at or over 25,000 lb triggers automatic bridge review (§2.4/§5.6.5 — the live FAQ's 28,000 figure is stale). Superload fee $60 + weight fee billed. Peak-hour avoidance 6–9 a.m./3–7 p.m. advisory.

2/3 lane (undivided)

Width	Requirement
Over 13'0"	1 front escortOver 13' wide up to 14': 1 escort. On 2/3-lane (undivided) highways the escort PRECEDES (front). On multilane the same load is FOLLOWED (rear) — the position flips by road type (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.3, audited threshold '>13 ft', not 12'1").
Over 14'0"	1 front escort + 1 rear escortOver 14' wide (any road type): IMMEDIATE front + rear escort (2 escorts) — DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.4.
15'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort · superload15'0" or more wide = SUPERLOAD (§1.3 inclusive): front + rear civilians + 1 contracted Delaware State Police trooper (Type 2 special provisions §5.3.2.4.1). The separate §4.6.1.4 DSP line reads 'more than 15 feet' (exclusive) — at exactly 15'0" the DSP still attaches via the superload provisions. Route survey CONDITIONAL ('for a move of extreme width, as determined by DelDOT', §5.3.2.2.1); lateral clearance 3–6" per side. Review ~10 business days.

Height	Requirement
15'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · superload15'0" or more tall = SUPERLOAD: front + rear civilians + 1 contracted DSP trooper (Type 3 §5.3.3.4.1). NO height-pole rule exists in Delaware law
17'6" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort17'6" or more tall: a separate state police escort (third escort) is required (§4.6.1.6 verbatim — height is the ONLY dimension with this 17'6" DSP tier; the old width-17'6" band was a transposition error).

Length	Requirement
90'0" and over	1 rear escort90' or more overall length: 1 rear escort (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.5; audited threshold ≥90', not 85'). Threshold INCLUSIVE.
100'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort100' or more overall length: front + rear escort (2 escorts) — DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.5.
120'0" and over	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escort · superload120'0" or more overall = SUPERLOAD: front + rear + separate DSP escort (§4.6.1.5). Survey conditional ('extreme length', §5.3.1.2.1; HP Form 16, ≤14 business days old). Type 1 review typically 5 business days.

Rear overhang	Requirement
15'0" and over	1 rear escortRear overhang 15'0" or more: 1 rear escort (DE Admin Code 2405 §4.6.1.7). Legal rear overhang is 6' general / 10' for structural objects (pilings, poles, beams, pipes — §4501); over legal needs a permit. There is NO front-overhang escort trigger in the Admin Code.

Weight	Requirement
Over 120,000 lbs	1 front escort + 1 rear escort · superloadGVW over 120,000 lb = SUPERLOAD (Type 4): front + rear escorts; DSP is DISCRETIONARY — the mandatory third-escort sentence was STRUCK from §4.6.1.9 by 26 DE Reg. 408 (eff. 11/11/2022). DelDOT Bridge Management Section processes/approves the move (§5.3.4.2.2); any axle at or over 25,000 lb triggers automatic bridge review (§2.4/§5.6.5 — the live FAQ's 28,000 figure is stale). Superload fee $60 + weight fee billed. Peak-hour avoidance 6–9 a.m./3–7 p.m. advisory.

Weight

Requirement

Over 120,000 lbs

Movement restrictions

Restriction	In Delaware
Night travel	Daylight hours only
Weekends	Not specified
Holidays	Restricted

Movement hours (DelDOT OS/OW Manual §§4.2/5.6, verified 2026-07-06)

Load	Window
Any permitted load	sunrise–sunset, 7 days (no weekend blackout, §4.2.1)
7 holidays (§4.2.4)	prohibited: New Year's, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving + day after, Christmas (LC9/LC10 interstate permits exempt; superloads need written permission)
After Hour Move (prior approval)	≤75′L · ≤12′W · ≤14′6″H · ≤120,000 lb: 9 p.m.–5 a.m. Mon–Fri
Seasonal beach rule (May 15–Oct 1, §5.6.1)	loads that can't hold within 10 mph of posted speed: barred Friday noon → Monday noon on the New Castle + Kent/Sussex corridor lists
Superloads	peak-hour avoidance 6–9 a.m./3–7 p.m. (advisory)

Where these permits come from

If you file yourself, this is the office you are dealing with. Check the linked page — some states issue OS/OW permits through their highway patrol or revenue department rather than the DOT.

	Delaware permit office
Permit office	(302) 744-2700
Email	[email protected]
Permit portal	deldot.gov/osow/application/login (DelDOT OSOW Permit System; online-only — no phone/in-person/fax applications)
Information	Official page

2 DE Admin. Code 2405 CURRENT (through 26 DE Reg. 1078, eff. 6/11/2023 · deldot.gov · in effect since 2023-06-11 · source read 2026-07-07. Fees and rules change; the linked document is always the authority.