What Wisconsin 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 2021-06-01.
Oversize permit
$15–$25
The load has to fit inside a tier on every dimension at once — width and height and length. Exceed any one of them and it falls to the next tier up.
Overweight permit
From $20
Scales with weight — 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 Wisconsin and you need a permit for this state.
Limit
Interstate
Width
8'6"
Height
13'6"
Length
85'0"
Gross weight
80,000 lbs
Single axle
20,000 lbs
Tandem axle
34,000 lbs
Trailer length
53'0"
What the permit costs
Wisconsin prices a single-trip permit as by dimensional envelope. The load has to fit inside a tier on every dimension at once — width and height and length. Exceed any one of them and it falls to the next tier up.
Band
State fee
Within 8'6" wide × 13'6" high
$15
Within 8'6" wide
$20
Within 13'6" high
$20
Anything larger
$25
State fee only. Permigo adds $20 per state permit and bills the state fee at cost.
Escort requirements
Thresholds by road class. Where two classes differ, the road you are actually on governs.
Divided / one-way highways
Width
Requirement
Over 15'0"
1 rear escortWidth >15' to ≤18': ONE private escort (grid verbatim '1 Private Escort*'). Position (Trans 252.03(5)–(7)): a single escort PRECEDES on 2-way undivided roadways (≥300') and FOLLOWS on one-way/divided highways (300–500'); two escorts = one ahead + one behind regardless of highway type. Escort grid asterisk: 'Additional escorts may be added based on route complexity and turns, and/or traffic conditions.' Escort vehicle: automobile or single-unit truck ≤16,000 lb; OVERSIZE LOAD sign ≥5'×12" (10" letters); ≥2 amber 360° lamps flashing 30–120/min visible 500'; radio when the permit requires (Trans 252.05). NO certification program — operator just needs to be ≥18 with a license valid in Wisconsin (252.04(2)). A police escort may substitute for a private escort at the permittee's option (252.03(2), permittee pays).
Over 16'0"
route survey · superloadOver 16' wide: Wisconsin has NO formal superload class — this is the review tier: region review $10 per region (Trans 250.05(1)(a)); NOT permitted on the Interstate 'unless the permit contains a special condition' (Trans 254.12(1)); ≥16' wide = 35 mph max on highways without paved shoulders (254.08(4)).
Over 18'0"
1 rear escort · 1 police escortWidth >18' to ≤20': 1 private escort + 1 LAW-ENFORCEMENT escort (grid verbatim). WSP process: request to the originating State Patrol post ≥48 hours ahead (email + duty-sergeant call, doc upd. 9/18/2025); permittee pays all charges incl. cancellation staff time; CB/2-way compatible with WSP required.
1 pole car · height poleOver 16'0" high: pole vehicle required — 'Pole vehicle shall be in addition to escort requirements above; however, the total number of private escorts including pole vehicle will not exceed two' (grid verbatim). CAP RULE: a >20'-wide + >16'-high load still runs TWO private vehicles total (the pole car is one of them) — never bill 2 escorts + a separate pole car. (The old ≥19' height-superload tier had no official basis — deleted.)
Length
Requirement
Over 140'0"
1 rear escortLength >140' to ≤160' (at width ≤12'): 1 private escort (grid). At width >12'–≤15' the escort starts EARLIER — length >110' (the interaction row, carded as a combo). Position (Trans 252.03(5)–(7)): a single escort PRECEDES on 2-way undivided roadways (≥300') and FOLLOWS on one-way/divided highways (300–500'); two escorts = one ahead + one behind regardless of highway type.
Over 160'0"
1 front escort + 1 rear escortLength >160' to ≤200': 2 private escorts, front + rear (grid; the old superload flag here had no basis — Wisconsin has no formal superload class).
Over 200'0"
1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escortOver 200': 2 private escorts + 1 law-enforcement (grid verbatim — this is the TOP length tier; the old '>250' = +2 police' row is not in the grid, removed). >150' is also the restricted travel class (darkness/weekend/holiday bans).
Front overhang
Requirement
Over 3'0"
Marking requiredLegal front projection 3' (§348.10(1), official text — 'any load thereon extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the foremost vehicle'; crane/boom exception when within overall length). Under permit, the load may not extend beyond the front of the power unit (Trans 254.09(4)).
Rear overhang
Requirement
Over 4'0"
Marking requiredNOT a legal limit — §347.20 is a MARKING rule: a load 'extending more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the bed or body' needs a red light at night / a ≥12"-square red flag by day. The tail is constrained by the envelope instead: cargo counts into the trailer measure (§348.07(3)(b)1) and overall length.
Weight
Requirement
150,001 lbs and over
route survey · superloadOver 150,000 lb: the bridge-review tier — $10 PER EMPLOYEE-HOUR or fraction (Trans 250.05(1)(b); MV2600's '$10 per review' is stale — the admin code controls); reviews valid 90 days; fees due whether or not the permit issues. No formal superload class exists — this flag marks the review tier. OW single-trip fee keeps climbing: $85 + $10 per 10,000 lb or fraction.
350,001 lbs and over
1 police escortLoads greater than 350,000 lbs shall have one Law Enforcement escort (grid verbatim). WSP: ≥48 hours notice to the originating post; permittee pays.
400,000 lbs and over
Conditions apply400,000 lb or more GVW is a WisDOT Mega Load (Mega Load Guidelines: ≥400,000 lb), requiring the Mega Load process; the bracket fee flattens above this — quote manually.
2-way undivided highways
Width
Requirement
Over 15'0"
1 front escortWidth >15' to ≤18': ONE private escort (grid verbatim '1 Private Escort*'). Position (Trans 252.03(5)–(7)): a single escort PRECEDES on 2-way undivided roadways (≥300') and FOLLOWS on one-way/divided highways (300–500'); two escorts = one ahead + one behind regardless of highway type. Escort grid asterisk: 'Additional escorts may be added based on route complexity and turns, and/or traffic conditions.' Escort vehicle: automobile or single-unit truck ≤16,000 lb; OVERSIZE LOAD sign ≥5'×12" (10" letters); ≥2 amber 360° lamps flashing 30–120/min visible 500'; radio when the permit requires (Trans 252.05). NO certification program — operator just needs to be ≥18 with a license valid in Wisconsin (252.04(2)). A police escort may substitute for a private escort at the permittee's option (252.03(2), permittee pays).
Over 16'0"
route survey · superloadOver 16' wide: Wisconsin has NO formal superload class — this is the review tier: region review $10 per region (Trans 250.05(1)(a)); NOT permitted on the Interstate 'unless the permit contains a special condition' (Trans 254.12(1)); ≥16' wide = 35 mph max on highways without paved shoulders (254.08(4)).
Over 18'0"
1 front escort · 1 police escortWidth >18' to ≤20': 1 private escort + 1 LAW-ENFORCEMENT escort (grid verbatim). WSP process: request to the originating State Patrol post ≥48 hours ahead (email + duty-sergeant call, doc upd. 9/18/2025); permittee pays all charges incl. cancellation staff time; CB/2-way compatible with WSP required.
1 pole car · height poleOver 16'0" high: pole vehicle required — 'Pole vehicle shall be in addition to escort requirements above; however, the total number of private escorts including pole vehicle will not exceed two' (grid verbatim). CAP RULE: a >20'-wide + >16'-high load still runs TWO private vehicles total (the pole car is one of them) — never bill 2 escorts + a separate pole car. (The old ≥19' height-superload tier had no official basis — deleted.)
Length
Requirement
Over 140'0"
1 front escortLength >140' to ≤160' (at width ≤12'): 1 private escort (grid). At width >12'–≤15' the escort starts EARLIER — length >110' (the interaction row, carded as a combo). Position (Trans 252.03(5)–(7)): a single escort PRECEDES on 2-way undivided roadways (≥300') and FOLLOWS on one-way/divided highways (300–500'); two escorts = one ahead + one behind regardless of highway type.
Over 160'0"
1 front escort + 1 rear escortLength >160' to ≤200': 2 private escorts, front + rear (grid; the old superload flag here had no basis — Wisconsin has no formal superload class).
Over 200'0"
1 front escort + 1 rear escort · 1 police escortOver 200': 2 private escorts + 1 law-enforcement (grid verbatim — this is the TOP length tier; the old '>250' = +2 police' row is not in the grid, removed). >150' is also the restricted travel class (darkness/weekend/holiday bans).
Front overhang
Requirement
Over 3'0"
Marking requiredLegal front projection 3' (§348.10(1), official text — 'any load thereon extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the foremost vehicle'; crane/boom exception when within overall length). Under permit, the load may not extend beyond the front of the power unit (Trans 254.09(4)).
Rear overhang
Requirement
Over 4'0"
Marking requiredNOT a legal limit — §347.20 is a MARKING rule: a load 'extending more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the bed or body' needs a red light at night / a ≥12"-square red flag by day. The tail is constrained by the envelope instead: cargo counts into the trailer measure (§348.07(3)(b)1) and overall length.
Weight
Requirement
150,001 lbs and over
route survey · superloadOver 150,000 lb: the bridge-review tier — $10 PER EMPLOYEE-HOUR or fraction (Trans 250.05(1)(b); MV2600's '$10 per review' is stale — the admin code controls); reviews valid 90 days; fees due whether or not the permit issues. No formal superload class exists — this flag marks the review tier. OW single-trip fee keeps climbing: $85 + $10 per 10,000 lb or fraction.
350,001 lbs and over
1 police escortLoads greater than 350,000 lbs shall have one Law Enforcement escort (grid verbatim). WSP: ≥48 hours notice to the originating post; permittee pays.
400,000 lbs and over
Conditions apply400,000 lb or more GVW is a WisDOT Mega Load (Mega Load Guidelines: ≥400,000 lb), requiring the Mega Load process; the bracket fee flattens above this — quote manually.
Movement restrictions
Restriction
In Wisconsin
Night travel
Night travel allowed
Weekends
Restricted
Holidays
Restricted
Movement hours
Situation
Window
Big class (>12' W, >13'6" H, or >150' L)
No darkness travel; barred noon Sat → sunrise Sun + Sun 4–8 PM statewide; holidays: noon the day before → sunrise the day after (Trans 254.11(3))
Smaller oversize
No statewide darkness/weekend rule; barred 4–8 PM in Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock & Waukesha counties on Sundays, summer Fridays (4th Fri May → Labor Day), and holidays + the day before (except July 3 on a Saturday)
Overweight-only
24/7 'including weekends and restricted-travel holidays' (Trans 254.11(1))
Restricted-travel holidays
New Year's · Easter weekend · Memorial Day + prior Sat/Sun · July 4 (+Mon when on Sun) · Labor Day + prior Sat/Sun · GUN-DEER-SEASON opening Sat/Sun · Thanksgiving (+following Sat/Sun when it closes deer season) · Dec 24 · Dec 25 · Dec 31 — annual list due Nov 30 (2026 list issued 10/30/2025)
Milwaukee County Expressway
All OS barred Mon–Thu 6–9 AM + 3–6 PM, Fri 6–9 AM, Fri or Sun 3–8 PM; system caps 14' W / 14'6" H / 150' L (exceptions: I-41 Florist–Hampton, I-94 county line–WI-100)
Madison Beltline (US-12/18, Verona Rd–Stoughton Rd)
No oversize M–F 6–9 AM + 3–6 PM (MV2605 7/2024 — not yet codified in Trans 254)
Seasonal
Frozen-road period (~Dec–Feb): INCREASED limits for eligible raw-forest/abrasive loads, no permit needed (§348.175). Class II spring thaw: OW permits generally suspended on posted routes (~12% of system); permits do NOT supersede postings (Trans 254.06(3)); RS raw-forest annuals are the lone exception
Speed / spacing / weather
≥16' wide = 35 mph max without paved shoulders (254.08(4)); 1,000-ft following distance; adverse weather invalidates the permit (254.06(4))
Corridors & facilities
Facility
Rule
Milwaukee County Expressway system
Caps 14' W / 14'6" H / 150' L + peak curfews; exceptions I-41 W. Florist–W. Hampton, I-94 Waukesha county line–WI-100/Mayfair (Trans 254.12(2))
Interstate system
>16' wide barred 'unless the permit contains a special condition' (Trans 254.12(1))
Madison Beltline
Peak-hour oversize curfew (MV2605)
Carry-all scrapers
Barred from Interstates, the Milwaukee expressway system, and US-41 Green Bay–Milwaukee (Trans 254.12(3))
Escort highways (mobile/modular 12'1"–15')
MV2740 designated-highway list (11/2011)
Permitted-combo geometry
Max 2 vehicles in combination (254.05(8)); 100' cap when the rear axle rides at/near the rear of the load un-steered (254.05(5)); load ≤6" beyond the right fender, never left (254.09(4)); ≤60% of gross on one side's wheels (254.09(10))
Local roads
State permit covers state highways only — the locality's own permit is required (MV2605 #3)
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.
Wis. Stats. ch. 348 (current through 2025 Act 247, published 7-1-26) + §347.20 + §85.14 + Trans 250/251/252/254 (Regi… · wisconsindot.gov · in effect since 2021-06-01. Fees and rules change; the linked document is always the authority.
Other states
Colour shows how each state prices a permit. Alaska, Hawaii and DC are not served.
