Legal limits by state
The point at which a load stops being ordinary freight and starts needing a permit. Every covered cell links to the document that sets it, and carries that document's own revision date beside our retrieval date.
Weight-legal is not on this table and cannot be: gross, single-axle and tandem limits are necessary conditions, not sufficient ones. A rig can sit under all three and still be illegal on an axle group under the bridge formula. Check the axle layout →
| State | Width | Height | Semitrailer | Overall | KPRA | Front overhang | Rear overhang | Gross | Single axle | Tandem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | Not yet covered | None published | None published | 5'rev. · read | 5'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Alaska | 8'6"rev. · read | 15'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | 4'rev. · read | Not yet covered | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 38,000 lbrev. · read |
| Arizona | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 57'6"undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbundated document · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Arkansas | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 14'rev. · read secondary host | 53'6"rev. · read secondary host | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 20,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 34,000 lbrev. · read secondary host |
| California | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 14'undated document · read | Not yet covered | None published | 40'undated document · read | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbundated document · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Colorado | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 14'6"rev. · read secondary host | 57'4"rev. · read secondary host | 75'rev. · read secondary host | None published | 4'rev. · read secondary host | 10'rev. · read secondary host | 80,000 lbundated document · read secondary host | 20,000 lbundated document · read secondary host | 36,000 lbundated document · read secondary host |
| Connecticut | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | 43'rev. · read | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 22,400 lbrev. · read | Not yet covered |
| Delaware | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | 6'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| District of Columbia | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | Not yet covered | 55'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 21,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Florida | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | Two official sources disagree57'6" — versus — 57' | None published | None published | 3'undated document · read | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbundated document · read | Two official sources disagree40,000 lb — versus — 34,000 lb |
| Georgia | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | 100'undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | Two official sources disagree20,340 lb — versus — 20,000 lb | Two official sources disagree34,000 lb — versus — 40,680 lb |
| Hawaii | 9'rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 48'rev. · read | 65'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Idaho | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | 75'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | By condition (2)
| 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Illinois | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | 65'rev. · read | None published | 3'rev. · read | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Indiana | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Iowa | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Kansas | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 59'6"rev. · read | 65'rev. · read | None published | 3'rev. · read | None published | By condition (2) | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Kentucky | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Louisiana | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 13'6"rev. · read secondary host | 59'6"rev. · read secondary host | None published | None published | 4'rev. · read secondary host | 8'rev. · read secondary host | 80,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 20,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 34,000 lbrev. · read secondary host |
| Maine | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'undated document · read secondary host | 53'rev. · read | 65'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 22,400 lbrev. · read | 38,000 lbrev. · read |
| Maryland | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | None published | 41'undated document · read | 3'undated document · read | 6'undated document · read | 80,000 lbundated document · read | By condition (2) | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Massachusetts | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 22,400 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Michigan | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | None published | 164,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Minnesota | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | 75'undated document · read | 43'undated document · read | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | By condition (2) | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Mississippi | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 13'6"rev. · read secondary host | 53'rev. · read secondary host | 99'rev. · read | None published | 3'rev. · read | 15'rev. · read | Four official sources disagree80,000 lb — versus — 80,000 lb — versus — 57,650 lb — versus — 80,000 lb | 20,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 34,000 lbrev. · read secondary host |
| Missouri | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Montana | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 131,060 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Nebraska | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | By condition (2) | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Nevada | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 14'rev. · read secondary host | Not yet covered | 70'undated document · read secondary host | None published | 10'undated document · read secondary host | 10'undated document · read secondary host | Not yet covered | 20,000 lbundated document · read secondary host | 34,000 lbundated document · read secondary host |
| New Hampshire | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | 41'rev. · read | None published | None published | Not yet covered | 22,400 lbundated document · read | Not yet covered |
| New Jersey | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 22,400 lbundated document · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| New Mexico | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 57'6"rev. · read | 65'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | 86,400 lbrev. · read | 21,600 lbrev. · read | 34,320 lbrev. · read |
| New York | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 48'undated document · read | 65'undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 22,400 lbundated document · read | 36,000 lbundated document · read |
| North Carolina | 8'6"undated document · read | Three official sources disagree13'6" — versus — 14' — versus — 14' | 53'undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbundated document · read | 38,000 lbundated document · read |
| North Dakota | 8'6"undated document · read | 14'undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | By condition (2) | None published | None published | None published | By condition (3)
| 20,000 lbundated document · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Ohio | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Oklahoma | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Oregon | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'undated document · read | 60'rev. · read | None published | 4'rev. · read | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Pennsylvania | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Rhode Island | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | 41'rev. · read | 3'rev. · read | 6'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 22,400 lbrev. · read | 36,000 lbrev. · read |
| South Carolina | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | 41'rev. · read | 3'rev. · read | 6'rev. · read | 73,280 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 36,000 lbrev. · read |
| South Dakota | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Tennessee | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 13'6"rev. · read secondary host | 52'rev. · read secondary host | None published | 41'rev. · read secondary host | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 20,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 34,000 lbrev. · read secondary host |
| Texas | 8'6"rev. · read secondary host | 14'rev. · read secondary host | 59'undated document · read | None published | None published | 3'undated document · read | 4'undated document · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 20,000 lbrev. · read secondary host | 34,000 lbrev. · read secondary host |
| Utah | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | 6'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Vermont | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | 75'rev. · read | 41'rev. · read | None published | None published | 80,000 lbrev. · read | By condition (2) | By condition (2) |
| Virginia | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | 41'rev. · read | 3'rev. · read | 4'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| Washington | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 53'rev. · read | None published | None published | 3'rev. · read | 15'rev. · read | 80,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbrev. · read |
| West Virginia | 8'6"undated document · read | 13'6"undated document · read | 53'undated document · read | None published | None published | None published | None published | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbundated document · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Wisconsin | 8'6"rev. · read | 13'6"rev. · read | Not yet covered | Two official sources disagree70' — versus — 75' | None published | 3'rev. · read | Not yet covered | 80,000 lbundated document · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 34,000 lbundated document · read |
| Wyoming | 8'6"rev. · read | 14'rev. · read | 60'rev. · read | 85'rev. · read | None published | None published | None published | 117,000 lbrev. · read | 20,000 lbrev. · read | 36,000 lbrev. · read |
The states without a jurisdiction file are listed here rather than dropped, and their cells say "not yet covered" rather than carrying a number from a secondary source. A table titled "every state" that quietly covers half is the weakness we are competing against; matching it would forfeit the only advantage this page has. What coverage means here →
rev. the date the source document itself carries
read the date we retrieved it
Sources disagree two in-effect documents differ; neither adopted
None published the state publishes no such limit — a finding
How this is sourced
Every covered cell above is a value plus the document it came from. Two dates travel with it and they are not the same thing: rev. is the date the source document itself carries — a rule's stated effective date, a PDF's footer — and read is the date we retrieved it. A document downloaded this morning can still be five years old, and a single "last updated" stamp would hide exactly that.
Where two official documents that are both in effect give different answers, the cell says sources disagree and shows both, because neither has been adopted. That is not an omission; it is the finding. Where a state publishes no such limit at all, the cell says none published — also a finding, and a different one from not yet covered, which is our gap and nobody else's.
Questions
Is a 53 ft trailer legal in every state?
No. Federal law forbids a state from setting a semitrailer limit BELOW 48 ft on the National Network, but it sets no ceiling — and at least one state in this table publishes a semitrailer limit under 53 ft in its own statute. Read the semitrailer column, not the national average.
Why do some states show no overall length limit?
Because they publish none. On the National Network the federal rule pre-empts an overall cap for a tractor-semitrailer and leaves only the semitrailer limit, so many states cap one and not the other. "None published" is a finding; it is not the same as a blank.
What is KPRA and why is it a separate column?
Kingpin-to-rearmost-axle: the distance from the fifth wheel to the centre of the rear axle group. It is not the trailer length and cannot be derived from it — two 53 ft trailers with their tandems slid differently have the same length and different KPRA. Some states cap the trailer, some cap KPRA, some both.
Are these the Interstate limits or the state-highway limits?
These are the state's own published legal limits. Several states print statutory axle and gross figures above the federal Interstate limits, with a federal compliance clause that pulls them back to 20,000 / 34,000 / 80,000 on the Interstate itself. Read the federal limits page before applying a state figure to an Interstate lane.