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Indiana oversize and overweight permits: fees, limits and insurance

Helm PartnersUpdated Oct 29, 2026Sources checked Oct 29, 2026

This guide is general information, not advice on any policy.

Short answer

Indiana requires a permit above 13 feet 6 inches high, 8 feet 6 inches wide, 53 feet for a semitrailer or 80,000 pounds. A single trip oversize permit starts at $20, and overweight adds $0.35 to $1 a mile. DOR Motor Carrier Services issues most permits. Indiana's rule asks for a certificate of insurance on file for special weight permits.

In this guide
  • When you need a permit
  • Permit types and fees
  • Travel hours, escorts and holidays
  • The insurance piece
  • County roads and penalties
  • A checklist
  • FAQ

Moving equipment, beams or machinery past legal size in Indiana takes a permit from the Department of Revenue's Motor Carrier Services. Here is when you need one, what it costs, when you can move, and where insurance fits.

When you need a permit

  • Indiana requires a permit before traveling when a vehicle is over 13 feet 6 inches high, 8 feet 6 inches wide, 53 feet long for a semitrailer combination, or 80,000 pounds, subject to axle weights (Indiana DOR).
  • DOR Motor Carrier Services issues most permits, under rules set by INDOT. You apply, pay and print online. Many are approved within a business day, and a predetermined route can be approved automatically.
  • Loads must be non-divisible. A divisible load permit exists for some loads between 80,000 and 120,000 pounds.

Permit types and fees

PermitWhat it coversFee
Oversize, single tripUp to 95 ft long, 148 in wide, 162 in high$20
Oversize, single tripOver any of those sizes$30
SuperloadOver 15 ft high, 17 ft wide, 110 ft long or 200,000 lb$40 base
Oversize, 90-dayUp to the $20 sizes$100
Oversize, annualUp to the $20 sizes$405
Overweight, single tripUp to 108,000 lb$20 plus $0.35 a mile
Overweight, single trip108,001 to 150,000 lb$20 plus $0.60 a mile
Overweight, single tripOver 150,000 lb$20 plus $1.00 a mile

Sources: IC 9-20-6-13, 105 IAC 10-1.5-3 and the DOR fee sheet. A load that is both oversize and overweight pays the greater of the two fees. Single trip permits are valid 5 days. Other charges can apply, such as $10 per bridge crossed, a $10 executive fee over 120,000 pounds, and design and review fees over 200,000 pounds.

Travel hours, escorts and holidays

  • Up to 110 feet long, 10 feet wide and 13 feet 6 inches high, under 200,000 pounds: travel 7 days a week, around the clock (DOR form M-204).
  • Over 110 feet long, or 10 to 14 feet 4 inches wide, up to 15 feet high: 7 days a week, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Between 14 feet 4 inches and 16 feet wide: the same hours, Monday to Friday.
  • Over 16 feet wide, 15 feet high or 200,000 pounds: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
  • Escorts are needed over 12 feet 4 inches wide, 110 feet long or 14 feet 6 inches high. Some loads need an Indiana State Police escort.
  • Most permitted loads stay off state highways from noon the last weekday before New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas until half an hour before sunrise the day after.

The insurance piece

  • Special weight permits. A certificate of insurance must be on file with the department showing coverage in effect for the whole trip (105 IAC 10-2-5).
  • Damage. Under DOR's general provisions, the mover or owner is responsible if buildings, railings or other structures must be removed, and the permit applicant pays for removal and any damage (M-204).
  • Your filing. The permit does not replace your liability filing. Indiana DOR lists $750,000 for for-hire carriers of nonhazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more, and intrastate for-hire carriers file a Form E through their insurer (Indiana DOR CMV Guide, 49 CFR 387.9).
  • Shippers and project owners often set their own limits in contracts. Read each one before the move.

County roads and penalties

  • A state permit does not cover county roads or city streets, or I-65 and I-70 inside I-465 (M-204). Indiana routes those as split trips. Check with each local road agency.
  • Indiana can assess civil penalties for violating a permit or moving without one (IC 9-20-18-14.5). DOR lists up to $1,000 for a first permit violation, and up to $2,500 for a first move without a required permit.

A checklist

  1. Measure the loaded height, width, length and axle weights.
  2. Set up your account in the Indiana OSOW permitting system and check the route first.
  3. Order the permit and keep it, with form M-204, in the truck.
  4. Plan travel hours, holidays and escorts.
  5. Confirm your insurance is in effect and on file where the permit needs it.
  6. Get local permits for county roads and city streets.

Moving the load through other states? See Ohio oversize permit insurance. Hauling only inside Indiana: Indiana intrastate trucking requirements.

FAQ

How much is an oversize permit in Indiana?

A single trip oversize permit is $20 for loads up to 95 feet long, 148 inches wide and 162 inches high, and $30 above those. A superload is $40. A 90-day permit is $100 and an annual permit is $405 (IC 9-20-6-13, 105 IAC 10-1.5-3).

How much is an overweight permit in Indiana?

The base fee is $20 plus a per mile fee: $0.35 a mile up to 108,000 pounds, $0.60 from 108,001 to 150,000, and $1.00 above 150,000 (105 IAC 10-1.5-3). DOR's fee sheet adds a $10 executive fee over 120,000 pounds.

Do I need insurance for an Indiana oversize permit?

Indiana's rule requires a certificate of insurance on file showing coverage in effect for any single trip special weight permit (105 IAC 10-2-5). For every permit, DOR's general provisions make the applicant pay for damage to buildings, railings or other structures. Your federal or Indiana liability filing must also be in place.

When can oversize loads travel in Indiana?

It depends on size. Under DOR form M-204, loads up to 110 feet long, 10 feet wide and 13 feet 6 inches high, under 200,000 pounds, can travel any time. Larger loads are limited to daylight, and some to weekdays. Most permitted loads cannot move on state highways from noon the last weekday before listed holidays.

When does an Indiana oversize load need an escort?

When it is wider than 12 feet 4 inches, longer than 110 feet or higher than 14 feet 6 inches (DOR form M-204). Some loads need an Indiana State Police escort.

Does an Indiana state permit cover county roads?

No. DOR form M-204 says the permit does not apply to county roads or city streets, or to I-65 and I-70 inside I-465. Indiana has no jurisdiction over local roads, so you route those as a split trip and check with the local agency.

This guide is general information, not advice on any policy. For your own move, check with the agencies linked below.

Sources