South Carolina State Trucking Permit Information


SOUTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
P.O. DRAWER 191
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29202

South Carolina State Trucking Permit Information website for Overweight, Wide Load and Oversize Transport: Click Here

PHONE: 803-253-6250
HOURS: MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M
No permits issued before 8:30 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m.
EASTERN TIME

LEGAL LIMITS DESIGNATED HIGHWAY ALL OTHER ROADS
Weight:
Single 20,000 20,000
Tandem 34,000 36,000
Tridum 35,200 36,000
Gross Weight 80,000
Federal Bridge Formula applies
80,600
Width 8'6" 8'6"
Height 13'6" 13'6"
Length:
Semi-trailers 53' 53'
*53' Trailers must be equipped with a rear under-ride guard, the distance between the kingpin and the center of the rear axle assembly or to the center of the tandem axle assembly if equipped with two axles must be no greater than 41'.

OVERHANG 3' front, 6' rear

PERMIT LIMITS

ROUTINE ISSUE

Weight:
Single 20,000
Tandem 40,000
Tridum 60,000
Quad 80,000
Gross Weight: 5 Axles 90,000
6 Axles 110,000
7 Axles 130,000
Length: 125' loads on pole trailers
15' rear overhang w/escort on trailers less than 48'
Width 16'
Height Must be at leas 6" less than any overhead structure on route
If load exceeds any of these dimensions or weights, refer to the section on Super Loads.

PERMITS VALID FOR:
Single trip permits are valid for seven (7) consecutive days.

OPERATING TIME
One-half hour after sunrise to one half hour before sunset, Monday through Saturday for standard issue.

WEEKEND TRAVEL
Loads 16' wide or less may travel sunrise to sunset on Saturdays, loads over 130,000 lbs prohibited on Saturdays, loads up to 130,000 lbs legal dimensions may have continuous travel, but it must be requested.

DIVISIBLE LOADS
he load must be reduced to the least possible dimension and/or weight; a load shall be so transported by a vehicle so that the least width or length dimension becomes the width of the load.

EXCEPTIONS
The hydraulic boom and bucket permanently attached to a vehicle used in the maintenance and construction of electric service lines shall not be considered as a load provided that they shall not extend more than 8' beyond the foremost part of the vehicle with legal weight and dimensions.

Forestry equipment or road machinery are exempt from the laws and promulgated rules and regulations governing size and weight except when it exceed 12' wide or 90,000 lbs gross weight.

INFORMATION NEEDED TO ORDER A WIDE LOAD, OVERSIZE AND HEAVY HAUL PERMITS:
Applicant's name and address, load description, vehicle description, tractor unit, trailer license, trailer length, overall dimensions, total number of axles, overhang front and rear, gross weight, origin and destination routes.

ESCORTS FOR WIDELOAD AND OVERSIZED SHIPPING

Generally, no escorts are required on divided highways
Escorts must be VA certified with load over 12' wide

When Escorts are Needed: # Escorts
On 2-Lane Highways:  
Width over 12' up to 14' 1 Front
On All Highways:
Width over 14' to 16' 2 (Front & Rear)
Width over 16'
(requires approval ov a co. resident engineers and then state oversize permit department)
2 (1 Front & 1 Rear) & 2 Police
Rear Overhang of 15' on less than 48' trailer, 10' on 48" and 53' trailerss Rear escort and flags (or an amber light)
Permitee is responsible for vertical clearances
No specific escort needs given for height and length


Restricted Travel

Whenever possible, over dimensional vehicles should be routed over highways having 12' wide lanes, exceptions to this are in case of emergencies or where there is good cause to show that such movement is in the public interest.

No 14' wide loads or mobile homes are to be moved over state highways in close proximity of large urban areas between the hours of 7:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. on school days and 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. on other days.

Drivers shall remove the towing vehicle along with the load or mobile home from the traveled way to allow any closely following traffic (5 vehicle maximum) to pass and proceed.

No movement shall be allowed during inclement weather such as heavy rain or fog when visibility is restricted to less than 1,000'. Movement shall be prohibited during periods of high winds or when highways are slippery or hazardous.

Movement is prohibited on Friday and Saturday from Memorial Day through Labor Day over routes 378, 327, 76, 576, 501 and 9 east of I-95 to and from Myrtle Beach area and on Rt 17 from North Carolina line to points south of Myrtle Beach and any other routes in the Myrtle Beach vicinity

*CONTACT STATE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON RESTRICTED TRAVEL FOR WIDELOADS, OVERSIZED AND OVERWEIGHT PERMITTED CARGO

SPRING WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS
No restrictions.

Overweight, Oversized & Wideload SuperLoads
Super loads are considered to be all loads over 130,000 lbs on 7 axles, 125' long, 16' wide, height restrictions will depend on routes to be taken, include diagram with axle spacing, axle weight and proposed routes, in excess of 130,000 lbs the application goes to the Bridge Department for approval. Super load fee $3.00 per 1,000 lbs Requires 7 - 10 days for processing

*CONTACT STATE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR OVERSIZED, OVERWEIGHTAND WIDE LOAD SUPER LOADS