Maryland Pilot Car Requirements
When does an oversize or overweight load need a pilot car or escort in Maryland? Here are the width, height, length and weight thresholds that trigger an escort, a height pole, or a police escort.
Escort & pilot car requirements
- Police / law-enforcement escortover 150,000 lb weight
GVW over 150,000 lb: police escort required (verify against current MDOT SHA table).
- Police / law-enforcement escortover 16'0" width
Width 16' or greater: Maryland State Police escort required.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 140'0" length
Length 140' or greater: 2 escorts required (front + rear).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 140'0" length
Length 140' or greater: 2 escorts required (front + rear).
- Lead (front) pilot carover 14'0" width
Width 14' or greater (under 16'): 2 escorts required (front + rear).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 14'0" width
Width 14' or greater (under 16'): 2 escorts required (front + rear).
- Height-pole escortover 14'6" height
Height 14'6" or greater: 1 front escort with height pole required.
- Pilot car (front or rear)over 85'0" length
Length over 85' (under 140'): 1 escort required (front or rear per road type).
- Pilot car (front or rear)over 120,000 lb weight
GVW over 120,000 lb (under 150,000 lb): 1 escort required.
- Pilot car (front or rear)over 13'0" width
Width over 13' (under 14'): 1 escort required (front or rear per road type).
Travel restrictions
- Weekend / holiday restrictionover 12'0" width
Loads 45 tons or longer or 100' or longer or 12' or wider prohibited on I-495/I-95/I-695 between 9am–3:30pm; 14' or wider prohibited any highway 9am–3:30pm.
- Daylight-only travelover 8'6" width
Travel permitted 1/2 hr after sunrise to 1/2 hr before sunset Mon–Sat. No Sunday travel. No travel on state holidays.
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Informational only. These thresholds are compiled from published Maryland DOT references and are not legal or operational advice. Permit conditions can differ from the general tables, and rules change — always verify with the Maryland permit office before you move a load.
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