Massachusetts Pilot Car Requirements
When does an oversize or overweight load need a pilot car or escort in Massachusetts? 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 130,000 lb weight
MA State Police escort required for permitted gross weights over 130,000 lbs (730 CMR 7.06(4)(d)).
- Police / law-enforcement escortover 115'0" length
MA State Police escort plus 2 civilian pilots required for overall lengths over 115' (730 CMR 7.06(4)(d)).
- Lead (front) pilot carover 95'0" length
Front AND rear pilot required for overall lengths over 95' (730 CMR 7.06).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 95'0" length
Front AND rear pilot required for overall lengths over 95' (730 CMR 7.06).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 80'0" length
Rear pilot required for overall lengths 80'–94'11" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Police / law-enforcement escortover 16'0" width
MA State Police escort plus 2 civilian pilots required for widths over 16' (730 CMR 7.06(4)(d)).
- Lead (front) pilot carover 13'6" width
Front AND rear pilot required for widths over 13'6" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 13'6" width
Front AND rear pilot required for widths over 13'6" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 12'0" width
Rear pilot required for widths 12'1"–13'6" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Police / law-enforcement escortover 14'11" height
MA State Police escort plus 2 civilian pilots required for heights over 14'11" (730 CMR 7.06(4)(d)).
- Lead (front) pilot carover 13'11" height
Front AND rear pilot required for heights over 13'11" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 13'11" height
Front AND rear pilot required for heights over 13'11" (730 CMR 7.06).
- Height-pole escortover 13'8" height
Height survey and front pilot with height pole required for loads over 13'8" (730 CMR 7.06).
Travel restrictions
- Daylight-only travelover 12'0" width
Loads 12'–14'W, 80'–115'L, or over 13'11"H: daylight only, no movement 3:30–7:00pm. Over 14'W or 115'L: Tue–Thu 9:30am–3:30pm only (730 CMR 7.06).
- Weekend / holiday restrictionover 8'6" width
No movement noon day-before through noon day-after: New Year's, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas (730 CMR 7.06).
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Informational only. These thresholds are compiled from published Massachusetts DOT references and are not legal or operational advice. Permit conditions can differ from the general tables, and rules change — always verify with the Massachusetts permit office before you move a load.
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