Tennessee Pilot Car Requirements
When does an oversize or overweight load need a pilot car or escort in Tennessee? 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 18 ft width
Width over 18 ft or height over 17 ft may require Tennessee Highway Patrol escort (2–3 troopers); determined by permit office.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 17 ft width
Over 17 ft up to 18 ft wide: 2 front + 1 rear escort on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 17 ft width
Over 17 ft up to 18 ft wide: 2 front + 1 rear escort on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 13'6" width
Over 13'6" wide: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 13'6" width
Over 13'6" wide: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 12'6" width
12'6"–13'6" wide: 1 front on 2-lane; 1 rear on 4+-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 12'6" width
12'6"–13'6" wide on 4+-lane: 1 rear escort required.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 120'1" length
Length over 120'1": 1 front + 1 rear escort on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 120'1" length
Length over 120'1": 1 front + 1 rear escort on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 90 ft length
Length 90–120 ft: 1 rear escort required on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
- Height-pole escortover 15 ft height
Height over 15 ft: 1 front escort with height pole required on both 2-lane and 4+-lane highways.
Travel restrictions
- Daylight-only travelover 12'6" width
Loads over 12'6" wide restricted 7–9am and 4–6pm Mon–Fri in Davidson, Hamilton, Shelby, Knox, and Rutherford counties.
- Weekend / holiday restrictionover 12'6" width
Escorted loads restricted noon preceding through end of Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
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Informational only. These thresholds are compiled from published Tennessee DOT references and are not legal or operational advice. Permit conditions can differ from the general tables, and rules change — always verify with the Tennessee permit office before you move a load.
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