Do wide-load pilot / escort rules differ by state?

Yes. About when the first escort / pilot car is required Crosstatelaws maps all 50 states for travelers who are physically in that state — not for what a state requires of its own plates or licenses.

Does wide-load pilot / escort apply if my vehicle is registered in another state?

Operate-here rules (speed, helmets, possession, inspections you must stop for) follow the state you are in. Registration-state rules such as a front license plate do not. Read the layer notes on the map.

Where can I see a wide-load pilot / escort map?

Open the Crosstatelaws interactive map with this layer soloed: https://crosstatelaws.com/?solo=oversize_escort

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Wide-load pilot / escort laws by state

People search “Wide-load pilot / escort by state”, “Wide-load pilot / escort laws by state”, and “Pilot car map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for wide-load pilot / escort. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

Open the Pilot car difference map

How states differ

About when the first escort / pilot car is required.

First escort at 10–12 ft wide
Typical first escort around 12 ft wide
First escort at 14–16 ft on divided roads

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

Wide-load pilot / escort by state
Wide-load pilot / escort laws by state
Pilot car laws by state
Wide-load pilot / escort map
Wide-load pilot / escort traveling across state lines
does wide-load pilot / escort change by state
when do I need a pilot car
oversize escort requirements by state
wide load escort
Wide-load pilot / escort in California / Texas / Florida / New York
is wide-load pilot / escort legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL): Alabama: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (ALDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; 2 at 14 ft on many 2-lane routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Alaska (AK): Alaska: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (AKDOT&PF OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft on most routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Arizona (AZ): Arizona: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (ADOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on divided highways; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Arkansas (AR): Arkansas: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (ARDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
California (CA): California: first pilot / escort at 10 ft (Caltrans OS/OW / Veh. Code § 35780). 1 pilot at 10 ft on 2-lane; 12 ft on many divided routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Colorado (CO): Colorado: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (CDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Connecticut (CT): Connecticut: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (CTDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Delaware (DE): Delaware: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (DelDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Florida (FL): Florida: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (FDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; 2 at 14 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Georgia (GA): Georgia: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (GDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; 2 at 14 ft 8 in. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Hawaii (HI): Hawaii: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (HDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Idaho (ID): Idaho: first pilot / escort at 15 ft (ITD OS/OW). 1 pilot at 15 ft on interstate; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Illinois (IL): Illinois: first pilot / escort at 10 ft 6 in (625 ILCS 5/15-301 / IDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 10 ft 6 in width; 2 pilots at 14 ft 6 in. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Indiana (IN): Indiana: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (INDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft 4 in on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Iowa (IA): Iowa: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (Iowa DOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Kansas (KS): Kansas: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (KDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate; 12 ft on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Kentucky (KY): Kentucky: first pilot / escort at 10 ft 6 in (KYTC OS/OW). 1 pilot at 10 ft 6 in on 2-lane; 12 ft on many divided. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Louisiana (LA): Louisiana: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (LADOTD OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; 2 at 16 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Maine (ME): Maine: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (MaineDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Maryland (MD): Maryland: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (MDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Massachusetts (MA): Massachusetts: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (MassDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Michigan (MI): Michigan: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (MDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Minnesota (MN): Minnesota: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (MnDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft 6 in on divided; 12 ft 6 in on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Mississippi (MS): Mississippi: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (MDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Missouri (MO): Missouri: first pilot / escort at 12 ft 4 in (MoDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft 4 in on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Montana (MT): Montana: first pilot / escort at 16.5 (MDT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 16 ft 6 in on interstate; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Nebraska (NE): Nebraska: first pilot / escort at 10 ft (NDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 10 ft on 2-lane; 12 ft on many divided. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Nevada (NV): Nevada: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (NDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
New Hampshire (NH): New Hampshire: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (NHDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
New Jersey (NJ): New Jersey: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (NJDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; Turnpike / Parkway conditions are stricter. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
New Mexico (NM): New Mexico: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (NMDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
New York (NY): New York: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (NYSDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft on many routes; 14 ft adds a second car. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
North Carolina (NC): North Carolina: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (NCDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
North Dakota (ND): North Dakota: first pilot / escort at 16 ft (NDDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 16 ft on interstate; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Ohio (OH): Ohio: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (ODOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Oklahoma (OK): Oklahoma: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (ODOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate; 16 ft on some divided. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Oregon (OR): Oregon: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (ODOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate; 12 ft on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Pennsylvania (PA): Pennsylvania: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (PennDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Rhode Island (RI): Rhode Island: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (RIDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
South Carolina (SC): South Carolina: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (SCDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
South Dakota (SD): South Dakota: first pilot / escort at 16 ft (SDDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 16 ft on interstate; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Tennessee (TN): Tennessee: first pilot / escort at 13 ft (TDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 13 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Texas (TX): Texas: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (TxDMV OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft 1 in on interstate; earlier on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Utah (UT): Utah: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (UDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Vermont (VT): Vermont: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (VTrans OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Virginia (VA): Virginia: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (VDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Washington (WA): Washington: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (WSDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate; 11 ft on some 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
West Virginia (WV): West Virginia: first pilot / escort at 12 ft (WVDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 12 ft; 15 ft adds a second car on many routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Wisconsin (WI): Wisconsin: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (WisDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on divided; 12 ft on 2-lane. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.
Wyoming (WY): Wyoming: first pilot / escort at 14 ft (WYDOT OS/OW). 1 pilot at 14 ft on interstate; 15 ft on some routes. Legal width without a permit is still 8 ft 6 in.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.