---
title: California Oversize & Overweight Permits (OS/OW) | Caltrans Superload | Alpine Truck Service
description: Expedited California Caltrans oversize permits, KPRA compliance, CHP escorts, and LA/Bay Area curfew management across I-5, I-80, and I-10. Call (918) 607-6547.
image: https://www.alpinetruckservice.com/alpine-third-party-charges.webp
---

# California Oversize, Overweight & Superload Permitting Services

Comprehensive commercial trucking permits and heavy haul compliance across California.

## Agency & Permitting Authority
- **Agency**: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
- **Portal**: Caltrans Transportation Permits Portal
- **Regulatory Advisory**: State DOT regulations and permit processing queues are determined by individual state transportation authorities and vary by agency workload. Carriers should verify active route advisories and state requirements prior to movement.

## Legal vs. Routine Permitted Dimensions
- **Legal Width**: 8' 6" | **Max Routine**: 15' 0"
- **Legal Height**: 14' 0" | **Max Routine**: 15' 0"
- **Legal Length**: 48' Trailer (53' legal only with 40' KPRA) / 65' Overall | **Max Routine**: 115' 0"
- **Legal Gross Weight**: 80,000 lbs | **Max Routine**: 150,000 lbs
- **Axle Limits**: Single: 20,000 lbs, Tandem: 34,000 lbs, Tridem: 42,000 lbs

## Permitting Scope & Services in California
- **Routine Oversize (OS) Cab-Cards**: Single-trip authorizations for dimensions exceeding 8' 6" width or 14' 0" height.
- **Overweight (OW) Axle Permits**: Overload cab-cards for heavy machinery and configurations exceeding 80,000 lbs GVW.
- **Multi-Axle Superload Permits**: Specialized filings exceeding Over 150,000, including State DOT and certified partner bridge reviews, route surveys, and police escorts.
- **Annual & Blanket Fleet Permits**: Continuous-operation annual highway authorizations for construction fleets.
- **Temporary Trip & Fuel Permits**: 72-hour IRP vehicle registration and IFTA fuel tax credentials.
- **County, City & Toll Road Clearances**: Municipal authorizations and turnpike clearances.

## Superload Permitting & State Review Protocol
- **Weight Trigger**: Over 150,000 lbs GVW or exceeding Purple/Brown Weight Group axle charts
- **Width Trigger**: Over 15' 0" wide (Over 12' on certain two-lane mountain passes)
- **Height Trigger**: Over 17' 0" high (18' requires full route survey & utility clearance)
- **Length Trigger**: Over 135' 0" overall length
- **State & Partner Bridge Review**: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) electronic systems and certified structural engineering partners evaluate axle load distribution across bridge structures upon submission.
- **Route Surveys & Clearances**: Required for extreme heights/widths to verify overhead physical clearances.
- **Utility & Escorts**: Coordinated wire lifts with power utilities and State Police / Highway Patrol escorts.

## Pilot Cars & Escort Vehicle Requirements
- **Front Escort**: Required over 12' 0" wide on two-lane highways or over 11' wide with CHP escort
- **Rear Escort**: Required over 14' 0" wide on multi-lane freeways or rear overhang > 10'
- **Height Pole**: Required over 17' 0" high (front vehicle with high pole; 18' requires route survey)
- **Police Escort**: California Highway Patrol (CHP) escort required for extreme superloads, bridge crawls, or moves >15' wide

## Metro Curfews & Travel Restrictions
- **Curfew Zones**:
  - Los Angeles Metro (LA, Orange, Riverside Counties): 6:00–9:00 AM & 3:00–6:00 PM M-F (loads >10' wide)
  - San Francisco / Oakland Bay Area: 6:30–9:00 AM & 3:30–6:30 PM M-F
  - San Diego Metro (I-5, I-8, I-15, I-805): 7:00–9:00 AM & 4:00–6:00 PM M-F
  - Sacramento Metro: 7:00–9:00 AM & 4:00–6:00 PM M-F
- **Travel Rules**: Continuous travel allowed for routine loads that do not require escorts or detours off state routes. Weekend travel allowed for loads under 12' wide on designated interstates.

## Key Freight Corridors
- I-5 (North-South Pacific Spine)
- I-10 (Los Angeles to Arizona)
- I-80 (San Francisco to Donner Pass / Nevada)
- I-15 (San Diego/LA to Vegas)
- I-40 (Barstow to East)
- CA-99 (Central Valley Industrial)

## Frequently Asked Questions
### How long does Caltrans take to issue a California oversize permit?
Caltrans processing times depend on regional office queues. Routine single-trip permits are typically processed in 4–8 business hours. Superloads requiring STO bridge analysis take longer. Alpine expedites intake and monitors queues 24/7.

### What is California's 40-foot Kingpin-to-Rear-Axle (KPRA) rule?
California law mandates that the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rear axle on a semi-trailer must not exceed 40 feet (or 38 feet for single-axle trailers), regardless of overall trailer length.

### When are CHP escorts required in California?
CHP escorts are required when loads exceed 15' in width, on complex bridge crawls, or when specified by Caltrans permit provisions for traffic safety.

### What are the Los Angeles rush hour curfews for wide loads?
Loads over 10' wide cannot travel on Los Angeles and Orange County freeways between 6:00 AM–9:00 AM and 3:00 PM–6:00 PM on weekdays.

## Contact & Direct Dispatch
- **Direct Phone**: (918) 607-6547 (CALL: [918-607-6547](tel:9186076547))
- **Email**: [permits@alpinetruck.com](mailto:permits@alpinetruck.com)
- **Online Intake**: [alpinetruckservice.com/permits/california](https://www.alpinetruckservice.com/permits/california)