---
title: West Virginia Oversize & Overweight Permits (OS/OW) | WVDOT Superload | Alpine Truck Service
description: Expedited West Virginia WVDOT oversize permits, WV Turnpike clearances, Charleston curfews, and WVSP escorts across I-77, I-64, and I-79. Call (918) 607-6547.
image: https://www.alpinetruckservice.com/alpine-third-party-charges.webp
---

# West Virginia Oversize, Overweight & Superload Permitting Services

Comprehensive commercial trucking permits and heavy haul compliance across West Virginia.

## Agency & Permitting Authority
- **Agency**: West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) / DOH
- **Portal**: WVDOT Division of Highways Central Permit Office
- **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**: 16' 0"
- **Legal Height**: 13' 6" | **Max Routine**: 15' 0"
- **Legal Length**: 53' Semi-Trailer / 65' Overall | **Max Routine**: 120' 0"
- **Legal Gross Weight**: 80,000 lbs | **Max Routine**: 120,000 lbs
- **Axle Limits**: Single: 20,000 lbs, Tandem: 34,000 lbs, Tridem: 42,000 lbs

## Permitting Scope & Services in West Virginia
- **Routine Oversize (OS) Cab-Cards**: Single-trip authorizations for dimensions exceeding 8' 6" width or 13' 6" 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 120,000, 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 120,000 lbs GVW or exceeding WVDOH structural bridge weight formulas
- **Width Trigger**: Over 16' 0" wide
- **Height Trigger**: Over 15' 0" high
- **Length Trigger**: Over 120' 0" overall length
- **State & Partner Bridge Review**: West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) / DOH 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; over 14' 0" wide on multi-lane highways
- **Rear Escort**: Required over 14' 0" wide on multi-lane highways; length exceeding 90' 0"; rear overhang > 15' 0"
- **Height Pole**: Required for loads exceeding 15' 0" in height (lead vehicle with calibrated pole)
- **Police Escort**: West Virginia State Police (WVSP) escort required over 16' 0" wide, 15' 0" high, or gross weight over 120,000 lbs

## Metro Curfews & Travel Restrictions
- **Curfew Zones**:
  - Charleston Metro Area (I-64, I-77, I-79): 7:00–9:00 AM & 4:00–6:00 PM M-F (loads >12' wide)
  - Huntington Metro (I-64, US-52) & Wheeling (I-70) during peak commuter hours
- **Travel Rules**: Daylight only (1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset) Monday through Friday. Saturday travel allowed until 12:00 noon for loads under 12' wide. No Sunday travel. Overweight-only continuous travel allowed with lighting.

## Key Freight Corridors
- I-77 (West Virginia Turnpike)
- I-64 (Charleston to Huntington/Lexington)
- I-79 (Charleston to Morgantown/PA)
- I-68 (Morgantown to Cumberland)
- US-19 (Corridor L / New River Gorge)

## Frequently Asked Questions
### How fast does WVDOH process a West Virginia oversize permit?
Routine single-trip permits are typically processed in 2–4 business hours. Superloads requiring bridge structural reviews take 3–5 business days.

### What are West Virginia pilot car escort triggers?
West Virginia requires 1 escort for loads over 12' wide on 2-lane roads and over 14' wide on multi-lane highways. Loads over 90' long require an escort. Height over 15' requires a height pole.

### Are oversize loads allowed on the West Virginia Turnpike (I-77)?
Yes, loads up to 14' wide are allowed on the WV Turnpike with standard permits. Widths exceeding 14' require advance toll authority clearance.

### What qualifies as a superload in West Virginia?
Shipments over 120,000 lbs gross weight, 16' wide, 15' high, or 120' long are classified as superloads in West Virginia.

## 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/west-virginia](https://www.alpinetruckservice.com/permits/west-virginia)