Alabama Pilot Car Requirements
When does an oversize or overweight load need a pilot car or escort in Alabama? 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 150 ft length
Over 150 ft: front and rear law enforcement escorts required. Marked vehicle with blue lights (troopers/sheriffs/police).
- Lead (front) pilot carover 125 ft length
125–150 ft (except mobile homes): 1 front + 1 rear civilian escort required on 2-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 125 ft length
125–150 ft (except mobile homes): 1 front + 1 rear civilian escort required on 2-lane highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 90 ft length
90–125 ft: 1 rear escort required on 2-lane highways.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 14 ft width
Over 14 ft wide: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4+-lane divided highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 14 ft width
Over 14 ft wide: 1 front + 1 rear on both 2-lane and 4+-lane divided highways.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 12 ft width
12–14 ft wide: 1 front on 2-lane highways; 1 rear on 4+-lane divided highways.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 12 ft width
12–14 ft wide: 1 rear escort on 4+-lane divided highways.
- Height-pole escortover 15 ft 6 in height
Over 15'6" high: 1 front escort with height pole required.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 10 ft front overhang
Front overhang over 10 ft: 1 front escort required.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 5 ft rear overhang
Rear overhang over 5 ft: 1 rear escort required.
Travel restrictions
- Daylight-only travelover 8'6" width
Permitted vehicles may travel daylight hours only. No travel Sundays or on New Year's, Memorial, Independence, Labor, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day.
- Weekend / holiday restrictionover 8'6" width
No travel after noon Saturday or any time Sunday. No travel New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day.
Driver & inspection requirements
- Certified escort driver requiredover 12 ft width
Escort drivers must complete a pilot/escort flagging course equal to or exceeding Alabama's course within 12 months of course availability.
Need a pilot car in Alabama? See what a Alabama pilot car costs →
Informational only. These thresholds are compiled from published Alabama DOT references and are not legal or operational advice. Permit conditions can differ from the general tables, and rules change — always verify with the Alabama permit office before you move a load.
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