Maryland Pilot Car Requirements

GVW in excess of 75 tons (150,000 lb): police escort required — "The permittee shall provide for police escort for any permit move which is 16 feet wide or more or in excess of 75 tons gross weight" (COMAR 11.04.04.06B). Between 65 and 75 tons (130,000–150,000 lb) the SHA Hauling Permits Unit MAY require police escort (11.04.04.06C(1)). Permittee pays the law-enforcement agency's costs (11.04.04.06D).

Width 16 feet or more: police escort required — "The permittee shall provide for police escort for any permit move which is 16 feet wide or more..." (COMAR 11.04.04.06B). This is IN ADDITION TO the two private escorts already required at 14' (11.04.04.06A).

Length 140 feet or more: two escort vehicles required — "Two Escorts. The permittee shall provide two escort vehicles for a permit move if the permit move is: ... (2) 140 feet long or more" (COMAR 11.04.04.03B(2)). Position is set by 11.04.04.02E(2): an escort shall be BEHIND an overlength vehicle or load.

Length 140 feet or more: two escort vehicles required — "Two Escorts. The permittee shall provide two escort vehicles for a permit move if the permit move is: ... (2) 140 feet long or more" (COMAR 11.04.04.03B(2)). Position is set by 11.04.04.02E(2): an escort shall be BEHIND an overlength vehicle or load.

Width 14 feet or more, manufactured housing included: two escort vehicles required — "(1) 14 feet wide or more including a load that is a manufactured housing unit" (COMAR 11.04.04.03B(1)). This does NOT end at 16': at 16' or more a police escort is added on top (11.04.04.06A-B). Position per 11.04.04.02E(2): BEHIND an overwidth load on a multilane highway, IN FRONT on a two-lane highway.

Width 14 feet or more, manufactured housing included: two escort vehicles required — "(1) 14 feet wide or more including a load that is a manufactured housing unit" (COMAR 11.04.04.03B(1)). This does NOT end at 16': at 16' or more a police escort is added on top (11.04.04.06A-B). Position per 11.04.04.02E(2): BEHIND an overwidth load on a multilane highway, IN FRONT on a two-lane highway.

Height 14 feet 6 inches or more: one escort vehicle with a height (pole) vehicle required — "(3) 14 feet 6 inches high or more (pole vehicle required)" (COMAR 11.04.04.03A(3)). NOTE an internal COMAR conflict: the general-conditions chapter words the same requirement EXCLUSIVELY — "A pole vehicle escort shall accompany vehicles and loads exceeding a height of 14 feet 6 inches" (COMAR 11.04.02.01-1J(1)(b)). A load measuring exactly 14'6" sits on that conflict; the escort-specific chapter says "or more", so run the pole.

Length MORE THAN 85 feet (under 140'): 1 escort required — COMAR 11.04.04.03A(2). Position is NOT operator choice: 11.04.04.02E(2) says the escort "Shall be: (a) Behind an overlength vehicle or load".

GVW MORE THAN 60 tons (120,000 lb), under 150,000 lb: 1 escort required — COMAR 11.04.04.03A(4).

Width MORE THAN 13 feet (under 14'): 1 escort required — but the reg reads "More than 13 feet wide, UNLESS THE LOAD IS A MANUFACTURED HOUSING UNIT" (COMAR 11.04.04.03A(1)); manufactured housing is instead picked up by the two-escort tier at 14'. Position per 11.04.04.02E(2): BEHIND on a multilane highway, IN FRONT on a two-lane highway.

CORRECTED 2026-09-14 — the previous wording was INVERTED. BELTWAYS: a load 12 feet or more in width — or 100 feet or more long, or exceeding 45 tons gross weight — MAY travel I-495/I-95 (Capital Beltway) or I-695/MD 695 (Baltimore Beltway) ONLY from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and only on non-restricted days (COMAR 11.04.02.06B(2)). That window is the PERMISSION, not the prohibition. ANY HIGHWAY: a load 14 feet or more in width may move statewide ONLY from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (11.04.02.06B(3)). Restricted days: no movement any Saturday after 12 noon, no movement any Sunday, and none on the holiday periods the Hauling Permits Unit publishes each year after December 15 (11.04.02.06B(1)). The permit itself may authorize other dates/hours notwithstanding all of this (11.04.02.06B(4)). WARNING: this rule gates on WIDTH only, so the independent 100-foot LENGTH and 45-ton WEIGHT triggers in the same regulation cannot fire here — check them yourself.

Travel permitted "during any daylight hours from 1/2 hour after sunrise to 1/2 hour before sunset" (COMAR 11.04.02.06A). CORRECTED 2026-09-14: SATURDAY ENDS AT 12 NOON, it is not a full day — "A person may not move an oversize or overweight vehicle, even during daylight hours, on: (a) Any Saturday after 12 noon; (b) Any Sunday; (c) Those holiday periods included on a list compiled by the Unit for each calendar year" (11.04.02.06B(1)). The permit itself may authorize movement on other dates and hours notwithstanding the above (11.04.02.06B(4)).