Michigan Pilot Car Requirements
When does an oversize or overweight load need a pilot car or escort in Michigan? Here are the width, height, length and weight thresholds that trigger an escort, a height pole, or a police escort.
Escort & pilot car requirements
- Lead (front) pilot carover 100'0" length
Front + rear pilot cars required for combinations over 100' overall length.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 90'0" length
Rear pilot car required for combinations 90'–100' overall length. BAND EDGE UNVERIFIED — our table writes this band's lower bound as a round 90'0" and the rule is encoded exclusively, so it does not fire until 90'1". If the state's own text reads "90'0" or more" the trigger is one inch lower. Threshold deliberately NOT moved without primary text (reviewed 2026-09-14); confirm the band edge with the state permit office.
- Height-pole escortover 15'0" height
Front + rear pilot cars required above 15'; front escort with height pole required at 14'5"–15'.
- Lead (front) pilot carover 14'0" width
Front + rear pilot cars required for widths over 14' (R. 247.167). Rear only for 12'–14'.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 12'0" width
Rear pilot car required when width is 12'–14' (R. 247.167); front added above 14'. BAND EDGE UNVERIFIED — our table writes this band's lower bound as a round 12'0" and the rule is encoded exclusively, so it does not fire until 12'1". If the state's own text reads "12'0" or more" the trigger is one inch lower. Threshold deliberately NOT moved without primary text (reviewed 2026-09-14); confirm the band edge with the state permit office.
- Chase (rear) pilot carover 15'0" rear overhang rear overhang
Rear pilot car required when rear overhang exceeds 15'.
Travel restrictions
- Daylight-only travelover 12'0" width
Sunrise-to-sunset travel only on weekdays; no weekend travel when width exceeds 12' or height exceeds 14'.
- Weekend / holiday restrictionover 12'0" width
No travel on New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
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Informational only. These thresholds are compiled from published Michigan DOT references and are not legal or operational advice. Permit conditions can differ from the general tables, and rules change — always verify with the Michigan permit office before you move a load.
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