The Fourth of July is an exciting time of the year. Independence Day, like other national holidays, gives you the opportunity to spend time with family and friends while enjoying a well-deserved break from work.
Depending on where you live, your Fourth of July has a unique look. Up here in Minnesota, lakes country, pontoons — the living rooms of watercraft — are a go-to destination for those lucky enough to know someone with one.
Regardless of location (or pontoon adjacency), you can bet a warm grill, cold drinks, a red sunset and fireworks are on most agendas. Independence Day is a day of reflection, thanks and celebration. Above all else, though, July Fourth is the perfect excuse to gather with those you love.
The Fourth of July has long been the U.S.’ premier summer holiday, making it one of the highest-trafficked days of the year.
Recognizing the heightened concentration of motor vehicle traffic, most states’ Department of Transportation restricts oversize freight travel for the days leading up to and over the July Fourth celebration. They prohibit freight of oversize dimensions from traveling during certain periods over a two to three-day stretch.
As a shipper or trucking company, you must plan additional transit time for travel regulations or it may be difficult to meet your customer commitments this July. Below, you’ll find a chart breaking down each state’s oversize travel restrictions over this period. Keep them in mind as you’re planning out your shipments.
In the first column, we’ve also included when each state’s permitting office will be closed.
While these resources and your partners should be able to guide you, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about how the Fourth of July will impact your business specifically. After more than 68 years of navigating holiday travel restrictions, we’re more than happy to help.
4th of July 2023 Oversize Freight Travel Restrictions
| State | OSOW Travel Restrictions |
|
Alabama Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed from sunset on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). View Alabama’s holiday restrictions calendar. |
|
Arizona Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Read Arizona’s OSOW holiday legal guidelines. |
|
Arkansas Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight can move on 7/4. Check out Arkansas’ permit rules. |
|
California Office closed: 7/4 |
Permitted freight traveling on a state holiday that must be accompanied by a pilot car is prohibited to travel from 4 p.m. 7/3 (Monday) to 12 a.m. on 7/4 (Tuesday), from 12 p.m. on 7/4 (Tuesday) to 12 a.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). All other freight is allowed to move unrestricted. Here is California’s full holiday travel information |
|
Colorado Office closed: 7/4 |
Long-combination vehicles (LVCs) are prohibited from traveling at any time on 7/4 (Tuesday). Extra-legal vehicles/loads (with the exception of LVCs), can’t travel between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on 7/4 (Tuesday). |
|
Connecticut Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW travel is allowed on 7/4 (Tuesday). Visit the Connecticut OSOW holiday restrictions document. |
|
Delaware Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight moves are allowed from 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 9 a.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Delaware’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Florida Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight exceeding 14 feet, 6 inches high, 80 feet long and/or 10 feet wide can move on 7/4 (Tuesday). View all Florida holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Georgia Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight is allowed to move on 7/4 (Tuesday). Check out Georgia’s holiday restriction/closure dates. |
|
Idaho Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW loads may be transported on Idaho highways with the following restrictions: Red-Coded Routes: No loads may travel starting at 2 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Black-Coded and Interstate Routes: Shipments exceeding 10 feet wide, 100 feet long and/or 15 feet high can’t move from 4 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). |
|
Illinois Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW shipments are allowed to travel beginning at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) and ending 30 minutes before sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Illinois’ 2022 OSOW permitting rules. |
|
Indiana Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW shipments (with the exemption of those with overweight commodity or bulk milk permits) can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 1/5 (Wednesday). Visit Indiana’s OSOW permitting provisions document. |
|
Iowa Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW freight is restricted from traveling starting at 12 p.m. on 1/3 (Monday) through 7/4 (Tuesday). Check out Iowa’s general provisions for oversize load permits. |
|
Kansas Office closed: 7/4 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Kansas over this period. Visit Kansas’ motor carrier website. |
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Kentucky Office closed: 7/4 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Kentucky over this period. View Kentucky’s OSOW resources. |
|
Louisiana Office closed: 7/4 |
There are no statewide OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Louisiana over this period. View Louisiana’s permitting webpage. |
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Massachusetts Office closed: 7/4 |
No permitted shipments can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 12 p.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Massachusetts’ OSOW permits page. |
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Maryland Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW loads can move from 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 9 a.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). Check out all of Maryland’s holiday restrictions. |
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Maine Office closed: 7/4 |
No permitted load can travel on 7/4 (Wednesday). Check out the rest of Maine’s oversized freight holiday travel restrictions. |
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Michigan Office closed: 7/4 |
Permitted OSOW freight is prohibited from travel starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). View all of Michigan’s holiday travel restrictions and closings. |
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Minnesota Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW travel is restricted starting at 2 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 2:00 a.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Minnesota’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Mississippi Office closed: 7/4 |
No movement is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) through 7/4 (Tuesday). Read through Mississippi’s permitting information. |
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Missouri Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight is allowed to move on Missouri highways on 7/4 (Tuesday) |
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Montana Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW travel is prohibited on 7/4 (Tuesday). Montana’s holiday restrictions page can be found here. |
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Nebraska Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight can travel through Nebraska starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). View all of Nebraska’s observed holidays and their restrictions. |
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Nevada Office closed: 7/4 |
No permitted OSOW freight travel is allowed from 30 minutes prior to sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset on 7/4 View all of Nevada’s holiday travel restrictions. |
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New Hampshire Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight can travel on 7/4 (Tuesday). View all of New Hampshire’s OSOW holiday travel restrictions. |
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New Jersey Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW permits will be issued/valid for travel on 7/4 (Tuesday). Visit New Jersey’s permitting webpage. |
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New Mexico Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW movement is allowed on 7/4 (Tuesday). Check out New Mexico’s OSOW rules and regulations. |
|
New York Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW shipment can travel through New York starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). View New York’s 2023 OSOW holiday travel resources. |
|
North Carolina Office closed: 7/4 |
No travel for permitted OSOW freight or shipments exceeding 112,000 pounds in gross weight will be allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 12 p.m. on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit North Carolina’s OSOW permitting page. Download North Carolina’s holiday 2023 holiday closure schedule. |
|
North Dakota Office closed: 7/4 |
No oversized loads exceeding 16 feet wide can move starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Check out North Dakota’s OSOW permit pages. |
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Ohio Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight can move starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Here is Ohio’s holiday restrictions webpage. |
|
Oklahoma Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW freight travel is restricted on 7/4 (Tuesday). View Oklahoma’s permitting law. |
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Oregon Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW freight is not allowed to travel starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Check out all of Oregon’s 2023 OD holiday permit rules. |
|
Pennsylvania Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW freight is restricted from moving starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). View Pennsylvania’s 2023 holiday OSOW travel restrictions. |
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Rhode Island Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW cargo can travel within Rhode Island starting at sunset on 7/3 (Monday) through 7/4 (Tuesday). Visit Rhode Island’s OSOW website page. |
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South Carolina Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight can travel through South Carolina on 7/4 (Tuesday). View South Carolina’s 2023 holiday travel schedule. |
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South Dakota Office closed: 7/4 |
There are no OSOW Holiday travel restrictions in South Dakota for this period. Learn more about OSOW shipping in South Dakota. |
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Tennessee Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW freight requiring escorts is allowed to travel on 7/3 (Monday) or on 7/4 (Tuesday). All other OSOW freight can transit as normal. View Tennesee’s 2023 holiday restrictions calendar. |
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Texas Office closed: 7/4 |
Any OSOW load exceeding 14 feet wide, 16 feet tall and/or 110 feet long cannot travel on 7/4 (Tuesday). View Texas’ holiday restrictions. |
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Utah Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW exceeding 10 feet wide, 14 feet, 6 inches tall and/or 105 feet long can travel starting at 2 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Utah’s motor carrier size and weight rules. |
|
Vermont Office closed: 7/4 |
No shipment exceeding 108,000 pounds, 12 feet wide and/or 100 feet long can move on Vermont interstate highways on 7/4 (Tuesday). View Vermont’s full oversize/overweight permit rules. |
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Virginia Office closed: 7/4 |
No permitted travel starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Check out Virginia’s hauling permit manual. |
|
Washington Office closed: 7/4 |
OSOW loads aren’t permitted to travel on state highways starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until 7/5 (Wednesday). View Washington’s state commercial vehicle guidelines. |
|
West Virginia Office closed: 7/4 |
No OSOW travel is allowed on 7/4 (Tuesday). Check out West Virginia’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Wisconsin Office closed: 7/1, 7/20 & 7/4 |
OSOW freight with dimensions not exceeding 12 feet wide, 13 feet, six inches high and 150 feet long cannot move between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on 6/30 (Friday), 7/2 (Sunday), 7/3 (Monday) and 7/4 (Tuesday) in Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock and Waukesha Counties. For OSOW freight exceeding 13 feet, 6 inches high, 150 feet long and/or 12 feet wide, no travel is permitted starting at 12 p.m. on 7/3 (Monday) until sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Wisconsin’s 2023 holiday travel restrictions chart can be found here. |
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Wyoming Office closed: 7/4 |
Any OSOW load requiring escorts is prohibited from traveling starting 30 minutes after sunset on 7/3 (Monday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 7/5 (Wednesday). Visit Wyoming’s permit resources webpage. |
Stay on Top of Things This Year!
Use this article as a resource when planning your shipments around the Fourth of July this year. It’s important for both shippers and trucking companies to recognize the presence of these restrictions and take steps to avoid their impact. With a bit of planning these shouldn’t hinder your business too much. Feel free to bookmark this page so you can find these resources easily going forward.
Whether you work for a trucking company or a business with regular shipping demands, educating yourself on things like legal restrictions can make you a more efficient partner for your customers. Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) regularly publishes content with the intention of helping you navigate the complex transportation realm. Subscribe to the ATS Learning Hub today so you’re notified when these tools are available.
As you venture further into the year, events like the Fourth of July will continue to impact freight markets across the U.S. To help you get ahead of these adjustments, download this Freight Shipping Calendar which points them all out.
If you have any more questions about shipping around a holiday, contact us. We’re happy to help you in any way you need.
