The final weeks of the year are a balancing act between spending time with family, reflecting on the past 12 months and trying to make sure everything at work is wrapped up by the end of the calendar year.
If your work plans involve shipping over-dimensional freight, you might find it even more challenging during the end of December and beginning of January. In addition to shorter daylight hours, many states have increased restrictions on the hours permitted freight is allowed to travel.
Permit offices are closed, and first responders are running with skeleton crews as these hard-working employers spend time with their family and friends. This means you have limited time to move permitted freight over the nation’s roads.
Drivers, especially those who are qualified to haul over-dimensional loads, are also likely to be taking extended home time after spending most of the past 11 months delivering goods across the country.
At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), our goal is always to help customers move freight in time to meet your deadlines. Understanding the rules that govern oversize/overweight freight hauling in each state is part of that process. While it can be confusing to piece together holiday closure information from each state, we’re here to help.
The best source of information about OSOW freight restrictions is each state’s Department of Transportation. Use the chart below as a reference for your holiday shipping needs.
2023 Christmas Oversized Freight Travel Restrictions
| State | OSOW Travel Restrictions |
|
Alabama |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed from sunset on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View Alabama’s holiday restrictions calendar. |
|
Arizona |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Read Arizona’s OSOW holiday legal guidelines. |
|
Arkansas |
No OSOW freight can move on 12/25 or the weekend of 12/23-12/24. Check out Arkansas’ permit rules. |
|
California Office closed: 12/25 |
Permitted freight traveling on a state holiday that must be accompanied by a pilot car is prohibited to travel from 4 p.m. 12/22 (Friday) to 12 a.m. on 12/23 (Saturday), from 12 p.m. on 12/23 (Saturday) to 12 a.m. on 12/24 (Sunday), from 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) to 12 a.m. on 12/25 (Monday), from 12 p.m. on 12/26 (Monday) to 12 a.m. on 12/27 (Tuesday). All other freight is allowed to move unrestricted. Here is California’s full holiday travel information. |
|
Colorado Office closed: 12/25 |
There are no OSOW freight travel restrictions in Colorado for Christmas. Learn more about OSOW travel in Colorado. |
|
Connecticut Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed from 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Connecticut OSOW permitting website. |
|
Delaware Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight moves are allowed from 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Saturday) until 9 a.m. on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Delaware’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Florida Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight exceeding 80 feet long, 14 feet, 6 inches high and/or 10 feet wide can move on 12/24 (Sunday) or 12/25 (Monday). View all Florida holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Georgia Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight is allowed to move on 12/25 (Monday). Check out Georgia’s holiday restriction/closure dates. |
|
Idaho Office closed: 12/25 |
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 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). 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 12/24 (Sunday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). |
|
Illinois Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments are allowed to travel beginning at 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) and ending at 30 minutes before sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Illinois’ OSOW permitting rules. |
|
Indiana Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments (with the exemption of commodities) can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Indiana’s OSOW permitting provisions document. |
|
Iowa Office closed: 12/25 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Iowa over this period. Check out Iowa’s general provisions for oversize load permits. |
|
Kansas Office closed: 12/25 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Kansas over this period. Visit Kansas’ motor carrier website. |
|
Kentucky Office closed: 12/25 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Kentucky over this period, unless noted on the permit. View Kentucky’s OSOW resources. |
|
Louisiana Office closed: 12/25 & 12/26 |
There are no statewide OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Louisiana over this period. See Louisiana’s permitting webpage. |
|
Massachusetts Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) and 12 p.m. on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Massachusetts’ OSOW permits page. |
|
Maryland Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW loads can move from 12 p.m. on 12/23 (Friday) until 9 a.m. on 12/27 (Tuesday). See all of Maryland’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Maine Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW load can travel on 12/25 (Monday). Check out all of Maine’s oversized freight holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Michigan Office closed: 12/23 & 12/25 |
No permitted OSOW freight is allowed to travel starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View all of Michigan’s holiday travel restrictions and closings. |
|
Minnesota Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW travel is restricted starting at 2 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) until 2:00 a.m. on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Minnesota’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Mississippi Office closed: 12/25 |
No movement is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Saturday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Read through Mississippi’s permitting information. |
|
Missouri Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight is allowed on Missouri holidays from 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday) |
|
Montana Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW travel is restricted starting on 12/23 (Saturday) until 12/26 (Tuesday). Montana’s permits page can be found here. |
|
Nebraska Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can travel through Nebraska starting at sunset on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View all of Nebraska’s observed holidays and their restrictions. |
|
Nevada Office closed: 12/25 |
No permitted travel is allowed after noon 12/22 (Friday); weekend hours + hours of darkness restrictions are in place Saturday (12/23) and Sunday (12/24); and noon-midnight Monday (12/25). View all of Nevada’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Hampshire Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can travel on 12/25 (Monday). View all of New Hampshire’s OSOW holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Jersey Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW permits will be valid for travel on 12/25 (Monday). Visit New Jersey’s permitting webpage. |
|
New Mexico Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW movement is allowed on 12/25 (Monday). Check out New Mexico’s OSOW rules and regulations. |
|
New York Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipment can travel through New York starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View New York’s OSOW permitting resources. |
|
North Carolina Office closed: 12/25 |
No over-dimensional and/or overweight freight exceeding 112,000 gross pounds will be permitted to travel beginning at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until 12 p.m. on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit North Carolina’s OSOW permitting page. |
|
North Dakota Office closed: 12/25 |
No oversized loads exceeding 16 feet wide are allowed to move starting at 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Check out North Dakota’s OSOW permit pages. |
|
Ohio Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can move starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Here is Ohio’s holiday restrictions webpage. |
|
Oklahoma Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight travel is restricted on 12/25 (Monday). View Oklahoma’s permitting law. |
|
Oregon Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight is not allowed to travel starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday) with some exceptions:
|
|
Pennsylvania Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight is restricted from moving starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View Pennsylvania’s holiday OSOW travel restrictions. |
|
Rhode Island Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW cargo can travel within Rhode Island on 12/24 (Sunday) or 12/25 (Monday). Visit Rhode Island’s OSOW website page. |
|
South Carolina Office closed: 12/22-12/26 |
No OSOW freight can travel through South Carolina on 12/25 (Monday). View South Carolina’s holiday travel schedule. |
|
South Dakota Office closed: 12/25 |
There are no OSOW Holiday travel restrictions in South Dakota for this period. Learn more about OSOW shipping in South Dakota. |
|
Tennessee Office closed: 12/23 & 12/25 |
No OSOW freight requiring escorts is allowed to travel starting on 12/22 (Friday) until 12/25 (Monday). No site-built houses or houseboats can travel on 12/25 (Monday). All other OSOW freight can transit as normal. View Tennessee’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Texas Office closed: 12/25-26 |
Any OSOW load exceeding 14 feet wide, 16 feet tall and/or 110 feet long cannot travel on 12/25 (Monday). View Texas’ holiday restrictions. |
|
Utah Office closed: 12/25 |
Travel is prohibited for loads more than 10 feet wide, 105 feet long, and 14 feet, 6 inches in height on 12/22 (Friday) and 12/25 (Monday). Normal travel allowed Saturday and Sunday. Visit Utah’s permitting page. |
|
Vermont Office closed: 12/25 |
No shipment exceeding 108,000 pounds, 12 feet wide and/or 100 feet long can move on Vermont interstate highways on 12/25 (Monday). View Vermont’s full permit rules. |
|
Virginia Office closed: noon 12/22-12/25 |
No permitted travel starting at 12 p.m. on 12/22 (Friday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Check out Virginia’s hauling permit manual. |
|
Washington Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW loads aren’t permitted to travel on state highways starting at 12 p.m. on 12/24 (Sunday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). View Washington’s state commercial vehicle guidelines. |
|
West Virginia Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed starting at sunset 12/24 (Sunday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Check out West Virginia’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Wisconsin Office closed: 12/23-25 |
For freight exceeding 13 feet, 6 inches tall, 150 feet long and/or 12 feet wide, no travel is permitted starting at 12 p.m. on 12/23 (Saturday) until sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). No OSOW freight can travel through Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock or Waukesha counties from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the days of 12/23 (Saturday), 12/24 (Sunday) and 12/25 (Monday). Wisconsin’s holiday travel restrictions chart can be found here. |
|
Wyoming Office closed: 12/25 |
Any OSOW load requiring escorts is prohibited from traveling starting 30 minutes after sunset on 12/22 (Friday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 12/26 (Tuesday). Visit Wyoming’s permit resources webpage. |
Be Prepared for Shipping Over Any Holiday
The easiest (and least expensive) solution will be to avoid shipping over the holiday period. If you can wait until the new year, you’ll have a much easier time finding a driver (and planning your route).
And speaking of the new year, New Year’s Day also comes with seasonal freight restrictions. Be sure to take those into account if you have to ship over the holiday period.
No matter the month or season, over-dimensional freight shipping requires planning ahead and choosing the right carrier. Download the Freight Carrier Selection Checklist to help find someone who meets your specific needs.
