While many of us are enjoying a turkey dinner with family and friends, many drivers are on the road carrying seasonal gifts, holiday baking items, winter gear and the essentials we need every day.
Standard freight carried in a dry van or open-deck trailer travels as usual on Thanksgiving, although you should expect to pay more to find a driver willing to work on the holiday.
Moving oversize freight on a holiday is more complicated. Oversize freight always requires a permit to travel through every state and local jurisdiction on its route. On Thanksgiving, some states forbid moving oversize freight, and most permit offices are closed.
It’s critical to understand which states allow over-dimensional freight travel on Thanksgiving before setting out. The last thing you need is to accrue delays and fees on one of the year’s busiest travel days.
Our experience at Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) includes moving over-dimensional freight every day of the year, including holidays. And while we give our drivers as much holiday time as we can, it is unavoidable for some of them to be on the road on Thanksgiving.
This article lays out the Thanksgiving travel restrictions for all 50 states and includes a link to learn more. Using this information will help you stay in compliance with local restrictions this holiday season.
Happy turkey day!
2023 Thanksgiving Oversize Travel Restrictions
The chart below references the holiday closures for state permit offices and additional holiday travel restrictions.
The best source of information is always the state Department of Transportation (DOT) website. This information is provided for your convenience.
| State | OSOW Travel Restrictions |
|
Alabama Office closed: 11/23 & 11/25 |
No OSOW travel is permitted from sunset on 11/22 (Wednesday) to sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). Visit Alabama’s OSOW permit page. |
|
Alaska Office closed: 11/23 |
No Thanksgiving travel restrictions. Visit Alaska’s Motor Vehicle Customer Service Center. |
|
Arizona Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel allowed (for loads of specified dimensions) starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 11/25 (Friday). Visit Arizona’s permitted freight page. |
|
Arkansas Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel allowed from sunset on 11/23 (Wednesday) to sunrise on 11/25 (Friday). Visit Arkansas’ OSOW permit page. |
|
California Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
Permitted freight traveling on a state holiday must be accompanied by a pilot car is prohibited to travel from 4 p.m. 11/22 (Wednesday) to 12 a.m. on 11/23 (Thursday), from 12 p.m. on 11/23 (Thursday) to 12 a.m. on 11/24 (Friday), from 12 p.m. on 11/24 (Friday) to 12 a.m. on 11/25 (Saturday), from 12 p.m. on 11/25 (Saturday) to 12 a.m. on 11/26 (Sunday) and from 12 p.m. on 11/26 (Sunday) to 12 a.m. on 11/28 (Monday). All other freight is allowed to move unrestricted. Here is California’s full holiday travel information. |
|
Colorado Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel restrictions. Visit Colorado’s permitting website. |
|
Connecticut Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel is allowed from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). Visit Connecticut’s OSOW permitting website. |
|
Delaware Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW freight moves are allowed from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 9 a.m. on 11/25 (Saturday). Visit Delaware’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Florida Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW freight exceeding 80 feet long, 14 feet, 6 inches high and/or 10 feet wide can move on 11/23 (Thursday) or 11/24 (Friday). View all Florida holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Georgia Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW freight is allowed to move on 11/23 (Thursday). Check out Georgia’s holiday restriction/closure dates. |
|
Hawaii Office closed: 11/23 |
See your permit for specific restrictions. See Hawaii’s OSOW freight permitting page. |
|
Idaho Office closed: 11/23 |
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 11/23 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). 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 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). |
|
Illinois Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW shipments are allowed to travel beginning at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) and ending at sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Visit Illinois’ OSOW permitting page. |
|
Indiana Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW shipments (with the exemption of commodities) can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Visit Indiana’s OSOW motor carrier service page. |
|
Iowa Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Iowa over this period. Visit Iowa’s motor carrier website. |
|
Kansas Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Kansas over this period. Visit Kansas’ motor carrier website. |
|
Kentucky Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
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: 11/23 |
There are no OSOW holiday travel restrictions in Louisiana over this period. View Louisiana’s permitting webpage. |
|
Maine Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW loads can move starting 30 minutes after sunset on 11/23 (Wednesday) and ending at sunrise 11/25 (Friday). Here is a list of Maine’s holiday closures/restrictions. |
|
Massachusetts Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW shipments can travel on 11/23 (Thursday). Visit Massachusetts’ commercial truck permitting website. |
|
Maryland Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW loads can move from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 9 a.m. on 11/27 (Monday). Check out all of Maryland’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Michigan Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No permits will be issued allowing OSOW loads to travel from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Check out information for the movement of OSOW loads in Michigan. |
|
Minnesota Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
OSOW travel is restricted starting at 2 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) and ending at 2 a.m. on 11/24 (Friday). View Minnesota’s holiday travel restrictions page. |
|
Mississippi Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
OSOW freight movement is not allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). View more information on OSOW shipping through Mississippi. |
|
Missouri Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
OSOW freight movement is not allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). View Missouri’s OSOW permitting resources. |
|
Montana Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel from 11/23 (Thursday) until 11/27 (Monday). Visit Montana’s permitting page. |
|
Nebraska Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
OSOW travel is restricted starting at sunset on 11/22 until sunrise on 11/27. Check out Nebraska’s permitted travel guide. |
|
Nevada Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel is allowed from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 12 a.m. on 11/23 (Thursday) and from 12 p.m. on 11/26 (Sunday) until 12 a.m. on 11/27 (Monday). View all of Nevada’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Hampshire Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW load can travel on 11/23 (Thursday) and 11/24 (Friday). View New Hampshire’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Jersey Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 & 11/25 |
No OSOW permits will be issued/valid for travel on 11/22 (Wednesday) or 11/23 (Thursday). Visit New Jersey’s permitting webpage. |
|
New Mexico Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel is permitted beginning at sunset on 11/22 (Wednesday) and ending at sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Visit New Mexico’s permitting webpage. |
|
New York Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW shipment can travel through New York starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). View New York’s OSOW permitting resources. |
|
North Carolina Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No over-dimensional and/or overweight freight exceeding 112,000 gross pounds will be permitted to travel beginning at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 12 p.m. on 11/24 (Friday). Visit North Carolina’s OSOW permitting page. |
|
North Dakota Office closed: 11/23 |
No oversized loads exceeding 16 feet wide are allowed to move starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Check out North Dakota’s OSOW permit pages. |
|
Ohio Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW freight can travel in Ohio starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). See all of Ohio’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Oklahoma Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel is permitted on 11/23 (Thursday). Visit Oklahoma’s permitting page. |
|
Oregon Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW exceeding 8 feet, 6 inches wide can travel from 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes before sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). There are several exceptions to this rule:
No overwidth freight can travel after 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday). No overwidth freight can travel on 11/26 (Sunday). View Oregon’s permitting rules and regulation website. |
|
Pennsylvania Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW freight can move within Pennsylvania starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/27 (Monday). View Pennsylvania’s OSOW hauling website page. |
|
Rhode Island Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW travel is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/26 (Sunday). Visit Rhode Island’s OSOW website page. |
|
South Carolina Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel is allowed on 11/23 (Thursday). There may be special permits allowed for freight responding to Hurricane Idalia. Learn more about OSOW shipping in South Carolina. |
|
South Dakota Office closed: 11/23 |
There are no OSOW Holiday travel restrictions in South Dakota for this period. Learn more about OSOW shipping in South Dakota. |
|
Tennessee Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW escorted travel is allowed starting at 12 p.m on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 11/27 (Monday). No travel on 11/23 for site-built houses and houseboats. All other OSOW loads are allowed to transit unaffected. Visit Tennessee’s permitting website. |
|
Texas Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
Any OSOW load exceeding 14 feet wide, 16 feet tall and/or 110 feet long cannot travel on 11/23 (Thursday). View Texas’ holiday restrictions. |
|
Utah Office closed: 11/23 |
No OSOW exceeding 10 feet wide, 14 feet, 6 inches tall and/or 105 feet long can travel starting at 2 p.m. on 11/23 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Visit Utah’s permitting page. |
|
Vermont Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No shipment exceeding 108,000 pounds, 12 feet wide and/or 100 feet long can move on Vermont interstate highways on 11/23 (Thursday). View Vermont’s full permit rules. |
|
Virginia Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel is allowed starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/25 (Saturday). Visit Virginia’s hauling permits page. |
|
Washington Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW shipment can travel starting at 12 p.m. on 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/25 (Saturday). Learn more about Washington’s OSOW permitting requirements. |
|
West Virginia Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
No OSOW travel will be permitted on 11/23 (Thursday). Visit West Virginia’s permitting page. |
|
Wisconsin Office closed: 11/23 & 11/24 |
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 11/22 (Wednesday) until sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). OSOW under these dimensions cannot transit on 11/22 (Wednesday) and cannot travel between 4-8 p.m. on 11/23 (Thursday) and 11/24 (Friday). |
|
Wyoming Office closed: 11/23 |
Any OSOW load requiring escorts is prohibited from traveling starting 30 minutes after sunset on 11/22 (Wednesday) until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on 11/24 (Friday). Visit Wyoming’s permit resources webpage. |
Be Prepared for Holiday Freight Shipping
The holiday season is a busy time in the trucking industry. In addition to freight travel restrictions, transportation companies are dealing with limited daylight hours, increased demand and a need for drivers to spend more time home with their families.
The best way to prepare for the season is by planning ahead. To help you out, we publish a monthly transportation update so you can stay on top of industry trends. Subscribe to the ATS Learning Hub for updates on your schedule, or use the link at the bottom of the page to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
If you have an immediate shipping need, contact us and one of ATS’ experienced team members will be happy to assist.
