Commercial carriers operating in New Jersey need truck permits whenever a load exceeds the state’s standard size or weight limits, or whenever the vehicle enters the state without current IRP or IFTA credentials. The baseline under N.J.S.A. 39:3-84 is a height of 13 feet 6 inches, a width of 102 inches (8 feet 6 inches), and a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds.1New Jersey Revised Statutes. New Jersey Code 39-3-84 – Vehicles, Dimensional, Weight Limitations; Routes, Certain; Prohibited Cross any of those thresholds and you need an oversize or overweight permit from the New Jersey Department of Transportation before the trip begins.
When a Permit Is Required
Weight limits in New Jersey work on two levels. The gross cap is 80,000 pounds, matching the federal number. On individual axles the state allows up to 22,400 pounds on a single axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle group, with other configurations evaluated under the Federal Bridge Formula.2NJDOT at GotPermits.com. NJ Truck Map and Brochure The 22,400-pound single-axle allowance is a state figure; the federal Interstate limit is 20,000 pounds, so a load legal on New Jersey roads may not be legal once it crosses the state line.
Dimensional limits are 102 inches wide and 13 feet 6 inches tall statewide, with a tighter 96-inch width ceiling on roads where the Commissioner of Transportation has determined that safety requires it.1New Jersey Revised Statutes. New Jersey Code 39-3-84 – Vehicles, Dimensional, Weight Limitations; Routes, Certain; Prohibited Any excess over these numbers, in any direction, requires a special permit.
Oversize and overweight permits are only available for loads that cannot be broken down. The statute requires the cargo to be a single piece that cannot be dismembered, dismantled, or divided to fit within standard limits. Bridge beams, industrial machinery, and similar one-piece cargo qualify; a trailer simply loaded too heavy with divisible freight does not.
Types of New Jersey Truck Permits
Oversize and Overweight Permits
NJDOT issues these under N.J.A.C. 13:18, which governs oversize and overweight movement on state-owned roadways.3New Jersey Department of Transportation. NJAC 13-18 – Permits for Overdimensional or Overweight Vehicles Each single-trip permit covers one direction of travel. A load that is both oversize and overweight still gets a single combined permit for each one-way trip, not two.
Ocean Container Permits (Code 23)
Sealed international shipping containers have their own category. An annual Code 23 ocean borne container permit lets a tractor-semitrailer haul sealed containers at up to 90,000 pounds gross, with no more than 38,000 pounds on any tandem axle unit or 56,400 pounds on a tri-axle trailer. Containers must carry a seal from U.S. Customs, another government agency, or the shipper.
One rule trips carriers up: annual Code 23 permits must travel as the original document. Photocopies and reproductions do not count. If an officer stops the driver and finds only a reproduction, the trip is treated as unpermitted.
Trip and Fuel Permits
A vehicle without current IFTA decals needs a temporary trip permit from an approved program provider before entering New Jersey.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. IRP/IFTA Permit Process These permits are valid for 72 hours from issue. Running without one risks fines or impoundment at a roadside inspection.
Unified Carrier Registration
Interstate motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies must also complete the federal Unified Carrier Registration. UCR is separate from NJDOT’s permit system, but a lapse can trigger enforcement at any stop. The 2026 fees scale by fleet size:
- 0–2 vehicles: $46
- 3–5 vehicles: $138
- 6–20 vehicles: $276
- 21–100 vehicles: $963
- 101–1,000 vehicles: $4,592
- 1,001+ vehicles: $44,836
Brokers and leasing companies pay $46 regardless of size.5Unified Carrier Registration. Fee Brackets
What the Permits Cost
NJDOT builds its fee from a base, any excess-weight or excess-dimension charges, a $12 transaction fee, and a 5 percent service charge on the total. The base fees are:
- Single-trip overweight only: $10
- Single-trip over-dimensional only: $10
- Single-trip combined overweight and oversize: $20
- Annual ocean borne container permit: $100 ($117.60 after transaction fee and service charge)
- Code 23 over-dimensional trailer permit: no base fee ($12.60 after transaction fee and service charge)
Excess charges add on top. Weight over the 80,000-pound gross or over any axle-group limit costs $5 per ton or fraction of a ton. Width beyond 14 feet costs $1 per foot or fraction. Length charges apply when a non-house load exceeds 63 feet in trailer and load length, or when a house-related load exceeds 70 feet overall.6NJDOT at GotPermits.com. Fee Schedule Code 23 registered trailers also carry a $209.50 annual registration fee paid to the Motor Vehicle Commission.
How to Apply
All oversize and overweight applications for state routes go through NJDOT’s GotPermits system, formerly called SUPERLOAD. The system runs around the clock.7New Jersey Department of Transportation. Oversize and Overweight Vehicles Have the following ready before you start:
- USDOT number and the VIN for the power unit
- Gross vehicle weight (truck, trailer, and cargo combined)
- Axle spacing hub-to-hub and the weight on every individual axle or axle group
- Total length, width, and height of the vehicle and load combined
- Every road the vehicle will travel, including state-line entry points and destination coordinates
If the route uses county or local roads to connect state routes, list those connecting roads in the application’s comment area. Missing route detail is the common reason applications come back denied. When the overall width exceeds 16 feet or the height exceeds 14 feet 6 inches, a route survey has to be attached.8Superload. NJDOT GotPermits – Superload
Most applications are reviewed within one business day, but the FAQ advises allowing up to three business days during periods of high volume or reduced staffing. Especially heavy or wide loads, or long routes, take longer because state engineers may need to evaluate alternate routes or check bridge ratings.9NJDOT at GotPermits.com. Frequently Asked Questions For login problems, waiver requests, or clearance questions, the Trucking Services Permit Office is at 609-963-2085 (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) or Superload.Permits@dot.nj.gov.
Once issued, the permit must stay in the vehicle for the whole trip. The statute requires the written permit to be in the possession of the driver.1New Jersey Revised Statutes. New Jersey Code 39-3-84 – Vehicles, Dimensional, Weight Limitations; Routes, Certain; Prohibited A printout or digital copy is generally fine for standard single-trip oversize/overweight permits, but annual ocean borne container permits must be the original.
When You Can Move the Load
Oversize permits are invalid on a defined list of holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day and the Friday before it, Independence Day, Labor Day and the Friday before it, Thanksgiving and the Wednesday before it, and Christmas. If a holiday falls on Sunday, the restriction extends to Monday; if on Saturday, Friday is restricted instead.
Oversize loads also cannot travel between sunset and sunrise, when visibility drops below 500 feet during daylight, or during hazardous road conditions. Any oversize or overweight vehicle that cannot safely maintain at least 40 miles per hour is barred from operating during hours when headlamps are required. The Chief Administrator can grant written waivers for nighttime or holiday travel in limited circumstances, including congestion reduction, documented business hardship, or emergency conditions.
Escort Vehicles
New Jersey ties escort requirements to width and length rather than weight. One escort is required when the load (including cargo) exceeds 14 feet wide or 100 feet long. Two escorts are required when width exceeds 16 feet or length exceeds 120 feet. A nighttime travel waiver adds one escort beyond whatever the size thresholds already require. When height exceeds 14 feet, the clearance provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:4-28 apply separately.
Escort operators must display proper warning signs and lighting. About a dozen states require formal pilot/escort vehicle operator certification, often through a one-day course repeated every three to five years.10Federal Highway Administration. Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator and Vehicle Equipment Requirements
Penalties for Running Without a Permit
Overweight fines are calculated per pound. Excess weight of 10,000 pounds or less costs $0.02 per pound, with a $50 minimum. Above 10,000 pounds of excess, the rate rises to $0.03 per pound. When a vehicle breaks more than one weight limit at the same time, only the violation with the greatest excess is assessed.11New Jersey Revised Statutes. New Jersey Code 39-3-84.3
In practice, a truck 5,000 pounds over gross faces a $100 fine. A truck 15,000 pounds over owes $450. Those numbers do not include detention at a weigh station or delay to the delivery.
Enforcement includes a 5 percent axle-weight tolerance: no summons is issued for excess axle weight of 5 percent or less, provided the gross weight stays within 80,000 pounds. The tolerance disappears entirely once gross weight exceeds the limit, so it is not a cushion for heavy loads.