The final weeks of the year are a balancing act: Spending time with family and friends, reflecting on the past 12 months, wrapping up work before the start of the next calendar year, and so on.
If your work plans involve shipping over-dimensional (OD) freight, you may find it harder to do so from the end of December through the beginning of January.
In addition to shorter daylight hours, many states have increased restrictions on the hours permitted freight is allowed to travel over the winter holidays.
Drivers are also likely to be taking extended home time, so coverage will be harder to come by.
At Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), we help customers move freight and meet deadlines all year round, and understanding each state’s rules regarding oversize/overweight (OSOW) freight travel is part of that process.
We know firsthand how confusing it can be to piece together holiday closure information from each state — which is why we’ve listed it all here for your convenience.
Use the chart below as a reference for your holiday shipping needs. While this list is a useful tool, the most accurate source for OSOW freight holiday restrictions will always be each state’s Department of Transportation (DOT).
Be sure to cross-reference the data below with the DOT of each state on your route for the most up-to-date information as your shipping dates approach.
2024 Christmas Oversized Freight Travel Restrictions
This chart lists the holiday closures for state permit offices and any additional holiday travel restrictions for OSOW freight.
|
State |
OSOW Travel Restrictions |
|
Alabama |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed from sunset on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise Thurs., Dec. 26. View Alabama’s holiday restrictions calendar. |
|
Alaska |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. Visit Alaska’s Motor Vehicle Customer Service Center. |
|
Arizona |
No OSOW permitted travel is allowed starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Read Arizona’s OSOW holiday legal guidelines. |
|
Arkansas |
No OSOW freight can move on Wed., Dec. 25. 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. to midnight on Tues., Dec. 24 and from noon to midnight on Wed., Dec. 25. 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. |
|
Connecticut Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel allowed beginning at noon Tues., Dec. 24 until daylight on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Connecticut’s OSOW permitting website. |
|
Delaware Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight moves are allowed from noon on Tues., Dec. 24 through 9 a.m. on Thurs., Dec. 26 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 Wed., Dec. 25. View all Florida holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Georgia Office closed: 12/24-12/25 |
No OSOW freight is allowed to move on Wed., Dec. 25. Check out Georgia’s holiday restriction/closure dates. |
|
Hawaii Office closed: 12/25 |
See your permit for specific restrictions. See Hawaii’s OSOW freight permitting page. |
|
Idaho Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW loads may be transported on Idaho highways with the following restrictions: Red-Coded Routes: No OSOW loads may travel starting at 2 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. 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 Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. |
|
Illinois Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments are allowed to travel beginning at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Illinois’ OSOW permitting rules. |
|
Indiana Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments (with the exemption of commodities) can travel starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Indiana’s OSOW permitting provisions document. |
|
Iowa Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. Check out Iowa’s permitting page. |
|
Kansas Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. Visit Kansas’ motor carrier website. |
|
Kentucky Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. View Kentucky’s OSOW resources. |
|
Louisiana Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. See Louisiana’s permitting webpage. |
|
Maine Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW load can travel on Wed., Dec. 25. Check out all of Maine’s oversized freight holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Maryland Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW loads can move starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 9 a.m. Thurs., Dec. 26. See all of Maryland’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Massachusetts Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW shipments can travel starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until noon on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Massachusetts’ OSOW permits page. |
|
Michigan Office closed: 12/24-12/25 |
No permitted OSOW freight is allowed to travel starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until daybreak on Thurs., Dec. 25. Mobile homes may resume movement at noon on Thurs., Dec. 25. 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 Tues., Dec. 24 until 2 a.m. on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Minnesota’s holiday travel restrictions webpage. |
|
Mississippi Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW movement is allowed starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Read through Mississippi’s permitting information. |
|
Missouri Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight is allowed from noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Missouri’s OSOW website page. |
|
Montana Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW movement is allowed on Wed., Dec. 25. Montana’s permit restrictions can be found here. |
|
Nebraska Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can travel through Nebraska starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. View all of Nebraska’s observed holidays and their restrictions. |
|
Nevada Office closed: 12/25 |
No permitted travel is allowed from 30 minutes before sunrise on Wed., Dec. 25 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. View all of Nevada’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Hampshire Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can travel on Wed., Dec. 25. View all of New Hampshire’s OSOW holiday travel restrictions. |
|
New Jersey Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed on Wed., Dec. 25. Visit New Jersey’s permitting webpage. |
|
New Mexico Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW movement is allowed on Wed., Dec. 25. Check out New Mexico’s OSOW rules and regulations. |
|
New York Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed from noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. View all of New York’s OSOW holiday restrictions. |
|
North Carolina Office closed: 12/24-12/26 |
No OSOW vehicles or vehicle combinations with a gross weight exceeding 112,000 lbs will be authorized on state highways from noon Tue., Dec. 24 until noon Thurs., Dec. 26. View all of North Carolina’s OSOW holiday travel restrictions. |
|
North Dakota Office closed: 12/25 |
No oversized loads exceeding 16 feet wide are allowed to move starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Check out North Dakota’s OSOW permit rules and regulations. |
|
Ohio Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW freight can move starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Here is Ohio’s holiday restrictions webpage. |
|
Oklahoma Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight travel is restricted on Wed., Dec. 25. View Oklahoma’s permitting law. |
|
Oregon Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight is not allowed to travel starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. View Oregon’s complete schedule of holiday travel restrictions and closings. |
|
Pennsylvania Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW freight is restricted from moving starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. View Pennsylvania’s holiday OSOW travel restrictions. |
|
Rhode Island Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed from sunset on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Rhode Island’s OSOW website page. |
|
South Carolina Office closed: 12/24-12/26 |
No OSOW freight may travel on Wed., Dec. 25. View South Carolina’s holiday travel schedule. |
|
South Dakota Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW holiday travel restrictions. Learn more about OSOW shipping in South Dakota. |
|
Tennessee Office closed: 12/24-12/25 |
No OSOW freight requiring escorts will be allowed to travel Tues., Dec. 24 or Wed., Dec. 25. No site-built houses or houseboats can travel on Wed., Dec. 25. All other OSOW freight can transit as normal. View Tennessee’s holiday restrictions. |
|
Texas Office closed: 12/24-12/26 |
Any OSOW load exceeding 14 feet wide, 16 feet tall, and/or 110 feet long cannot travel on Wed., Dec. 25. 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 starting at 2 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Learn more about OSOW trucking in Utah. |
|
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 Wed., Dec. 25. View Vermont’s full permit rules. |
|
Virginia Office closed: 12/25 |
No permitted travel starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Check out Virginia’s hauling permit manual. |
|
Washington Office closed: 12/25 |
OSOW loads aren’t permitted to travel on state highways starting at noon on Tues., Dec. 24 and all day Wed., Dec. 25. See Washington's travel curfew hours and holiday restrictions.. |
|
West Virginia Office closed: 12/25 |
No OSOW travel is allowed starting at sunset on Tues., Dec. 24 until sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Check out West Virginia’s holiday travel restrictions. |
|
Wisconsin Office closed: 12/24-12/25 |
For freight exceeding 13 feet, 6 inches tall, 150 feet long, and/or 12 feet wide, no travel is permitted starting at noon on Mon., Dec. 23 through sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Unless indicated otherwise in the permit, there are no restrictions statewide for freight not exceeding the stated dimensions for all counties except Columbia, Dane, Milwaukee, Rock, and Waukesha counties. In those counties, freight under the stated dimensions may not travel from 4-8 p.m. starting on Mon., Dec. 23 through Wed., Dec. 25. 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 Tues., Dec. 24 until 30 minutes before sunrise on Thurs., Dec. 26. Visit Wyoming’s permit resources webpage. |
Be Prepared to Ship Over Any Holiday
The easiest (and least expensive) solution to holiday shipping woes is to avoid shipping during these times altogether. If you can wait until the new year, you’ll have a much easier time finding a driver and planning your route.
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 you find the best carrier for your specific transportation needs.
