Oversize shipping guides / Ontario / Heavy Equipment shipping
2 of 3 reference heavy equipment shipments below ride legal in Ontario; the rest need a province permit: the province treats loads over 8.5 ft wide or 13.6 ft tall as oversize, and escorts start at 13.1 ft wide. LoadLoom prices the permits and escorts into the quote automatically and files them for the carrier.
Ontario figures verified against Ontario Ministry of Transportation (ontario.ca) ยท 2026-09 ยท last reviewed September 2026
Price my heavy equipment shipment โLegal width 8.5 ft, legal height 13.6 ft, first escort from 13.1 ft wide, two escorts from 15.1 ft.
| Shipment | Width | Height | Weight | In Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini excavator (3 to 4 ton)15 ft 6 in ร 5 ft 8 in ร 8 ft 2 in, 8,100 lbs, runs and drives | 5.7 ft | 8.2 ft | 8,100 lbs | Legal load |
| Skid steer11 ft ร 6 ft ร 6 ft 8 in, 7,500 lbs, runs and drives | 6.0 ft | 6.7 ft | 7,500 lbs | Legal load |
| 20-ton excavator31 ft ร 10 ft ร 10 ft, 48,000 lbs, overwidth, RGN with permits | 10.0 ft | 10.0 ft | 48,000 lbs | Permit |
Loaded height adds the trailer deck; the quote computes it from your dimensions and the trailer it assigns. This guide is provided free, for general information, so shippers can see how oversize and overweight moves work. It is not legal advice and not a permit determination. Limits, escort bands, fees, and seasonal restrictions change regularly; before relying on any figure, verify it with the jurisdiction's transportation department or permit office, or a licensed permit service. When you book with LoadLoom, our dispatch desk and your assigned carrier confirm the current rules for your exact load and route; that confirmation, not this page, governs your shipment.
Ontario's escort grammar: no escort needed for widths 2.61 to 3.99 m; from 4 m one escort (front on two-lane roads, rear on multi-lane); from 4.6 m on two-lane highways, escorts front AND rear; overlength 36.76 to 45.74 m adds an escort, rear overhang past 4.65 m adds a rear escort; 4.87 m tall and up requires the height-pole car. From 5 m wide or 45.75 m long, escorts must be MTO-certified superload escorts.
Night moves are allowed with amber lamps and a retro-reflective D sign: oversize dimensions up to 3.05 m wide and 25 m long ride divided multi-lane highways only, while overheight/overweight moves to 4.26 m and 63,500 kg may use any King's highway. Nothing moves at night when winter road conditions, low visibility, or continuous-wiper weather prevail.
Statutory-holiday movement is allowed only from half an hour before sunrise until noon, and only within 3.7 m width (3.85 m multi-lane), 25 m length, 4.26 m height, and 63,500 kg. Summer Fridays (3 pm to midnight) and Sundays (noon to midnight) carry seasonal bans for the biggest loads, and rush-hour windows close the Greater Toronto Area to permitted loads beyond the same thresholds.
Reduced-load season applies on designated highways under HTA section 122: axle limits drop during spring thaw on posted schedules, and permit weights tighten with them.
Ontario draws the superload line at any of: over 120,000 kg (264,500 lb) gross, over 5 m (16.4 ft) wide, or over 45.75 m (150 ft) long. Superloads need a Project Justification proving the move cannot shrink or go by rail or water, a Traffic Management Plan, Certified Superload Escorts, and for weights past 120,000 kg a ministry-approved bridge consultant's evaluation; approvals take days to two weeks.
Ontario Ministry of Transportation Permit Issuing Office ยท PRIO (Permit Road and Infrastructure Online) ยท 1-800-387-7736
The carrier or its permit service files; the cost is in your quote.
Full Ontario guide โOnly when it exceeds the province's envelope: 8.5 ft wide, 13.6 ft tall. 20-ton excavator on this page would; the quote decides from your real dimensions.
The carrier or its permit service; permits attach to the vehicle, not the shipper. The cost is in your quote and the paperwork rides in the cab.
Reduced-load season applies on designated highways under HTA section 122: axle limits drop during spring thaw on posted schedules, and permit weights tighten with them.
LoadLoom prices every lane from Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Windsor, St. Catharines, Oshawa, Barrie, Greater Sudbury, Kingston, Thunder Bay to 154 North American metros; the lane pages linked below carry live reference prices.
