Oversize shipping guides / Texas / Heavy Equipment shipping
2 of 3 reference heavy equipment shipments below ride legal in Texas; the rest need a state permit: the state treats loads over 8.5 ft wide or 14 ft tall as oversize. LoadLoom prices the permits into the quote automatically and files them for the carrier.
Texas figures verified against Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) ยท 2026-09 ยท last reviewed September 2026
Price my heavy equipment shipment โLegal width 8.5 ft, legal height 14 ft.
| Shipment | Width | Height | Weight | In Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Escort requirements attach to the permit by dimension band and road type; TxDMV publishes them with the permit conditions and the route.
Daylight travel is the working default for oversize loads; curfews apply in urban areas.
Holiday movement is allowed but capped harder: up to 14 ft wide, 16 ft tall, and 110 ft long on holidays; bigger than that waits for a working day.
No seasonal regime on file for Texas; dispatch confirms at booking.
Permit needed above 80,000 lb gross; tandem axle limit 34,000 lb.
Texas calls the biggest moves Super Heavy: gross weight over 254,300 lb, or over 200,000 lb carried on less than 95 ft of axle spacing, or any load needing more than routine permit weights on an axle group. Super Heavy permits involve engineering review and can take longer to issue.
TxDMV Motor Carrier Division ยท TxPROS (Texas Permitting & Routing Optimization System) ยท (800) 299-1700
The carrier or its permit service files; the cost is in your quote.
Full Texas guide โOnly when it exceeds the state's envelope: 8.5 ft wide, 14 ft tall, 80,000 lb gross. 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.
Texas publishes seasonal weight restrictions when they apply; dispatch applies the current regime to your route and your delivery estimate already reflects it.
LoadLoom prices every lane from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, McAllen, Laredo, Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Fort Worth to 154 North American metros; the lane pages linked below carry live reference prices.
