Home / Heavy Haul by State / North Dakota
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Oversize freight into the Bakken, across I-94 and US-2, and out to wind farms on the plains. NDHP permits, pilot cars and weekend limits handled for you.
Last verified: against official state sources.
Heavy haul in North Dakota
North Dakota heavy haul is anchored in the northwest, where the Bakken oilfields sit around Williston, Watford City and Dickinson. I-94 crosses the south from Fargo through Bismarck and Dickinson to Montana. US-2 runs the north through Grand Forks, Minot and Williston. US-85 is the north-south oilfield corridor from Belfield to Williston. I-29 runs the Red River Valley along the Minnesota line. The North Dakota Highway Patrol's online system is one of the faster ones we work with, and the main constraints are pilot cars on two-lane roads and weekend limits for very wide loads.
I drove trucks before I ever brokered a load, I have spent more than 15 years in freight, and I have pulled oversize permits myself. So when a North Dakota load comes in, I am not reading the rules for the first time. I am looking for the part of the move that will actually bite: the escort trigger you are an inch over, the curfew that eats your window, the structure that cannot take the weight. Every load runs on CRST's asset-based network, with CRST's authority, insurance and compliance behind it, and one person accountable for it: me.
The numbers
Over these needs an NDHP oversize or overweight permit:
| Dimension | North Dakota legal limit | Over that means |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in on all highways | Permit. Pilot rules start over 14 ft 6 in on two-lane roads. |
| Height | 14 ft, unless the route has lower structures | Permit. Over 18 ft needs an escort or approved pilots. |
| Length | Single unit 50 ft; 2-4 unit combinations 75 ft on non-designated highways (95 or 110 ft on four-lane divided and designated) | Permit. Over 120 ft needs an escort or approved pilots. |
| Gross weight | Per NDHP weight chart; verify with the state | Overweight permit. |
Source: NDHP Policy 9-1 Legal Size & Weight Guide (PDF). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Permits and escorts
Full detail, fees and holiday dates are in our North Dakota oversize permit guide.
Sources: NDHP: E-Permits; NDHP Policy 9-6 (PDF); NDHP: 2026 Oversize Travel Restrictions. Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Roads
Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, Dickinson and Beach. Four-lane divided the whole way, so pilot requirements are lighter.
US-85 runs Belfield to Watford City to Williston; US-2 runs Grand Forks to Minot to Williston. Long stretches of the oilfield network are two-lane, so the two-lane pilot table and daylight windows apply.
Fargo and Grand Forks north to the Canadian border at Pembina, used for agricultural and cross-border freight.
Who ships here
Sources: EIA: Where our oil comes from; EIA Annual Coal Report 2024 (PDF); EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.14.B. Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Why Vector
In North Dakota you can have a permit in minutes, which makes it easy to forget the weekend rule. A load over 16 ft wide that misses its Saturday noon cutoff sits until Monday. We plan departures so very wide loads finish before the weekend.
Typical North Dakota move: a 15 ft wide oilfield tank, Bismarck to Watford City. NDHP single-trip permit, no pilot on I-94, a front pilot or amber lights on two-lane US-85, and daylight travel.
Instant answer
Punch in the piece you need moved. We will tell you whether it runs legal, what trailer it belongs on, and what to expect before you ever pick up the phone. Add origin and destination and we will map the route and break down permits state by state.
Estimates based on standard federal and state limits as of June 2026. States change fees and rules, and exact requirements depend on route and axle configuration, so check with your broker for current information. Permits, routing, and escorts are exactly the work we handle for you. Routing by OSRM, geocoding © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Questions we get
8 ft 6 in wide on all highways, and 14 ft high unless the route has lower structures.
Permits not subject to approval are available 24/7 through the NDHP online system. A single-trip permit covers a one-way move within five days.
Over 14 ft 6 in to 16 ft wide on two-lane roads, one front pilot or amber lights. Over 16 ft wide, front and rear on two-lane or one rear on four-lane divided.
Loads over 16 ft wide may not move Saturday after noon or on Sunday. Narrower loads can travel any day during daylight.
Loads over 16 ft wide may not travel from noon Nov 25 until sunrise Nov 27.
Keep reading
We run all 48 states. Call (310) 989-6530 or send the details. Same-day answer, CRST capacity behind it.
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