How wide can a load be in Ontario without a permit?
Published
2.6 metres, which is 8 ft 6 in. That is the widest a truck and its load can be on an Ontario highway without a permit. Past that, the permit and escort rules step up with the width.
The limit is in the Highway Traffic Act, section 109: no vehicle, load included, can be wider than 2.6 m on a highway. A standard flatbed or step deck is already 8 ft 6 in wide, so for shippers the test is whether any part of the freight hangs past the side of the deck. If it does, the load needs a permit.
Two things do not count toward the 2.6 m. Mirrors that stick out up to 30 cm on each side, and small fixed equipment on the trailer that sticks out up to 10 cm and does not carry load. The freight itself always counts.
Ontario width chart
| Width, load included | What it takes on MTO highways |
|---|---|
| Up to 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) | Legal. No permit, no signs. |
| 2.61 m to 3.05 m (up to 10 ft) | Oversize permit, signs and flags. No escort on most highways. Night moves allowed on multi lane controlled access highways with a median if the load is also 25 m long or less. |
| 3.06 m to 3.85 m (up to 12 ft 8 in) | Oversize permit. Fits an annual permit: 3.70 m on two lane highways, 3.85 m on multi lane. No escort on most highways. Daylight moves. |
| 3.86 m to 3.99 m (up to 13 ft 1 in) | Project or single trip permit. No escort on most highways. |
| 4.0 m to 4.99 m (13 ft 1.5 in to 16 ft 4 in) | Private escort vehicle. 1 escort on multi lane highways. On two lane highways, 1 escort up to 4.59 m and 2 escorts from 4.6 m. |
| 5 m and wider (16 ft 5 in and up) | Superload. Superload permit and a certified superload escort. |
Some highways have their own escort rules at 3.00 m, 3.35 m and 3.66 m, so the route matters as much as the width. The permit lists the exact route, times and conditions for each move.
What else changes once a load is wide
- The truck carries an OVERSIZE LOAD sign, plus red or orange flags at least 40 cm square at the extremities of the vehicle or load.
- Loads up to 3.05 m wide and 25 m long can run at night under permit conditions. Wider loads run in daylight only. Most oversize moves are restricted on summer Friday afternoons and around statutory holidays.
- An MTO permit covers provincial highways only. Each municipality on the route either accepts the MTO permit or issues its own for its roads, including the first and last mile.
- For cross border loads, the US federal width limit on the National Network is 102 inches, the same 8 ft 6 in. Anything wider needs a permit from each state on the route, and every state sets its own escort and travel rules.
Ways to stay under 8 ft 6 in
A lot of wide freight can ship legal with a small change before pickup.
- Remove what comes off. Guards, ladders, handrails, outriggers and bolt on brackets often push a machine past 8 ft 6 in. Shipped separately, the machine may go legal.
- Turn the crate. A crate that is 9 ft one way and 7 ft the other goes legal if it loads the right way round, as long as the height still clears.
- Check height too. A load can be legal on width and still too tall for a flatbed. A step deck or double drop sits lower and solves most of those.
How Fission handles wide loads
We handle oversize loads out of Mississauga across Ontario, Quebec and cross border to the US. Permits are done in house and we use local escorts, so the shipper sends the dimensions and we sort the rest. Wide freight we move includes machinery and dies, structural steel and building products, usually on step decks and double drops. For heavy loads inside Ontario, our 6 axle units carry up to 86,000 lb.
To quote a wide load, send:
- Length, width and height at the widest and tallest points
- Weight
- Pickup and delivery addresses
- A photo or drawing, and how it loads (crane, forklift, ramps)
- Ready date
Request a quote or call dispatch at (905) 799 7900.
Questions shippers ask
What is the maximum width without a permit in Ontario?
2.6 m, or 8 ft 6 in, for the vehicle and load together. That comes from section 109 of the Highway Traffic Act.
At what width does a wide load need a pilot vehicle in Ontario?
An escort is needed at 4 m (about 13 ft 1.5 in) on most highways. Some highways need an escort from 3.00 m, 3.35 m or 3.66 m, so check the route.
Is a 10 ft wide load legal in Ontario?
Not without a permit. A 10 ft wide load is about 3.05 m, so it needs an oversize permit, signs and flags. It does not need an escort on most highways.
Who issues oversize permits in Ontario?
The Ministry of Transportation issues permits for provincial highways. Municipalities either accept the MTO permit or issue their own for their roads.
Sources: MTO guide to oversize and overweight vehicles and loads (updated July 2, 2025) and the Highway Traffic Act, section 109. Rules change, so the permit always governs the move.
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