Oversize/Overweight Permit Requirements Suspended for Winter Weather Response
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster for 254 Texas counties in response to extreme winter weather conditions. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has responded by temporarily suspending oversize/overweight permitting requirements for vehicles and loads associated with activities necessary to respond to the disaster. In addition, The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is now temporarily suspending International Registration Plan (IRP) and 72-hour and 144-hour permitting requirements for vehicles and loads associated with activities necessary to respond to the disaster. A copy of Gov. Greg Abbott's Waiver and the TxDMV Waiver Notice must be carried in the vehicle, both of which are attached below.
Additionally, President Joseph Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Texas which can be found at president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-major-disaster-declaration-texas. This authorizes Texas to issue the federal disaster relief (MAP-21) permit which is now available through the Texas Permitting & Routing Optimization System (TxPROS). Guidance from the Federal Highway Administration on use of this permit is linked below.
TxDMV Suspension Notice
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has temporarily suspended:
- The IRP vehicle registration requirements under Transportation Code Section 502.091 and Title 43, Section 217.56 of the Texas Administrative Code, to the extent the vehicle is not already registered under the IRP and as long as the vehicle is registered in one of the 48 contiguous states of the United States; and
- The 72-hour and 144-hour temporary registration permit requirements under Transportation Code Section 502.094 and Title 43, Section 217.40(b)(3) of the Texas Administrative Code, as long as the vehicle is registered in one of the states of the United States.
Examples of disaster assistance include, but are not limited to, vehicles engaged in the transport of relief workers, food, water, clothing, equipment, medical supplies, materials, fuel, shelter, and other supplies to the disaster areas, as well as vehicles used to restore utilities and to remove debris from the disaster areas listed in the disaster declaration. The suspensions do not apply to any requirement not specifically listed in this notice, including safety and insurance requirements. Also, operators are responsible and liable for safely routing their vehicles and obtaining current information concerning hazardous road conditions prior to movement.
The operator of the commercial vehicle must keep the following documentation in the cab of the vehicle and provide the documentation to any Texas peace officer upon request:
- A Copy of the TxDMV Suspension Notice
- Gov. Greg Abbott's Disaster Declaration, including any amendments.
- President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Major Disaster Declaration for Texas
These suspensions remain in effect until terminated by the Office of the Governor or until the disaster declaration referenced above expires.
Vehicles and loads that exceed legal size or weight limits need an oversize/overweight (OS/OW) permit and route from the TxDMV to travel on Texas roads.
Note: You must verify the size and weight limits needed BEFORE seeking a special permit.
For assistance in determining the permit types available for your vehicle and/or load, log in to the Texas Permitting & Routing Optimization System (TxPROS) and select the Permit Wizard, or call us at (800) 299-1700.
The normal hours of operation for our Oversize/Overweight Permits Office are 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. REMINDER: The toll-free phone line shuts down 30 minutes prior to the end of office hours each day.
Permit Options
General Single-Trip
- Non-divisible load
- Single, continuous movement from Point A to Point B

Manufactured Housing Single-Trip
- Transport manufactured housing and industrialized buildings and housing
- Single, continuous movement from point A to point B
- Valid for five days

Portable Building
- Transport portable buildings and compatible cargo
- Single, continuous movement from Point A to Point B

Super Heavy
- Non-divisible load
- Gross weight may exceed 254,300 lbs. or 200,000 lbs. with less than 95 feet of axle spacing
- May exceed maximum permit weights on axle or axle group

House Move
- Transport houses that exceed 20-feet wide
- Single, continuous movement from Point A to Point B

Intermodal Shipping Container Port Permit
- Intermodal shipping containers
- Travel within 30 miles of port authorities or ports of entry
- Valid for one year

Crane & Well Service Unit Mileage
- Unladen lift equipment
- Fixed-load machinery used to drill, service or clean oil wells
- Single, continuous movement

Self-Propelled Off Road Equipment
- Drive off-road equipment on state roadways
- Single, continuous movement from Point A to Point B

Temporary Registration
- Temporary movement of vehicles without proper registration
- Document carried in cab of vehicle, not a paper display tag
- 72-hour, 144-hour or one-trip

30/60/90 Day Width or Length
- Non-divisible loads
- Use width and length permits in conjunction with one another
- Select 30, 60 or 90 day effective period

Company Specific Envelope
- Non-divisible loads
- Can be used to operate any truck owned or leased by company one at a time
- Valid for one year

Fracing Trailer
- Semitrailer containing a tank and pump unit
- Valid for one year

Quarterly Hubometer
- Drive or transport hubometer-equipped fixed-load machinery and cranes
- Mileage based fees
- Valid for 91 days

Implements of Husbandry
- Transport farm implements used to till soil
- Valid for one year
- Transport and spread fertilizer
- Deliver feed to livestock

Manufactured Housing Annual
- Transport new homes to temporary storage location (20 mile radius)
- May be used by multiple vehicles
- Valid for one year

Well Servicing Unit (Annual)
- Legal size and weight units
- Must have Texas "P" (Permit) plate
- Valid for one year

Over Axle/Over Gross Weight Tolerance
- Haul divisible commodities
- Travel on state-maintained and county roads in select counties
- Valid for one year

Utility Pole
- Transport poles required for electrical power transmission and line distribution
- Night movement allowed for emergencies
- Valid for one year

Water Well Drilling Machinery & Equipment
- Self-propelled or mounted machinery used exclusively for drilling water wells
- Valid for one year

Annual Timber Permit
- Transport unrefined timber, wood chips or woody biomass
- Travel on state-maintained and county roads in select counties
- Valid for one year

Ready-Mixed Concrete Trucks
- Trucks operating on three axles
- Travel on state-maintained and county roads in select counties
- Valid for one year

Federal Disaster Relief Permit
- To deliver relief supplies (entire load must be relief supplies)
- To assist in expediting debris removal
- Expires 120 days from date of President's disaster declaration

North Texas Intermodal Permits
- Intermodal shipping containers
- Travel within five miles of Texas/Arkansas border
- Valid for one year

Fluid Milk Transport Permit
- Transport fluid milk
- Travel on dairy routes approved by TxDOT
- Valid for one year
