How to purchase permits for overweight loads

It will depend on what state you are in and how they charge for their permits and what kinda of weight you are hauling.

Knowing how the state charges for permits - ton mile or flat rate for a weight range or flat rate - will help you make the decision on ordering in advance.

Example: Az and Ca are flat rates ($75 & $16 respectively) - so if you order max weight it doesn't cost you more.

NM is a ton mile state and it will cost you more for their permit but if you are hauling slightly overweight loads it may be the difference between $100 and $120 - for $20 What difference does it really make

Generally you are not going to spend significantly more by padding your axle weights in the first state or two.

You will also do well to pad your dimensions up to the break in requirements, so you don't order for 11' 1 come in at 11' 6" and have to reorder and pay again - when you order for 11'11" and be safe. Knowing that escorts or big route detours don't start until12' or 14' or whatever.

 

What state ?
States will also want want axle spacing. 1 to 2, 2 to 3 etc.

Some states require you have a max weight tag before they issue a overweight permit.

 

Which is why you should always know when states start having additional requirements past certain limits (pilot cars, night restrictions, pole car requirements, holiday restrictions, curfews, etc) before you order the permits so you know when you can pad and not give yourself a major new expense or problematic restriction.

 

NY,PA, MD and VA have 10 and 11 foot restrictions on I 81. Don't pad .

 

All very good advice above. Welcome to the oversize load world. Everything is different in every state.

 

Mostly it was an example but I will pad width to the next 11" mark because very rarely do you run into restriction that is X' X".

Most of my permits are very expensive and re-ordering can be a pain, I will take all the cushion I can, if it not going to cost me escorts or large route detours.

If you can get your shippers to measure correctly, more power to you.

 

Shippers measuring correctly? Did you mean to post this in the joke section?

 

If this link works you can find permit cost

http://nationwideexpressservices.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/4/0/2940251/estimated_permit_costs.pdf

 

My last load the measurement was dead on, but there was no way to tie it down, so they made some lifting lugs to tie onto.
Still didn't order until loaded to check height