Iowa

Motor Vehicle Division
Office of Vehicle and Motor
Carrier Services
6310 SE Convenience Boulevard
Ankeny, IA 50021
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 10382
Des Moines, IA 50306-0382
PHONE: (515) 237-3264

Hours of Business

Mon-Fri 8 AM - 4:30 PM (Central time)

Escorts

  • Length over 120' require 1 Rear escort on 2-lane and 4-lane highways
  • Height over 14'6" up to 20' require 1 Front escort with a height pole on 2-lane and 4-lane highways
  • Width over 12' up to and including 14'6" require 1 escort (Front on 2-lane highways and Rear on 4-lane highways)
  • Width over 14'6" up to and including 16'6" require 1 escort (Front on 2-lane highways and Rear on 4-lane highways)
  • Width over 16'6" up to and including 18' require 1 escort (Front on 2-lane highways and Rear on 4-lane highways)

Superloads

Loads 120' long, 16' high, 18' wide and exceeding 156,000 lbs. are considered superloads. Requirements are at the discretion of the permit office and usually involved police escorts and/or route surveys.

Escort vehicle requirements can differ significantly by state in terms of mandatory driver qualifications, training, certifications, vehicle weights, obligatory signage/flags/lighting, necessary onboard equipment, and more. The ODS team can provide you with all additional requirements specific to your route.

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