Annual Blanket vs. Vehicle-Specific Blanket Permits: Choosing the Right Florida Oversize Permit

Annual Blanket vs. Vehicle-Specific Blanket Permits: Choosing the Right Florida Oversize Permit

Table Of Contents

• Introduction

• When You Need a Permit in Florida

• What an Annual Blanket Permit Covers

• What a Vehicle-Specific Blanket Permit Covers

• The Three-Month Route-Specific Blanket Permit

• Trip Permit vs. Blanket Permit

• How to Choose the Right Permit

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

• FAQ

Introduction

If your loads regularly run over Florida's legal size limits, ordering a new permit for every move gets old fast. That's why the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) offers blanket permits that cover multiple trips over a longer period.

But FDOT lists more than one kind of blanket. Picking the right Florida Oversize Permit depends on how often you haul, which trucks you run, and where you go. This guide explains the annual Blanket permit, the annual Vehicle Specific Blanket permit, the three-month Route Specific Blanket permit, and how each compares to a ten-day Trip permit.

When You Need a Permit in Florida

FDOT's "When Do You Need a Permit?" guide says a permit is required when a vehicle or combination and its load exceeds any of these limits:

• Width: more than 102 inches, or more than 96 inches on a travel lane less than 12 feet wide.

• Height: more than 13'6", or 14' for automobile transporters.

• Length: a single-unit vehicle over 40 feet, or a straight truck and trailer combination over 68 feet.

• Weight: gross weight over the legal limits in Section 316.535, Florida Statutes.

Section 316.550, Florida Statutes, gives FDOT the authority to issue permits for vehicles that exceed these limits, and Rule Chapter 14-26 of the Florida Administrative Code sets the details.

What an Annual Blanket Permit Covers

FDOT describes a blanket permit as one that covers multiple trips for a period not to exceed 12 months. On FDOT's permit application, the standard Blanket option is listed as valid for 1 year.

• No route submission. FDOT says only Trip and route-specific permits require a route with the request. A standard blanket is not tied to a single origin and destination.

• Restricted roads are off-limits. Rule 14-26 states that multi-trip permit vehicles are not allowed on restricted bridges or restricted roadways.

• Load must match. For multi-trip permits, the rule requires that the vehicle type and load match what is described in the permit.

This works well for carriers that make frequent, similar moves within the permit's limits across the state.

What a Vehicle-Specific Blanket Permit Covers

FDOT also issues an annual Vehicle-Specific Blanket permit, listed on the application as valid for 1 year. As the name says, this permit is tied to a specific vehicle described in your application.

• Best for dedicated equipment. If one truck and trailer always hauls the same kind of oversize load, a vehicle-specific blanket keeps that unit covered all year.

• Details matter. Your application describes the vehicle, its axles, and its dimensions, so the permit must reflect the unit actually on the road.

Before ordering, confirm the current limits for this permit with FDOT or with us, since they depend on the vehicle and load you describe.

The Three-Month Route-Specific Blanket Permit

FDOT lists a three-month Route-Specific Blanket permit. Unlike the annual blanket, it requires a route with the request.

• Repeat runs on one route. Good for a project where you haul the same load between the same points for weeks.

• Shorter term. It lasts 3 months, not a full year.

Trip Permit vs. Blanket Permit

A Trip permit covers a move from a single point of departure to a single destination, and FDOT gives the hauler ten days to complete it. FDOT's application also says trip permits require a separate application for each load.

FDOT notes that trip permits can be self-issued through its Permit Application System (PAS) for loads up to 16 feet wide, 18 feet high, 150 feet long, and 200,000 pounds (140,000 pounds for self-propelled equipment).

So the choice is simple: one unusual move usually calls for a trip permit, while regular hauling makes a blanket Florida Oversize Permits are the more practical option.

How to Choose the Right Permit

• One-time or unusual load? Choose a Trip permit.

• Frequent loads with different trucks? Look at the annual Blanket.

• One dedicated truck hauling the same load? Consider the Vehicle Specific Blanket.

• Same route for a short project? The route-specific blanket fits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Driving on restricted bridges or roads with a multi-trip permit.

• Hauling a different load than the one described in the permit.

• Using a blanket for a load beyond its limits. Some moves need a trip permit instead.

• Letting the permit expire. Blankets last up to 12 months, route-specific blankets 3 months, and trip permits 10 days.

• Leaving the permit behind. Rule 14-26 treats a valid permit as one accompanied by the original permit and its attachments.

Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

Florida Trucking Online helps carriers compare their options and order the right Florida Oversize Permit without the guesswork. Our Florida price plan is simple:

• Trip Permit: $105

• Fuel Permit: $120

• Oversize Permit: $97

We provide support 24/7 and also work weekends and holidays, so your permit is ready when your load is.

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FAQ

• How long is a Florida blanket permit valid?

  FDOT says a blanket permit covers multiple trips for a period not to exceed 12 months.

• What is a vehicle-specific blanket permit?

  An annual FDOT blanket permit tied to the specific vehicle described in the application, valid for 1 year.

• Does a blanket permit need a route?

  No. FDOT requires a route only for Trip permits and route-specific blanket permits.

• How long does a Florida trip permit last?

  FDOT gives the hauler ten days to complete a single move from origin to destination.

• Can I use a blanket permit on restricted bridges?

  No. Rule 14-26 says multi-trip permit vehicles are not allowed on restricted bridges or restricted roadways.

• How much does your Florida Oversize Permit service cost?

  Our Florida Oversize Permit service is $97.

For more information, visit the Florida Department of Transportation Permits Office.