Frequently Asked Questions

Go to https://ia.gotpermits.com and click Register if you do not have an account. Complete the self-registration questions and click submit. An activation link will be sent to your email. Click on the activation link to complete the set-up for your account. At the same time, you can also open an escrow account to be used for permit payment. See below for additional information on payment types. 

For inquiries concerning general permitting and routing, bridge/pavement analysis, or load issues, please call 515-237-3264 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Wednesday from 8:30pm to 12:00pm central standard time.

For emergencies occurring after-hours, during weekends, and holidays, please call 866-339-7908. An emergency is considered an urgent, unforeseen occurrence or event that affects public safety and welfare, and requires immediate attention. Examples include, but are not limited to, natural disasters (floods, hurricanes, etc.), highway accidents that result in major traffic arteries blocked, chemical spills or explosions, and widespread electrical power outages or potential outages. Temporary plant or business closings or other situations that result in purely financial losses are not considered to be emergencies.

All permit applications must be submitted via the https://ia.gotpermits.com site or faxed to 515-237-3257. Permit applications may be submitted by carriers, permit services, and in-person at the Motor Carrier Services office in Ankeny, IA, but all entry and processing is done via the https://ia.gotpermits.com site. 

Permit cost vary depending upon the type of permit. Please contact our office for this information at 515-237-3264.

All rules/regulations/requirements can be found on the Oversize and Overweight Permits page.

Yes, if you are registered in this system as an exempt (government) carrier you will be exempt from IADOT permit fees.

You can pay for permits with credit cards. You can also choose to, but do not have to, set up an escrow account with us and pay for permits that way.

You may set-up an escrow account when you initially register. If you are already registered and wish to establish an escrow you will need to contact the permit office to create the escrow on the existing account.

Most likely your permit is in your junk mail folder. You can look for it there. You may also want to add oversizepermits@iowadot.us to your email contact list to prevent this from happening in the future. You can always print your permit from the system by logging into the system, click on the My Queue link at the top of the page, search for your permit in the list, and click on the blue permit id number.

From the IAPS site please see the Training Material section on the Login Page or under Help menu when you are logged into IAPS. You may also click this training materials link and open the Trip Page User Guide. 

Full question: If my trip needs to exit and re-enter the state or go through cities
within the state, can I get one permit for both portions of my trip?

Answer: Yes, when using the routing method "Pick a Trip on the Map" or "Enter a Trip", you can use the "Add Segment" button.

You have several options if your route fails. First, you can select an alternate route and analyze it. If it passes, use it. You can use the Generate a Trip option and let the system find a route that can be approved. When using the Generate a Trip option you are responsible for checking the route produced by the system. Lastly, you can select the option “Request Office Review” and let the state permit technicians see if your requested route can be approved or allow them to find an alternate path for you.

Clearance and weight failures are graphically depicted on the web page in red and summarized in the analysis status message. However, the states will not allow any more detailed information to be provided. You can either re-route or submit for office review.

The stated restrictions are limitations to your travel. They are not the reason that you did not pass your analysis. Your analysis may not pass for the following reasons - vertical clearance failure, horizontal clearance failure, live load bridge analysis failure, and/or a restriction failure. Clearance and weight failures are summarized in the analysis status message and graphically depicted on the web page in the user specified failure color, but you cannot get a specific description of the failure. The restriction text that can be displayed are conditions the state can place on the state highway network that further limit travel beyond the fixed conditions such as clearances and bridge weight limits. These restriction conditions can be things like construction (temporary closures, lane width restrictions), weather, time of travel, special movement instructions (railroads), etc. These restrictions can either cause an analysis failure or may just add conditions to a move that can be permitted (see the next question). If the restrictions cause a failure, you can either re-route or submit the request for office review.

You can have a successful analysis but still have a trip that is subject to restrictions. For example, you do not have any routing failures but may be restricted from moving through a specific area during rush hour. Those types of restrictions will be shown here and will also be output on the permit document. This allows you to see the travel restrictions that will be on the permit before you get the permit. You can accept a permit with the restrictions or re-route or ask for assistance.

On the routing page, select the trip you want to save via the picking, text based, or automated methods. After you have the trip you want to save, choose the "Manage Saved Trip" option from the dropdown list in the "Trip Commands" section. Then click the Add button. You will then be prompted to provide a "name" for the route and the route will be saved. When you want to use that route again in the future, simply change the "method of routing" to "Loading a Saved Trip" (which will give you a list of all the routes you have saved), select a trip from the list and then analyze the route.

There are limits to which permits can be system issued. Some permit types are never system issued. Other permit types can only be system issued up to certain weight and dimensional limits. After one or more of these limits is exceeded, the application must be reviewed and issued by state personnel.

Fuel Trip, RAD and Emergency Move permits are always system issued.

Yes, if the State has not begun to process your application, you may edit it. Go to the My Queue page. Click on the appropriate Request ID. You are now recalling that permit request from the state so that you can edit it. Once you select the Request ID, you need to go all the way through the application process and re-submit the application, even if you are not making any changes. Otherwise, the application will be treated as an abandoned application.

We recommend using Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari because our site works best with these browsers.

The Iowa Department of Transportation Permit Office can be reached at 515-237-3264 or at OversizePermits@dot.iowa.gov.

Our average turn-around time for permits is four hours. Many permits can be issued instantly by the system like Annuals & Trip/Fuel permits. However, superloads requiring additional review take longer to process.

You can choose from four available delivery options: Email, Fax, PDF (self-print), or mail. Additionally, if you visit our office in Ankeny you may receive your permit over the counter.

Permits that are not issued yet may be cancelled at any time and you will not be charged. Permits that have been issued may not be cancelled unless the start date has not been reached. In the event that the permit start date is the same day the permit has been ordered, you have until 4:30pm to request cancellation of your order. Cancellation requests made outside of the above timeframes will not be honored.

If your permit order is successfully cancelled, you will receive a refund for the cost of the permit minus any convenience fees. The refund will be applied to your original form of payment (credit card, escrow, etc.)

Permit requests that have not been issued can be modified by the user at any time.

After a permit is issued, only certain information may be changed. Plate, State, VIN, make, model, & contact information can be changed on permits that have been issued. Load specific and route information cannot be changed. A new permit must be ordered if you need to change load or route information.

If you have an emergency or unusual situation that is not covered in this section, please contact our office at 515-237-3264.