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Low Bridge Lookup for Owner Operators

See known low bridges and overhead clearances near a place or in a state, checked against your truck's height. From the federal National Bridge Inventory.

This list is not complete, and nothing found does not mean a road is safe. It only has bridges over 20 feet long from a yearly federal file, and clearances can be lower now than when they were measured. Always follow posted clearance signs, use a truck GPS and check your state's 511 line. If you are not sure, stop and look before you go under.

Your truck

Full height, with the load
ft
in

Measure the tallest point yourself, including the load, tarps, AC units and antennas. Do not guess. Many trailers are 13 ft 6 in.

Bridges with less room than this show as Tight. A bigger margin is safer, since measurements and road surfaces change.

Checking for 13 ft 6 in.

Where are you going?

Your location goes to our server only for this search. We do not save it.

Any U.S. city, a ZIP code, or a street address.

Enter your truck's height, then search near a place or in a state.

Data: National Bridge Inventory 2025, from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. It lists highway bridges over 20 feet long, and each clearance is the state's measurement at its last inspection. Repaving can lower a clearance afterward, and some bridges are missing or wrong, so this tool cannot promise a route is clear. Legal height limits are set by each state, and most are between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft. Do not use this tool while driving. Stop and look first.

Numbers tight? Let a dispatcher find better loads.

This tool is free. If it shows you are leaving money on the road, Grow Trucking finds loads, negotiates rates and does the paperwork for owner-operators and small fleets.

Talk to a dispatcher Call (845) 400-9179

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Have questions about using our low bridge lookup? All our tools are free to use with no registration required. Save your inputs locally and come back anytime.

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How do I check for low bridges before I drive?

Measure your truck's full height with the load, then check the known low bridges near your route and leave room above your truck. Use a truck GPS and your state's 511 line too, and follow every posted clearance sign. No list is complete, so a bridge that is not listed can still be too low.

  1. Measure the tallest point of your truck and load. Include tarps, AC units and antennas.
  2. Search near the city you will pass through, or by state and road.
  3. Look at every bridge marked Too low or Tight, and plan another road around it.
  4. Check the route on a truck GPS and your state's 511 line, since no list is complete.
  5. Read the clearance sign at each bridge, and stop and look if it says less than your height.
What is in this tool's data (National Bridge Inventory, 2025 file)
ItemFigure
Highway bridges in the federal fileAbout 624,000
Kept here: clearance from 7 ft to 15 ft20,952
Roads passing under a low bridge18,114
Overhead structures on the bridge road2,838
States with the most, in this listNew York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, New Jersey
Most common legal truck height13 ft 6 in to 14 ft, set by each state

Data: National Bridge Inventory 2025 from the Federal Highway Administration. It lists highway bridges over 20 feet long, with each state's measured clearance at its last inspection. It is a yearly snapshot, and clearances can be lower today. It does not include every low structure. Legal truck height is set by each state, and the FHWA says most limits are between 13 feet 6 inches and 14 feet.

Last reviewed September 2026. Sources: FHWA: National Bridge Inventory, download NBI ASCII files; FHWA: Federal size regulations for commercial motor vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions - Low Bridge Lookup

How do I find low clearance bridges on my route?
Enter your truck's full height, then search near a city, ZIP code or street address, or by state and road. This tool lists the known low bridges from the federal National Bridge Inventory and marks each one Too low, Tight or a low bridge your truck clears. It is a starting point. It is not a full list, so also use a truck GPS, your state's 511 line and the posted clearance signs, and stop and look if you are unsure.
What is the legal height for a truck?
The federal government does not set one height for the whole country. Each state sets its own limit, and the Federal Highway Administration says most are between 13 feet 6 inches and 14 feet. A legal height does not mean every bridge is tall enough, and some bridges are lower than the limit. Measure your own truck with the load.
How tall is a standard semi trailer?
Many dry van and reefer setups are close to 13 feet 6 inches, which is the most common legal limit. Your real height depends on the trailer, the reefer unit, the load, tarps and the tires. Measure the tallest point yourself and enter that number, since a guess can be off by inches.
What does Too low, Tight and low bridge mean here?
Too low means the measured clearance is at or below your truck's height. Tight means there is less room above your truck than the margin you picked, such as 6 inches. Low bridge means the bridge is in our list but your truck clears it by more than the margin. Even then, check the sign, because measurements can be old.
Does no result mean the road is clear?
No. The list only has highway bridges over 20 feet long from a yearly federal file. It leaves out many low structures, like some railroad bridges, tunnels, signs, wires, canopies and bridges that are not in the file, and a clearance can be lower now than when it was measured. Never treat an empty result as a promise.
What happens if a truck hits a low bridge?
It can cause a serious crash, damage to the truck, load and bridge, a fine, and a claim against the driver or company. Injuries call for 911. Report the strike to the bridge owner and your dispatcher and insurance as required. The best plan is to avoid it. Measure your truck, plan your route and stop if a sign says the clearance is lower than your height.
Where does the low bridge data come from?
From the National Bridge Inventory, published each year by the Federal Highway Administration. States inspect bridges and report their measured clearances. We keep bridges with a clearance from 7 to 15 feet, in the 2025 file, and show the inspection date. We do not change the numbers.
How accurate are the clearances?
They are the state's measurement at the last inspection. Repaving can lower a clearance afterward, states measure in different ways, and a few entries are wrong. We left out clearances under 7 feet because they are almost always mistakes or footpaths. Treat each number as a guide and leave room above your truck.
Is my location or truck height saved or shared?
No. If you press Use my location, your position goes to our server only for that search and is not saved. Your truck height stays in your own browser, on your own device, so you do not have to type it again.

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Go Further With Low Bridge Lookup

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