Deck height benchmarks by open-deck trailer type 2026
Deck height decides what you can haul without a height permit. A standard flatbed deck sits about 60 inches off the ground, which leaves roughly 8 feet 6 inches of freight under the 13-foot-6-inch limit most states enforce. A step deck drops to 34-42 inches on the main deck for 10 feet or more of load height, and double drops, RGNs and lowboys run 18-24 inches for the tallest machinery. OpenDeck, powered by Load Work, posts the freight; this page gives you the numbers to match it to the right trailer. Accounts start through the Open Deck pricing page.
TL;DR
Standard flatbed decks sit at about 60 inches; step deck main decks run 34-42 inches.
RGN and double-drop decks run 18-24 inches for the tallest machinery.
Most states cap load height at 13 feet 6 inches; there is no federal height limit.
A 36-inch step deck hauls 10 feet 6 inches of freight without a permit in a 13'6" state.
Deck height by trailer type in 2026
Trailer | Deck height | Typical load height without a permit | What it hauls |
Standard flatbed | ~60 in | ~8'6" in a 13'6" state | Lumber, steel, pipe, palletized freight |
Step deck (single drop) | Upper deck ~60 in (11 ft); lower deck 34-42 in | ~10'-10'6" on the lower deck | Machinery, coils, tall crate freight |
Drop deck | 34-42 in | ~10'-10'6" | Same family as the step deck |
Double drop | Front and rear decks 18-24 in; lower well | ~11'-11'6" in the well | Tall machinery, transformers |
RGN (removable gooseneck) | Main deck 18-24 in | ~11'-11'6" | Excavators, dozers, heavy equipment |
Lowboy | ~24 in | ~11'6" | Construction and farm equipment |
Conestoga (curtainside) | ~60 in on a flatbed chassis; 34-42 in on a step deck chassis | Same as the chassis it rides on | Weather-sensitive freight that skips the tarp |
Gooseneck hotshot trailer | ~36-38 in | ~10'-10'6" | Hotshot-sized machinery and materials |
Method and limits: figures are typical manufacturer and industry ranges for 2026, not one universal spec — deck height varies by brand, axle configuration and tire size, and a loaded deck sits lower than an empty one. Measure your own trailer's loaded deck height before you quote tall freight.
How deck height sets your load height
There is no federal height limit in the United States. Most states cap total vehicle height at 13 feet 6 inches, a handful of western states allow 14 feet, and the eastern states are the strict ones. The math is subtraction: state limit minus your deck height equals the freight you can carry.
Standard flatbed at 60 inches: 162 - 60 = 102 inches, so 8 feet 6 inches of freight.
Step deck with a 42-inch lower deck: 120 inches left, so 10 feet of freight.
Step deck with a 36-inch deck: 126 inches left, so 10 feet 6 inches.
RGN or lowboy at 24 inches: 138 inches left, so 11 feet 6 inches.
That is the entire case for the drop-deck family. The same load that forces a height permit on a flatbed rides legal on a 36-inch step deck.
What wins and what trails
Flatbeds trail the height race at about 60 inches — which is exactly why they win everywhere else: they are the cheapest, the most common and the fastest to load from the side. Step decks split the difference with 34-42 inch main decks and roughly 20 inches of extra freight height. RGNs and lowboys win the tall-freight category at 18-24 inches, and the RGN's detachable gooseneck adds drive-on loading that no ramp setup matches. If you haul machinery taller than 10 feet in a 13'6" state, you are in RGN or double-drop territory.
How to use these numbers before you book
Ask the broker for the freight height as loaded on your deck, not on theirs — machine stack heights change with the deck under them.
Match the freight to the trailer by subtraction: state limit (usually 13'6") minus your loaded deck height.
Watch the axle trade. Low deck heights often mean tighter axle spacing, so weight can bind before height does.
When the freight does not fit your deck, let it go. The step deck hauling for equipment auction houses and RGN hauling for construction equipment dealers guides show what each trailer class actually books.
FAQ
How tall is a standard flatbed deck?
About 60 inches (5 feet) off the ground, which leaves roughly 8 feet 6 inches of freight height under a 13-foot-6-inch state limit.
What is the deck height of a step deck trailer?
The upper deck sits near 60 inches and the main (lower) deck runs 34-42 inches depending on the model, leaving about 10 to 10 feet 6 inches of load height.
How low does an RGN deck sit?
RGN main decks typically run 18-24 inches, which allows roughly 11 to 11 feet 6 inches of freight height without a permit in a 13'6" state.
Is there a federal height limit for trucks?
No. Height is set state by state — most states cap at 13 feet 6 inches and some western states allow 14 feet.
How much freight can a double drop haul without a permit?
With front and rear decks at 18-24 inches and a lower well, a double drop typically clears 11 to 11 feet 6 inches of freight height in a 13'6" state.
What deck height does a hotshot gooseneck trailer have?
Most 40-foot gooseneck hotshot trailers sit about 36-38 inches at the deck, carrying roughly 10 feet of freight height under a 13'6" limit.
Does a Conestoga trailer have its own deck height?
No. A Conestoga is a tarp system on a flatbed or step deck chassis, so its deck height matches the trailer underneath it.
One last thing
Carry a tape measure. Manufacturer deck heights are empty-trailer numbers; tires squat, air bags settle, and the inch your loaded deck picks up is the inch that turns a legal load into a permit load at a state line.
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