Hitting the road with your fleet requires careful planning and adherence to regulations. One crucial aspect is understanding Department of Transportation (DOT) weight limits. These limits vary by state and are essential for ensuring the safety of both your vehicles and the roadways. This blog post serves as your guide to navigating DOT weight limits by state across the country. 

For exact DOT weight limits by state, check out our free State-By-State Truck Weight Limits guide now! 

Understanding DOT Weight Limits by State

The Department of Transportation or DOT enforces weight limits by state on commercial vehicles to ensure several crucial aspects: road safety by preventing damage to bridges, roads, and infrastructure that could lead to accidents; fair competition within the industry by creating a level playing field for all carriers; and vehicle safety by acknowledging that heavier vehicles require longer stopping distances and can be more challenging to maneuver.

Free State-by-State Truck Weight Limits Sheet

Understanding Weight Limit Variations

The concept of DOT weight limits by state might seem straightforward, but there are two key ways these regulations are applied, impacting how you manage your cargo for DOT weight limit compliance across different states.

• Gross Vehicle Weight Limit (GVWL): This refers to the total allowable weight for your entire commercial vehicle, encompassing the truck itself, all cargo you’re carrying, and any passengers on board. Essentially, the GVWL represents the maximum your entire rig is permitted to weigh when fully loaded. Staying within this limit is crucial for ensuring road safety and infrastructure protection.
• Axle Weight Limit: This regulation focuses on the weight distribution across your vehicle’s axles. It specifies the maximum allowable weight for each individual axle or group of axles. Understanding axle weight limits is essential for proper loading practices to prevent overloading any one axle group, which can damage roads and compromise vehicle handling.

Remember:

While federal regulations establish baseline weight limits, individual states can set stricter limitations within their borders. This is why it’s important to factor in the specific DOT weight limits by state when planning your routes to ensure compliance throughout your journey.

DOT Weight Limits By State

Here are all 50 weight limits by state! You can also view this data in our downloadable sheet. 

State	Single Axle	Double Axle	Tridem Axle	Gross Weight
Alabama	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Alaska	20,000 lbs	38,000 lbs	42,000 lbs	Per FBF
Arizona	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Arkansas	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	50,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
California	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Undefined	80,000 lbs
Colorado	20,000 lbs	36,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Connecticut	22,000 lbs	36,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Delaware	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	60,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
District of Columbia	21,000 lbs	37,000 lbs	Per district weight table	79,000 lbs
Florida	20,000 lbs	40,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Georgia	20,340 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Hawaii	22,500 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,500 lbs	80,000 lbs
Idaho	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Illinois	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,500 lbs	80,000 lbs
Indiana	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	50,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Iowa	20,000 lbs	35,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Kansas	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	43,500 lbs	80,000 lbs
Kentucky	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	48,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Louisiana	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Maine	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	45,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Maryland	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Massachusetts	18,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Michigan	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Minnesota	10,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Mississippi	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs

Missouri	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,0
Montana	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Nebraska	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Nevada	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
New Hampshire	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
New Jersey	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Axle N/A	80,000 lbs
New Mexico	21,600 lbs	34,200 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
New York	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
North Carolina	20,000 lbs	38,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
North Dakota	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Ohio	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Oklahoma	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Oregon	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Pennsylvania	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
Rhode Island	22,400 lbs	36,000 lbs	N/A	80,000 lbs
South Carolina	10,000 lbs	35,200 lbs	Per state weight table	80,000 lbs
South Dakota	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Tennessee	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	54,000 lbs	80,000 lbs
Texas	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	N/A	80,000 lbs
Utah	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	N/A	80,000 lbs
Vermont	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	N/A	80,000 lbs
Virginia	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	N/A	80,000 lbs
Washington	20,000 lbs	Per state weight table	N/A	80,000 lbs
West Virginia	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per FBF	80,000 lbs
Wisconsin	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	Per state bridge formula	80,000 lbs
Wyoming	20,000 lbs	34,000 lbs	42,000 lbs	80,000 lbs

Staying Compliant with Kales USA

At Kales USA, we understand the importance of road safety and regulation compliance. While specific weight limits vary by state (see our State-by-State Weight Limits sheet for more), our team of experienced technicians can help you ensure your fleet operates within these limits. Located in South Carolina, we service the entire country with over 100+ servicing vehicles and a team of 200+ heavy truck technicians. Contact Kales USA today! We can help you navigate DOT weight limits, optimize your loading procedures, and ensure a smooth, compliant journey across the US.