Safety Enforcement
Weight Enforcement
The primary purpose of the Office of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE) Weight Enforcement program is to protect highway system pavement and structures (bridges) from excessive damage due to overweight vehicles. CVE Troopers enforce state and federal laws that regulate the weight of vehicles operating on the Florida’s highways. The state’s weight limits were established to prevent heavy trucks from causing unreasonable damage to highway systems and thereby protect the public’s investment in these roadways. If your vehicle, or vehicle and load, is determined to be overweight, Florida law provides for a penalty of $.05 per pound for all weight over the legal weight for the vehicle.
Gross Weight
Gross weight is defined as the total weight of the vehicle and load. The total weight with load imposed upon the highway by all the axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed the gross weight given for the respective distance between the first and last axle (measured from center hub to center hub) of the vehicle or combination of vehicles, measured longitudinally to the nearest foot as set forth in the following table:
Distance Between First and Last Axles | Maximum Gross Weight Allowed to be Hauled |
|---|---|
| 4-8 | 44,000 |
| 9 | 48,554 |
| 10 | 49,478 |
| 11 | 50,391 |
| 12 | 51,304 |
| 13 | 52,228 |
| 14 | 53,141 |
| 15 | 54,065 |
| 16 | 54,978 |
| 17 | 55,891 |
| 18 | 56,804 |
| 19 | 57,728 |
| 20 | 58,641 |
| 21 | 59,554 |
| 22 | 60,478 |
| 23 | 61,391 |
| 24 | 62,304 |
| 25 | 63,217 |
| 26 | 64,141 |
| 27 | 65,054 |
| 28 | 65,967 |
| 29 | 66,891 |
| 30 | 61,804 |
| 31 | 68,717 |
| 32 | 69,641 |
| 33 | 70,554 |
| 34 | 71,467 |
| 35 | 72,380 |
| 36 OR MORE | 73,271 |
Specialty Gross Weight
Specialty Gross Weight, sometimes referred to as Table 3 vehicles is for finding the maximum legal weight for dump trucks, concrete mixing trucks, trucks engaged in waste collection and disposal, and fuel oil and gasoline trucks designed and constructed for special type work or use, when operated as a single unit. Legal axle weight may be determined by finding the tire width stamped on the vehicle’s tires and locating that number in the left-hand column. Read across to find the weight allowed for an axle with two tires or with four tires (Note that no axle may exceed the lawful weight limit of 22,000 pounds, regardless of tire size). Maximum gross weight is the total of allowable axle weights, not to exceed 70,000 pounds. Maximum legal weight for these vehicles are based on 605 pounds per inch of tire width. Use below chart for legal axle weights:
If Your Tire Width Is (tire size marking on the sidewall) | Total Weight for 2 Tires on 1 Axle is | Total Weight for 4 Tires on 1 Axle is |
|---|---|---|
[All Tolerances Included] |
||
Maximum is still 22,000 pounds, no exception. |
||
| 7.5 | 9,075 | 18,150 |
| 8 | 9,680 | 19,360 |
| 8.22.5 | 9,680 | 19,360 |
| 8.25 | 9,983 | 19,965 |
| 8.5 | 10,285 | 20,570 |
| 9 | 10,890 | 21,780 |
| 9.22.5 | 10,890 | 21,780 |
| 10 | 12,100 | 22,000 |
| 10.22.5 | 12,100 | 22,000 |
| 10.3-22.5 | 12,463 | 22,000 |
| 11 | 13,310 | 22,000 |
| 11.22.5 | 13,310 | 22,000 |
| 11.24.5 | 13,310 | 22,000 |
| 12 | 14,520 | 22,000 |
| 12.22.5 | 14,520 | 22,000 |
| 12.24.5 | 14,520 | 22,000 |
| 13 | 15,730 | 22,000 |
| 14 | 16,940 | 22,000 |
| 15 | 18,150 | 22,000 |
| 16 | 19,360 | 22,000 |
| 16.5 | 19,965 | 22,000 |
| 17 | 20,570 | 22,000 |
| 18 | 21,780 | 22,000 |
| 19 | 22,000 |
|
Metric Conversion Chart |
|
|---|---|
Metric | Nominal Width |
| 215/75R17.5 | 8.5 |
| 225/70R19.5 | 9.0 |
| 245/70R19.5 | 10.0 |
| 235/80R22.5 | 9.0 |
| 255/70R22.5 | 10.0 |
| 255/80R22.5 | 10.0 |
| 275/80R22.5 | 11.0 |
| 295/80R22.5 | 12.0 |
| 315/80R22.5 | 13.0 |
| 385/65R22.5 | 15.0 |
| 425/65R22.5 | 16.5 |
| 445/65R22.5 | 18.0 |
| 275/80R24.5 | 11.0 |
| 445/50R22.5 | 18.0 |
| 455/55R22.5 | 18.0 |
External Bridge Weight
External bridge is defined as the distance between the center of two axle groupings (measured from center hub to center hub) of the vehicle (measurements are to the nearest foot). The total weight with load imposed upon the highway by all the axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed the external bridge weight given for the respective distance between the first and last axle (measured from center hub to center hub) of the vehicle or combination of vehicles, measured longitudinally to the nearest foot as set forth in the following table:
Distance Between Any Group of 2 or More | Maximum Weight Allowed on this Number of Axles |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[All Tolerances Included] |
||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|
4 | 44,000 | |||||
5 | 44,000 | |||||
6 | 44,000 | |||||
7 | 44,000 | |||||
8 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
9 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
10 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
11 | 44,000 | 44,500 | ||||
12 | 44,000 | 45,000 | 50,000 | |||
13 | 44,000 | 46,000 | 50,500 | |||
14 | 44,000 | 46,500 | 51,500 | |||
15 | 44,000 | 47,500 | 52,000 | |||
16 | 44,000 | 48,000 | 52,500 | 58,000 | ||
17 | 44,000 | 49,000 | 53,500 | 58,500 | ||
18 | 44,000 | 49,500 | 54,000 | 59,500 | ||
19 | 44,000 | 50,500 | 54,500 | 60,000 | ||
20 | 44,000 | 51,000 | 55,500 | 60,500 | 66,000 | |
21 | 44,000 | 52,000 | 56,000 | 61,000 | 66,500 | |
22 | 44,000 | 52,500 | 56,500 | 62,000 | 67,000 | |
23 | 44,000 | 53,500 | 57,500 | 62,500 | 68,000 | |
24 | 44,000 | 54,500 | 58,000 | 63,000 | 68,500 | 74,000 |
25 | 44,000 | 55,000 | 58,500 | 63,500 | 69,000 | 74,500 |
26 | 44,000 | 55,500 | 59,500 | 64,500 | 69,500 | 75,000 |
27 | 44,000 | 56,500 | 60,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 | 76,000 |
28 | 44,000 | 57,000 | 60,500 | 65,500 | 71,000 | 76,500 |
29 | 44,000 | 58,000 | 61,500 | 66,000 | 71,500 | 77,000 |
30 | 44,000 | 58,500 | 62,000 | 67,000 | 72,000 | 77,500 |
31 | 44,000 | 59,500 | 62,500 | 67,500 | 72,500 | 78,000 |
32 | 44,000 | 60,000 | 63,500 | 68,000 | 73,000 | 78,500 |
33 | 44,000 | 61,000 | 64,000 | 68,500 | 74,000* | 79,500 |
34 | 44,000 | 61,500 | 64,500 | 69,500 | 74,500 | 80,000 |
35 | 44,000 | 62,500 | 65,500 | 70,000 | 75,000 | |
36 | 44,000 | 63,000 | 68,000 | 70,500 | 75,500 | |
37 | 44,000 | 64,000 | 68,000 | 71,000 | 76,000 | |
38 | 44,000 | 64,500 | 68,000 | 72,000 | 77,000 | |
39 | 44,000 | 65,500 | 68,000 | 72,500 | 77,500 | |
40 | 44,000 | 66,000 | 68,500 | 73,000 | 78,000 | |
41 | 44,000 | 69,500 | 73,500* | 78,500 | ||
42 | 44,000 | 70,000 | 74,500 | 79,000 | ||
43 | 44,000 | 70,500 | 75,000 | 80,000 | ||
44 | 44,000 | 71,500 | 75,500 | |||
45 | 44,000 | 72,000 | 76,000 | |||
46 | 44,000 | 72,500 | 77,000 | |||
47 | 44,000 | 73,500* | 77,500 | |||
48 | 44,000 | 74,000 | 78,000 | |||
49 | 44,000 | 74,500 | 78,500 | |||
50 | 44,000 | 75,500 | 79,500 | |||
51 | 44,000 | 76,000 | 80,000 | |||
Internal Bridge
Internal bridge, also called “inner-bridge” is defined as the distance between the centers of two or more axles, but not the entire “external/outer bridge.” This applies on Interstate highways only (Measurements are to the nearest foot). There are three requirements which cause a vehicle to be subject to internal bridge. All three must be met before a vehicle can be “inner bridged”.
- Vehicle must be operating on the interstate system
- Vehicle or combination must be:
- 4 axles and 47’ or more wheel base
- 5 axles and 41’ or more wheel base
- 6 axles and 33’ or more wheel base
- Vehicle must weigh more than 73,271 pounds
Legal “inner-bridge” as set forth in the following table:
Distance Between Any Group of 2 or More | Maximum Weight Allowed on this Number of Axles |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[All Tolerances Included] |
||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|
4 | 44,000 | |||||
5 | 44,000 | |||||
6 | 44,000 | |||||
7 | 44,000 | |||||
8 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
9 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
10 | 44,000 | 44,000 | ||||
11 | 44,000 | 44,500 | ||||
12 | 44,000 | 45,000 | 50,000 | |||
13 | 44,000 | 46,000 | 50,500 | |||
14 | 44,000 | 46,500 | 51,500 | |||
15 | 44,000 | 47,500 | 52,000 | |||
16 | 44,000 | 48,000 | 52,500 | 58,000 | ||
17 | 44,000 | 49,000 | 53,500 | 58,500 | ||
18 | 44,000 | 49,500 | 54,000 | 59,500 | ||
19 | 44,000 | 50,500 | 54,500 | 60,000 | ||
20 | 44,000 | 51,000 | 55,500 | 60,500 | 66,000 | |
21 | 44,000 | 52,000 | 56,000 | 61,000 | 66,500 | |
22 | 44,000 | 52,500 | 56,500 | 62,000 | 67,000 | |
23 | 44,000 | 53,500 | 57,500 | 62,500 | 68,000 | |
24 | 44,000 | 54,500 | 58,000 | 63,000 | 68,500 | 74,000 |
25 | 44,000 | 55,000 | 58,500 | 63,500 | 69,000 | 74,500 |
26 | 44,000 | 55,500 | 59,500 | 64,500 | 69,500 | 75,000 |
27 | 44,000 | 56,500 | 60,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 | 76,000 |
28 | 44,000 | 57,000 | 60,500 | 65,500 | 71,000 | 76,500 |
29 | 44,000 | 58,000 | 61,500 | 66,000 | 71,500 | 77,000 |
30 | 44,000 | 58,500 | 62,000 | 67,000 | 72,000 | 77,500 |
31 | 44,000 | 59,500 | 62,500 | 67,500 | 72,500 | 78,000 |
32 | 44,000 | 60,000 | 63,500 | 68,000 | 73,000 | 78,500 |
33 | 44,000 | 61,000 | 64,000 | 68,500 | 74,000* | 79,500 |
34 | 44,000 | 61,500 | 64,500 | 69,500 | 74,500 | 80,000 |
35 | 44,000 | 62,500 | 65,500 | 70,000 | 75,000 | |
36 | 44,000 | 63,000 | 68,000 | 70,500 | 75,500 | |
37 | 44,000 | 64,000 | 68,000 | 71,000 | 76,000 | |
38 | 44,000 | 64,500 | 68,000 | 72,000 | 77,000 | |
39 | 44,000 | 65,500 | 68,000 | 72,500 | 77,500 | |
40 | 44,000 | 66,000 | 68,500 | 73,000 | 78,000 | |
41 | 44,000 | 69,500 | 73,500* | 78,500 | ||
42 | 44,000 | 70,000 | 74,500 | 79,000 | ||
43 | 44,000 | 70,500 | 75,000 | 80,000 | ||
44 | 44,000 | 71,500 | 75,500 | |||
45 | 44,000 | 72,000 | 76,000 | |||
46 | 44,000 | 72,500 | 77,000 | |||
47 | 44,000 | 73,500* | 77,500 | |||
48 | 44,000 | 74,000 | 78,000 | |||
49 | 44,000 | 74,500 | 78,500 | |||
50 | 44,000 | 75,500 | 79,500 | |||
51 | 44,000 | 76,000 | 80,000 | |||
Axle Weight
Axle weight is defined as the weight placed on the road by all the wheels of one axle whose centers are include between two parallel transverse vertical planes 40 inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.
Tandem axle weight is defined as any two axles, the centers of which are more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart and are individually attached to or articulated from, or both, a common attachment to the vehicle, including a connecting mechanism designed to equalize the load between axles.
FDOT Weigh Stations
All weigh stations in Florida fall under the Florida Department Of Transportation Motor Carrier Size and Weight (MCSAW). MCSAW is staffed by regulatory (non-sworn) weight inspectors. MCSAW personnel perform commercial vehicle size and weight enforcement. The primary purpose of the MCSAW weight enforcement program is to protect Florida’s highway system and bridges from damage from overweight vehicles. Vehicles are weighed at its 20 fixed weigh station locations. Of these 20 facilities, 10 are Weigh in Motion (WIM) type and 10 are static type. There are also several virtual weight station locations throughout the state. Please visit the following websites for more information on the Florida Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Size and Weight program.
http://www.fdot.gov/maintenance/motorcarrier.shtm
Dave Kerner, Executive Director