Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 8-1901 (2026)

Criminal penalties for violation of size and weight laws; exceptions

✓ current as of May 2026

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8-1901. Criminal penalties for violation of size and weight laws; exceptions. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or move or for the owner or lessee to cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles of a size or weight exceeding the limitations stated in article 19 of chapter 8 of * Kansas Statutes Annotated or otherwise in violation of this article, and the maximum size and weight of vehicles herein specified shall be lawful throughout this state, and local authorities shall have no power or authority to alter such limitations except as express authority may be granted in this article.

(b) Any person violating any of the provisions of article 19 of chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, except for the provisions of K.S.A. 8-1908 and 8-1909, and amendments thereto, shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in an amount not to exceed $500.

(c) Any person violating any of the provisions of K.S.A. 8-1908 or 8-1909, and amendments thereto, shall, upon a first conviction thereof, pay a fine from one, but not both of the schedules listed in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 8-2118, and amendments thereto.

(d) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this act, the provisions of article 19 of chapter 8 of * Kansas Statutes Annotated governing size, weight and load shall not apply to fire apparatus, road machinery, farm tractors or to implements of husbandry temporarily moved upon a highway, or to a vehicle operated under the terms of a currently valid special permit issued in accordance with K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto.

(e) Except on highways designated as part of the national system of interstate defense highways, the gross weight limitation prescribed by article 19 of chapter 8 of * Kansas Statutes Annotated on any axle or tandem, triple or quad axles shall not apply to: (1) Trucks specifically designed and equipped and used exclusively for garbage, refuse or solid waste disposal operations when loaded with garbage, refuse or waste; or (2) trucks mounted with a fertilizer spreader used or manufactured principally to spread animal dung, except that this paragraph (2) shall not apply to truck tractors so equipped. Except that such trucks under this subsection shall not exceed 60,000 pounds for three axles or 40,000 pounds for two axles, regardless of width spacing between axles.

(f) As used in this section, "conviction" means a final conviction without regard to whether sentence was suspended or probation granted after such conviction, and a forfeiture of bail, bond or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance in court, which forfeiture has not been vacated, is equivalent to a conviction.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1901; L. 1980, ch. 44, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 43, § 1; L. 1994, ch. 235, § 4; L. 2004, ch. 114, § 3; L. 2012, ch. 26, § 1; July 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1982–2022 · leading case: State v. Feiok, 364 N.W.2d 536 (S.D. 1985).

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State v. Feiok, 364 N.W.2d 536 (S.D. 1985). · cites it 2× “Second, had the legislature intended that the sanctions provided by SDCL 32-22-55 be penal in nature it would have reclassified the violation of SDCL 32-22-16 from a low-grade (now Class 2) misdemeanor (see SDC 1960 Supp.”

State v. Moore, 701 P.2d 684 (Kan. 1985). · cites it 2× “K.S.A. 8-1901 prescribes certain criminal penalties for violation of any of the restrictions on size and weight of motor vehicles contained in Article 19 of Chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated.”

State v. Gibson, 651 P.2d 949 (Kan. Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 6× “In reviewing the legislative history of K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 8-1901, a maximum fine of $1,000 for a weight violation was proposed.”

State v. Crudo, 517 P.3d 857 (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). “(defining terms in Kansas' Uniform Act Regulating Traffic); K.S.A. 8-1501 et seq.”

State v. Shouse, 660 P.2d 970 (Kan. Ct. App. 1983). “Based on an overload of 12,600 pounds he was fined $1,260 as prescribed by K.S.A. 8-1901. He appeals, challenging the constitutionality of the statute and the sufficiency of the state’s evidence.”

State v. Ford (Kan. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 2× “K.S.A. 8-1901 et seq. covers traffic, size, weight, and load of vehicles but it does not contain any references to CDLs or commercial motor vehicles.”

State v. Crudo (Kan. Ct. App. 2022). “(defining terms in Kansas' Uniform Act Regulating Traffic); K.S.A. 8-1501 et seq.”

— K.S.A. § 8-1901(c) — 1 case

State v. Gibson, 651 P.2d 949 (Kan. Ct. App. 1982). “In reviewing the legislative history of K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 8-1901, a maximum fine of $1,000 for a weight violation was proposed.”

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