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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04 (2026)

Maximum axle load, wheel load, gross weights, for pneumatic tired vehicles

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
June 29, 2001
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 73 - 124th General Assembly
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(A) The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any vehicle, trackless trolley, load, object, or structure operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges, or culverts shall not exceed six hundred fifty pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by section 5577.03 of the Revised Code.

(B) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon a road surface that is part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:

(1) On any one axle, twenty thousand pounds;

(2) On any tandem axle, thirty-four thousand pounds;

(3) On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in division (C) of this section.

(C) For purposes of division (B)(3) of this section, the maximum gross weight on any two or more consecutive axles shall be determined by application of the following formula:

W = 500((LN/N-1) + 12N +36).

In this formula, W equals the overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest five hundred pounds, L equals the distance in rounded whole feet between the extreme of any group of two or more consecutive axles, and N equals the number of axles in the group under consideration. However, two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-four thousand pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.

(D) Except as provided in division (I) of this section, the weight of vehicle and load imposed upon a road surface that is not part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:

(1) On any one axle, twenty thousand pounds;

(2) On any two successive axles:

(a) Spaced four feet or less apart, and weighed simultaneously, twenty-four thousand pounds;

(b) Spaced more than four feet apart, and weighed simultaneously, thirty-four thousand pounds, plus one thousand pounds per foot or fraction thereof, over four feet, not to exceed forty thousand pounds.

(3) On any three successive load-bearing axles designed to equalize the load between such axles and spaced so that each such axle of the three-axle group is more than four feet from the next axle in the three-axle group and so that the spacing between the first axle and the third axle of the three-axle group is no more than nine feet, and with such load-bearing three-axle group weighed simultaneously as a unit:

(a) Forty-eight thousand pounds, with the total weight of vehicle and load not exceeding thirty-eight thousand pounds plus an additional nine hundred pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle;

(b) As an alternative to division (D)(3)(a) of this section, forty-two thousand five hundred pounds, if part of a six-axle vehicle combination with at least twenty feet of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle, with the total weight of vehicle and load not exceeding fifty-four thousand pounds plus an additional six hundred pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle.

(4) The total weight of vehicle and load utilizing any combination of axles, other than as provided for three-axle groups in division (D) of this section, shall not exceed thirty-eight thousand pounds plus an additional nine hundred pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle of the vehicle.

(E) Notwithstanding divisions (B) and (D) of this section, the maximum overall gross weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed eighty thousand pounds.

(F) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a vehicle is towing another vehicle, such drawbar or other connection shall be of a length such as will limit the spacing between nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of twelve feet and six inches.

(G) As used in division (B) of this section, "tandem axle" means two or more consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than forty inches but not more than ninety-six inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.

(H) This section does not apply to passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional transit authority pursuant to sections 306.30 to 306.54 of the Revised Code.

(I) Either division (B) or (D) of this section applies to the weight of a vehicle and its load imposed upon any road surface that is not a part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires. As between divisions (B) and (D) of this section, only the division that yields the highest total gross vehicle weight limit shall be applied to any such vehicle. Once that division is determined, only the limits contained in the subdivisions of that division shall apply to that vehicle.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 25 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1956–2026 · leading case: State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004).
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State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 51× “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
State v. Myers, 580 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 9× “After charges were brought in the Springfield Municipal Court, appellants entered their pleas and were subsequently found guilty of operating overloaded vehicles on improved public highways in violation of R.C. 5577.04. 1 Appellants appeal from their convictions and sentences,…”
State v. Landrum, 739 N.E.2d 1159 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 6× “Landrum appeals from a judgment entered by the Vinton County Court finding him guilty of an overload violation under R.C. 5577.04. He raises the following assignments of error for our review: *721 “I.”
State v. Coldwell, 445 N.E.2d 257 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 18× “However, the version of R.C. 5577.04 in effect in December 1978, contained no paragraph C, the complaint notwithstanding.”
State v. Wells, 464 N.E.2d 596 (Ohio Ct. App. 1983). · cites it 3× “Defendants-appellees, Clifford Wells and Randy Volschow, were issued citations in which they were charged with exceeding proper load-weight limitations for their tractor-trailer rigs in violation of R.C. 5577.04. Appellees thereafter filed motions to suppress on September 23,…”
State v. Parker, 626 N.E.2d 106 (Ohio 1994). · cites it 2× “This weight is identical to the limitation set forth in former R.C. 5577.04 (now R.C. 5577.04[C]). Notwithstanding this analogous provision, Parker contends that Toledo was impelled to post a sign apprising drivers that vehicles weighing in excess of 80,000 pounds were…”
Marich v. Bob Bennett Constr. Co., 116 Ohio St. 3d 553 (Ohio 2008). “07 and 5577.071). Together, these statutes place restrictions on the permissible size of nearly all vehicles on every public road in the state.”
State v. Elder, 584 N.E.2d 779 (Ohio Ct. App. 1989). · cites it 2× “Appellant was then charged with a violation of R.C. 5577.04, load limits on highways. However, appellant was not charged with speeding.”
David Carter v. Monte Hamaoui, 699 F. App'x 519 (6th Cir. 2017). “8 Again, considering the totality of the circumstances, there was no *530 reasonable suspicion of a violation of Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(C). Without a demonstration that Hamaoui had any experience in weight enforcement or that the facts he observed were actually more likely to…”
State v. Mays, 661 N.E.2d 791 (Ohio Ct. App. 1995). “In Coldwell, supra, a defendant was charged with motor vehicle weight load violations proscribed by R.C. 5577.04(C). As the court noted, at the time of the alleged offense division (C) was no longer part of the statute.”
State v. Gillen, 2025 Ohio 1095 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 12× “Facts and Procedural Background {¶ 2} This consolidated appeal arises from five separate incidents in which appellants, each of whom was operating a commercial vehicle on State Route 2 in Huron Township, Erie County, Ohio, received a citation for their violation of R.”
State v. Murphy, 823 N.E.2d 25 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “{¶ 2} Following a traffic stop in September 2008, defendant was charged with violating the load limit for his tractor-trailer under R.C. 5577.04. Defendant filed a motion to suppress information regarding the traffic stop, arguing that the police officer did not articulate…”
Show all 25 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(1) — 1 case
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(A) — 1 case
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(A)(2) — 2 cases
State v. Myers, 580 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990). “After charges were brought in the Springfield Municipal Court, appellants entered their pleas and were subsequently found guilty of operating overloaded vehicles on improved public highways in violation of R.C. 5577.04. 1 Appellants appeal from their convictions and sentences,…”
State v. Howe, 584 N.E.2d 1239 (Ohio Ct. App. 1989).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(B) — 2 cases
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
State v. McCune, 2011 Ohio 4061 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(B)(3) — 1 case
State v. Landrum, 739 N.E.2d 1159 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). “Landrum appeals from a judgment entered by the Vinton County Court finding him guilty of an overload violation under R.C. 5577.04. He raises the following assignments of error for our review: *721 “I.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(C) — 3 cases
David Carter v. Monte Hamaoui, 699 F. App'x 519 (6th Cir. 2017). “8 Again, considering the totality of the circumstances, there was no *530 reasonable suspicion of a violation of Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(C). Without a demonstration that Hamaoui had any experience in weight enforcement or that the facts he observed were actually more likely to…”
State v. Mays, 661 N.E.2d 791 (Ohio Ct. App. 1995). “In Coldwell, supra, a defendant was charged with motor vehicle weight load violations proscribed by R.C. 5577.04(C). As the court noted, at the time of the alleged offense division (C) was no longer part of the statute.”
State v. Coldwell, 445 N.E.2d 257 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982). “However, the version of R.C. 5577.04 in effect in December 1978, contained no paragraph C, the complaint notwithstanding.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(D) — 1 case
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(D)(4) — 1 case
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 5577.04(E) — 3 cases
State v. Harrington, 824 N.E.2d 153 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “After determining that the tractor-trailer weighed more than the legally permitted limit, Deputy Waggoner cited appellant for a violation of R.C. 5577.04. {¶ 4} In November 2003, the municipal court held a jury trial.”
State v. Gillen, 2025 Ohio 1095 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025). “Facts and Procedural Background {¶ 2} This consolidated appeal arises from five separate incidents in which appellants, each of whom was operating a commercial vehicle on State Route 2 in Huron Township, Erie County, Ohio, received a citation for their violation of R.”
State v. Hamilton, 2019 Ohio 3702 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019).
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