Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 348.20 (2026)
Policy in prosecuting weight violations
✓ current as of July 2026
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348.20(1)(1) It is declared to be the public policy of the state that prosecutions for overweight violations shall in every instance where practicable be instituted against the person holding the authority, certificates, licenses or permits evidencing operating privileges from the department which may be the proper object of cancellation or revocation proceedings. In instances where a combination of tractor and trailer or semitrailer is used, the person standing in the relationship of principal or employer to the driver of the tractor portion of the vehicle combination is liable for violation of ss. 348.15 to 348.17 along with the owner holding authority, certificates, licenses or permits from the state. It is a violation of ss. 348.15 to 348.17 for the owner or any other person employing or otherwise directing the operator of the vehicle to require or permit the operation of such vehicle upon a highway contrary to ss. 348.15 to 348.17. This section shall not apply to individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies or corporations whose principal business is leasing, for compensation, vehicles including trailers and semitrailers, but such prosecutions shall be instituted against the lessee of the vehicle.
348.20(2)(2) The operator of a vehicle, as agent of the person holding authority, certificate, license or permit from the state or as agent of the owner of the tractor portion of a vehicle combination of tractor and trailer or semitrailer, shall accept service of a summons on behalf of such person or owner.
348.20 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 29 ss. 1487t, 1654 (9) (d); 1981 c. 347 s. 80 (2); 1987 a. 369; 1993 a. 16, 112, 490.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2
cases, 1995–2000 · leading case: Cnty. of Milwaukee v. Superior of Wisconsin, Inc., 2000 WI App 75 (Wis. Ct. App. 2000).
Cnty. of Milwaukee v. Superior of Wisconsin, Inc., 2000 WI App 75 (Wis. Ct. App. 2000). “§§ 348.20, 348.21. [13] ¶ 28. The overweight permit issued to Superior stated that it was "SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS IN CH.”
Town of East Troy v. A-1 Serv. Co., Inc., 537 N.W.2d 126 (Wis. Ct. App. 1995). “Section 348.20, Stats., states the policy for prosecuting overweight violations: It is declared to be the public policy of the state that prosecutions for overweight violations shall in every instance where practicable be instituted *137 against the person holding the authority,…”
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