Wash. Rev. Code § 46.44.041

Current through the 2024 Regular Session

Section 46.44.041 - Maximum gross weights-Wheelbase and axle factors

No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall operate upon the public highways of this state with a gross load on any single axle in excess of twenty thousand pounds, or upon any group of axles in excess of that set forth in the following table, except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of thirty-four thousand pounds each, if the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.

The following table is based on the following formula: W = 500((LN/N-1)+12N+36). W is the maximum weight in pounds (to the nearest 500 pounds) carried on any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles. L is the distance in feet between the extremes of any group of two (2) or more consecutive axles. N is the number of axles under consideration.

Distance in feet between the extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles	Maximum load in pounds carried on any group of 2 or more consecutive axles
	2	3	4	5	6		7		8		9
	axles	axles	axles	axles	axles		axles		axles		axles
4	34,000
5	34,000
6	34,000
7	34,000
8 & less	34,000	34,000
more than 8	38,000	42,000
9	39,000	42,500
10	40,000	43,500
11		44,000	49,000
12		45,000	50,000
13		45,500	50,500
14		46,500	51,500	56,500
15		47,000	52,000	57,000
16		48,000	52,500	58,000
17		48,500	53,500	58,500
18		49,500	54,000	59,000	64,500
19		50,000	54,500	60,000	65,000
20		51,000	55,500	60,500	66,000
21		51,500	56,000	61,000	66,500		72,000
22		52,500	56,500	61,500	67,000		72,500
23		53,000	57,500	62,500	68,000		73,000
24		54,000	58,000	63,000	68,500		74,000
25		54,500	58,500	63,500	69,000		74,500		80,000
26		55,500	59,500	64,000	69,500		75,000		80,500
27		56,000	60,000	65,000	70,000		75,500		81,000
28		57,000	60,500	65,500	71,000		76,500		82,000		87,500
29		57,500	61,500	66,000	71,500		77,000		82,500		88,000
30		58,500	62,000	66,500	72,000		77,500		83,000		88,500
31		59,000	62,500	67,500	72,500		78,000		83,500		89,000
32		60,000	63,500	68,000	73,000		78,500		84,500		90,000
33			64,000	68,500	74,000		79,000		85,000		90,500
34			64,500	69,000	74,500		80,000		85,500		91,000
35			65,500	70,000	75,000		80,500		86,000		91,500
36			66,000	70,500	75,500		81,000		86,500		92,000
37			66,500	71,000	76,000		81,500		87,000		93,000
38			67,500	71,500	77,000		82,000		87,500		93,500
39			68,000	72,500	77,500		82,500		88,500		94,000
40			68,500	73,000	78,000		83,500		89,000		94,500
41			69,500	73,500	78,500		84,000		89,500		95,000
42			70,000	74,000	79,000		84,500		90,000		95,500
43			70,500	75,000	80,000		85,000		90,500		96,000
44			71,500	75,500	80,500		85,500		91,000		96,500
45			72,000	76,000	81,000		86,000		91,500		97,500
46			72,500	76,500	81,500		87,000		92,500		98,000
47			73,500	77,500	82,000		87,500		93,000		98,500
48			74,000	78,000	83,000		88,000		93,500		99,000
49			74,500	78,500	83,500		88,500		94,000		99,500
50			75,500	79,000	84,000		89,000		94,500		100,000
51			76,000	80,000	84,500		89,500		95,000		100,500
52			76,500	80,500	85,000		90,500		95,500		101,000
53			77,500	81,000	86,000		91,000		96,500		102,000
54			78,000	81,500	86,500		91,500		97,000		102,500
55			78,500	82,500	87,000		92,000		97,500		103,000
56			79,500	83,000	87,500		92,500		98,000		103,500
57			80,000	83,500	88,000		93,000		98,500		104,000
58				84,000	89,000		94,000		99,000		104,500
59				85,000	89,500		94,500		99,500		105,500
60				85,500	90,000		95,000		100,500		105,500
61				86,000	90,500		95,500		101,000		105,500
62				86,500	91,000		96,000		101,500		105,500
63				87,500	92,000		96,500		102,000		105,500
64				88,000	92,500		97,500		102,500		105,500
65				88,500	93,000		98,000		103,000		105,500
66				89,000	93,500		98,500		103,500		105,500
67				90,000	94,000		99,000		104,500		105,500
68				90,500	95,000		99,500		105,000		105,500
69				91,000	95,500		100,000		105,500		105,500
70				91,500	96,000		101,000		105,500		105,500
71				92,500	96,500		101,500		105,500		105,500
72				93,000	97,000		102,000		105,500		105,500
73				93,500	98,000		102,500		105,500		105,500
74				94,000	98,500		103,000		105,500		105,500
75				95,000	99,000		103,500		105,500		105,500
76				95,500	99,500		104,500		105,500		105,500
77				96,000	100,000		105,000		105,500		105,500
78				96,500	101,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
79				97,500	101,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
80				98,000	102,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
81				98,500	102,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
82				99,000	103,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
83				100,000	104,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
84					104,500		105,500		105,500		105,500
85					105,000		105,500		105,500		105,500
86 or more					105,500		105,500		105,500		105,500

When inches are involved: Under six inches take lower, six inches or over take higher. The maximum load on any axle in any group of axles shall not exceed the single axle or tandem axle allowance as set forth in the table above.

The maximum axle and gross weights specified in this section are subject to the braking requirements set up for the service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles as provided by law.

Loads of not more than eighty thousand pounds which may be legally hauled in the state bordering this state which also has a sales tax, are legal in this state when moving to a port district within four miles of the bordering state except on the interstate system. This provision does not allow the operation of a vehicle combination consisting of a truck tractor and three trailers.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein, a vehicle or combination of vehicles in operation on January 4, 1975, may operate upon the public highways of this state, including the interstate system within the meaning of section 127 of Title 23, United States Code, with an overall gross weight upon a group of two consecutive sets of dual axles which was lawful in this state under the laws, regulations, and procedures in effect in this state on January 4, 1975.

RCW 46.44.041

Amended by 2016 c 24,§ 1, eff. 6/9/2016.

1997 c 198 § 1; 1995 c 171 § 1. Prior: 1993 c 246 § 1; 1993 c 102 § 3; prior: 1988 c 229 § 1; 1988 c 6 § 2; 1985 c 351 § 3; 1977 c 81 § 2; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64 § 22.

Effective date of 1993 c 102 and c 123-1993 sp.s. c 23: See note following RCW 46.16A.455.

Effective dates-Severability-1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 64: See notes following RCW 46.16A.455.