§ 20-118. Weight of vehicles and load. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 20‑118.  Weight ofvehicles and load.

(a)        For the purposes ofthis section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)        Single‑axleweight. – The gross weight transmitted by all wheels whose centers may beincluded between two parallel transverse vertical planes 40 inches apart,extending across the full width of the vehicle.

(2)        Tandem‑axleweight. – The gross weight transmitted to the road by two or more consecutiveaxles whose centers may be included between parallel vertical planes spacedmore than 40 inches and not more than 96 inches apart, extending across thefull width of the vehicle.

(3)        Axle group. – Anytwo or more consecutive axles on a vehicle or combination of vehicles.

(4)        Gross weight. – Theweight of any single axle, tandem axle, or axle group of a vehicle orcombination of vehicles plus the weight of any load thereon.

(5)        Light‑trafficroads. – Any highway on the State Highway System, excepting routes designatedI, U.S. or N.C., posted by the Department of Transportation to limit the axle weightbelow the statutory limits.

(b)        The followingweight limitations shall apply to vehicles operating on the highways of theState:

(1)        The single‑axleweight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed 20,000 pounds.

(2)        The tandem‑axleweight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed 38,000 pounds.

(3)        The gross weightimposed upon the highway by any axle group of a vehicle or combination ofvehicles shall not exceed the maximum weight given for the respective distancebetween the first and last axle of the group of axles measured longitudinallyto the nearest foot as set forth in the following table:

Distance                                                                MaximumWeight in Pounds for any Group of Two

Between                                                                                                  orMore Consecutive Axles

Axles*               2 Axles          3Axles          4 Axles          5 Axles               6 Axles               7Axles

4                       38000

5                       38000

6                       38000

7                       38000

8 or less             38000            38000

more than 8       38000            42000

9                       39000            42500

10                     40000            43500

11                                           44000

12                                           45000            50000

13                                           45500            50500

14                                           46500            51500

15                                           47000            52000

16                                           48000            52500            58000

17                                           48500            53500            58500

18                                           49500            54000            59000

19                                           50000            54500            60000

20                                           51000            55500            60500             66000

21                                           51500            56000            61000             66500

22                                           52500            56500            61500             67000

23                                           53000            57500            62500             68000

24                                           54000            58000            63000             68500                    74000

25                                           54500            58500            63500             69000                    74500

26                                           55500            59500            64000             69500                    75000

27                                           56000            60000            65000             70000                    75500

28                                           57000            60500            65500             71000                    76500

29                                           57500            61500            66000             71500                    77000

30                                           58500            62000            66500             72000                    77500

31                                           59000            62500            67500             72500                    78000

32                                           60000            63500            68000             73000                    78500

33                                                                64000            68500             74000                    79000

34                                                                64500            69000             74500                    80000

35                                                                65500            70000             75000

36                                                                66000**        70500             75500

37                                                                66500**        71000             76000

38                                                                67500**        72000             77000

39                                                                68000            72500             77500

40                                                                68500            73000             78000

41                                                                69500            73500             78500

42                                                                70000            74000             79000

43                                                                70500            75000             80000

44                                                                71500            75500

45                                                                72000            76000

46                                                                72500            76500

47                                                                73500            77500

48                                                                74000            78000

49                                                                74500            78500

50                                                                75500            79000

51                                                                76000            80000

52                                                                76500

53                                                                77500

54                                                                78000

55                                                                78500

56                                                                79500

57                                                                80000

* Distance in Feet Between theExtremes of any Group of Two or More Consecutive Axles.

** See exception in G.S. 20‑118(c)(1).

(4)        The Department ofTransportation may establish light‑traffic roads and further restrict theaxle weight limit on such light‑traffic roads lower than the statutorylimits. The Department of Transportation shall have authority to designate anyhighway on the State Highway System, excluding routes designated by I, U.S. andN.C., as a light‑traffic road when in the opinion of the Department ofTransportation, such road is inadequate to carry and will be injuriouslyaffected by vehicles using the said road carrying the maximum axle weight. Allsuch roads so designated shall be conspicuously posted as light‑trafficroads and the maximum axle weight authorized shall be displayed on proper signserected thereon.

(c)        Exceptions. – Thefollowing exceptions apply to G.S. 20‑118(b) and 20‑118(e).

(1)        Two consecutive setsof tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each without penaltyprovided the overall distance between the first and last axles of theconsecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.

(2)        When a vehicle isoperated in violation of G.S. 20‑118(b)(1), 20‑118(b)(2), or 20‑118(b)(3),but the gross weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles does not exceedthat permitted by G.S. 20‑118(b)(3), the owner of the vehicle shall bepermitted to shift the load within the vehicle, without penalty, from one axleto another to comply with the weight limits in the following cases:

a.         Where the single‑axleload exceeds the statutory limits, but does not exceed 21,000 pounds.

b.         Where the vehicle orcombination of vehicles has tandem axles, but the tandem‑axle weight doesnot exceed 40,000 pounds.

(3)        When a vehicle isoperated in violation of G.S. 20‑118(b)(4) the owner of the vehicle shallbe permitted, without penalty, to shift the load within the vehicle from oneaxle to another to comply with the weight limits where the single‑axleweight does not exceed the posted limit by 2,500 pounds.

(4)        A truck or othermotor vehicle shall be exempt from such light‑traffic road limitationsprovided for pursuant to G.S. 20‑118(b)(4), when transporting supplies,material or equipment necessary to carry out a farming operation engaged in theproduction of meats and agricultural crops and livestock or poultry by‑productsor a business engaged in the harvest or processing of seafood when thedestination of such vehicle and load is located solely upon said light‑trafficroad.

(5)        The light‑trafficroad limitations provided for pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) of this section donot apply to a vehicle while that vehicle is transporting only the followingfrom its point of origin on a light‑traffic road to either one of the twonearest highways that is not a light‑traffic road:

a.         Processed orunprocessed seafood transported from boats or any other point of origin to aprocessing plant or a point of further distribution.

b.         Meats oragricultural crop products transported from a farm to first market.

c.         Forest productsoriginating and transported from a farm or from woodlands to first marketwithout interruption or delay for further packaging or processing afterinitiating transport.

d.         Livestock or poultrytransported from their point of origin to first market.

e.         Livestock by‑productsor poultry by‑products transported from their point of origin to arendering plant.

f.          Recyclable materialtransported from its point of origin to a scrap‑processing facility forprocessing. As used in this subpart, the terms "recyclable material"and "processing" have the same meaning as in G.S. 130A‑290(a).

g.         Garbage collected bythe vehicle from residences or garbage dumpsters if the vehicle is fullyenclosed and is designed specifically for collecting, compacting, and haulinggarbage from residences or from garbage dumpsters. As used in this subpart, theterm "garbage" does not include hazardous waste as defined in G.S.130A‑290(a), spent nuclear fuel regulated under G.S. 20‑167.1, low‑levelradioactive waste as defined in G.S. 104E‑5, or radioactive material asdefined in G.S. 104E‑5.

h.         Treated sludge collectedfrom a wastewater treatment facility.

i.          Apples whentransported from the orchard to the first processing or packing point.

j.          Trees grown asChristmas trees from the field, farm, stand, or grove to first processingpoint.

(6)        A truck or othermotor vehicle shall be exempt from such light‑traffic road limitationsprovided by G.S. 20‑118(b)(4) when such motor vehicles are owned,operated by or under contract to a public utility, electric or telephonemembership corporation or municipality and such motor vehicles are used inconnection with installation, restoration or emergency maintenance of utilityservices.

(7)        A wrecker may towany disabled truck or other motor vehicle or combination of vehicles to a placefor repairs,  parking, or storage within 50 miles from the point that thevehicle was disabled and may tow a truck, tractor, or other replacement vehicleto the site of the disabled vehicle without being in violation of G.S. 20‑118provided that the wrecker and towed vehicle or combination of vehiclesotherwise meet all requirements of this section.

(8)        A firefightingvehicle operated by any member of a municipal or rural fire department in theperformance of his duties, regardless of whether members of that firedepartment are paid or voluntary and any vehicle of a voluntary lifesavingorganization, when operated by a member of that organization while answering anofficial call shall be exempt from such light‑traffic road limitationsprovided by G.S. 20‑118(b)(4).

(9)        Repealed by SessionLaws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 12.

(10)      Fully enclosed motorvehicles designed specifically for collecting, compacting and hauling garbagefrom residences, or from garbage dumpsters shall, when operating for thosepurposes, be allowed a single axle weight not to exceed 23,500 pounds on thesteering axle on vehicles equipped with a boom, or on the rear axle on vehiclesloaded from the rear. This exemption shall not apply to vehicles operating oninterstate highways, vehicles transporting hazardous waste as defined in G.S.130A‑290(a)(8), spent nuclear fuel regulated under G.S. 20‑167.1,low‑level radioactive waste as defined in G.S. 104E‑5(9a), orradioactive material as defined in G.S. 104E‑5(14).

(11)      A truck or othermotor vehicle shall be exempt for light‑traffic road limitations issuedunder subdivision (b)(4) of this section when transporting heating fuel for on‑premisesuse at a destination located on the light‑traffic road.

(12)      Subsections (b) and(e) of this section do not apply to a vehicle that meets all of the conditionsset out below:

a.         Is haulingagricultural crops from the farm where the crop is grown to any market within150 miles of that farm.

b.         Repealed by SessionLaws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 13.

b1.       Does not operate onan interstate highway or exceed any posted bridge weight limits duringtransportation or hauling of agricultural products.

c.         Does not exceed asingle‑axle weight of 22,000 pounds, a tandem‑axle weight of 42,000pounds, or a gross weight of 90,000 pounds.

(13)      Vehicles specificallydesigned for fire fighting that are owned by a municipal or rural firedepartment. This exception does not apply to vehicles operating on interstatehighways.

(14)      Subsections (b) and(e) of this section do not apply to a vehicle that meets all of the conditionsbelow, but all other enforcement provisions of this Article remain applicable:

a.         Is haulingaggregates from a distribution yard or a State‑permitted production sitelocated within a North Carolina county contiguous to the North Carolina Stateborder to a destination in another state adjacent to that county as verified bya weight ticket in the driver's possession and available for inspection byenforcement personnel.

b.         Does not operate onan interstate highway or exceed any posted bridge weight limits.

c.         Does not exceed69,850 pounds gross vehicle weight and 53,850 pounds per axle grouping for tri‑axlevehicles. For purposes of this subsection, a tri‑axle vehicle is a singlepower unit vehicle with a three consecutive axle group on which the respectivedistance between any two consecutive axles of the group, measuredlongitudinally center to center to the nearest foot, does not exceed eightfeet. For purposes of this subsection, the tolerance provisions of subsection(h) of this section do not apply, and vehicles must be licensed in accordancewith G.S. 20‑88.

d.         Repealed by SessionLaws 2001‑487, s. 10, effective December 16, 2001.

(15)      Subsections (b) and(e) of this section do not apply to a vehicle or vehicle combination that meetsall of the conditions below, but all other enforcement provisions of thisArticle remain applicable:

a.         Is hauling woodresiduals, including wood chips, sawdust, mulch, or tree bark from any site; ishauling raw logs to first market; or is transporting bulk soil, bulk rock,sand, sand rock, or asphalt millings from a site that does not have a certifiedscale for weighing the vehicle.

b.         Does not operate onan interstate highway, a posted light‑traffic road, except as provided bysubdivision (c)(5) of this section, or exceed any posted bridge weight limits.

c.         Does not exceed amaximum gross weight 4,000 pounds in excess of what is allowed in subsection(b) of this section.

d.         Does not exceed asingle‑axle weight of more than 22,000 pounds and a tandem‑axleweight of more than 42,000 pounds.

(d)        The Department ofTransportation is authorized to abrogate certain exceptions. The exceptionsprovided for in G.S. 20‑118(c)(4) and 20‑118(c)(5) as applied toany light‑traffic road may be abrogated by the Department ofTransportation upon a determination of the Department of Transportation thatundue damage to such light‑traffic road is resulting from such vehiclesexempted by G.S. 20‑118(c)(4) and 20‑118(c)(5). In those caseswhere the exemption to the light‑traffic roads are abrogated by theDepartment of Transportation, the Department shall post the road to indicate noexemptions.

(e)        Penalties. –

(1)        Except as providedin subdivision (2) of this subsection, for each violation of the single‑axleor tandem‑axle weight limits set in subdivision (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(4)of this section or axle weights authorized by special permit according to G.S.20‑119(a), the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety shall assessa civil penalty against the owner or registrant of the vehicle in accordancewith the following schedule: for the first 1,000 pounds or any part thereof,four cents (4¢) per pound; for the next 1,000 pounds or any part thereof, sixcents (6¢) per pound; and for each additional pound, ten cents (10¢) per pound.These penalties apply separately to each weight limit violated. In all cases ofviolation of the weight limitation, the penalty shall be computed and assessedon each pound of weight in excess of the maximum permitted.

(2)        The penalty for aviolation of the single‑axle or tandem‑axle weight limits by avehicle that is transporting an item listed in subdivision (c)(5) of thissection is one‑half of the amount it would otherwise be under subdivision(1) of this subsection.

(3)        If an axle‑groupweight of a vehicle exceeds the weight limit set in subdivision (b)(3) of thissection plus any tolerance allowed in subsection (h) of this section or axle‑groupweights or gross weights authorized by special permit under G.S. 20‑119(a),the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety shall assess a civil penaltyagainst the owner or registrant of the motor vehicle. The penalty shall beassessed on the number of pounds by which the axle‑group weight exceedsthe limit set in subdivision (b)(3) of this section, or by a special permitissued pursuant to G.S. 20‑119, as follows: for the first 2,000 pounds orany part thereof, two cents (2¢) per pound; for the next 3,000 pounds or anypart thereof, four cents (4¢) per pound; for each pound in excess of 5,000pounds, ten cents (10¢) per pound. Tolerance pounds in excess of the limit setin subdivision (b)(3) are subject to the penalty if the vehicle exceeds thetolerance allowed in subsection (h) of this section. These penalties applyseparately to each axle‑group weight limit violated. Notwithstanding anyprovision to the contrary, a vehicle with a special permit that is subject toadditional penalties under this subsection based on a violation of any of thepermit restrictions set out in G.S. 20‑119(d1) shall be assessed a civilpenalty, not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), based on the number ofpounds by which the axle‑group weight exceeds the limit set insubdivision (b)(3) of this section.

(4)        The penalty for aviolation of an axle‑group weight limit by a vehicle that is transportingan item listed in subdivision (c)(5) of this section is one‑half of theamount it would otherwise be under subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(5)        A violation of aweight limit in this section or of a permitted weight under G.S. 20‑119is not punishable under G.S. 20‑176.

(6)        The penalty forviolating the gross weight or axle‑group weight by a dump truck or dumptrailer vehicle transporting bulk soil, bulk rock, sand, sand rock, or asphaltmillings intrastate from a site that does not have a certified scale forweighing the vehicle is one‑half of the amount it otherwise would beunder subdivisions (1) and (3) of this subsection.

(7)        The clear proceedsof all civil penalties, civil forfeitures, and civil fines that are collected bythe Department of Transportation pursuant to this section shall be remitted tothe Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C‑457.2.

(f)         Repealed bySession Laws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 15.

(g)        General Statutes 20‑118shall not be construed to permit the gross weight of any vehicle or combinationin excess of the safe load carrying capacity established by the Department ofTransportation on any bridge pursuant to G.S. 136‑72.

(h)        Tolerance. – Avehicle may exceed maximum and the inner axle‑group weight limitationsset forth in subdivision (b)(3) of this section by a tolerance of ten percent(10%). This exception does not authorize a vehicle to exceed either the single‑axleor tandem‑axle weight limitations set forth in subdivisions (b)(1) and(b)(2) of this section, or the maximum gross weight limit of 80,000 pounds.This exception does not apply to a vehicle exceeding posted bridge weightlimitations as posted under G.S. 136‑72 or to vehicles operating oninterstate highways. The tolerance allowed under this subsection does notauthorize the weight of a vehicle to exceed the weight for which that vehicleis licensed under G.S. 20‑88. No tolerance on the single‑axleweight or the tandem‑axle weight provided for in subdivisions (b)(1) and(b)(2) of this section shall be granted administratively or otherwise. TheDepartment of Transportation shall report back to the Transportation OversightCommittee and to the General Assembly on the effects of the tolerance grantedunder this section, any abuses of this tolerance, and any suggested revisionsto this section by that Department on or before May 1, 1998.

(i)         Repealed bySession Laws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 16.

(j)         Repealed bySession Laws 1987, c. 392.

(k)        A vehicle which isequipped with a self‑loading bed and which is designed and usedexclusively to transport compressed seed cotton from the farm to a cotton gin,or sage to market, may operate on the highways of the State, except interstatehighways, with a tandem‑axle weight not exceeding 50,000 pounds. Suchvehicles shall be exempt from light‑traffic road limitations only frompoint of origin on the light‑traffic road to the nearest State‑maintainedroad which is not posted to prohibit the transportation of statutory loadlimits. This exemption does not apply to restricted, posted bridge structures.  (1937, c. 407, s. 82; 1943,c. 213, s. 2; cc. 726, 784; 1945, c. 242, s. 2; c. 569, s. 2; c. 576, s. 7;1947, c. 1079; 1949, c. 1207, s. 2; 1951, c. 495, s. 2; c. 942, s. 1; c. 1013,ss. 5, 6, 8; 1953, cc. 214, 1092; 1959, c. 872; c. 1264, s. 6; 1963, c. 159; c.610, ss. 3‑5; c. 702, s. 5; 1965, cc. 483, 1044; 1969, c. 537; 1973, c.507, s. 5; c. 1449, ss. 1, 2; 1975, c. 325; c. 373, s. 2; c. 716, s. 5; c. 735;c. 736, ss. 1‑3; 1977, c. 461; c. 464, s. 34; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1178;1981, c. 690, ss. 27, 28; c. 726; c. 1127, s. 53.1; 1983, c. 407; c. 724, s. 1;1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1116, ss. 105‑109; 1985, c. 54; c. 274; 1987,c. 392; c. 707, ss. 1‑4; 1991, c. 202, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c.905, s. 1; 1993, c. 426, ss. 1, 2; c. 470, s. 1; c. 533, s. 11; 1993 (Reg.Sess., 1994), c. 761, ss. 10‑16; 1995, c. 109, s. 3; c. 163, s. 4; c.332, ss. 1‑3 ; c. 509, s. 135.1(b); 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 756, s.29; 1997‑354, s. 1; 1997‑373, s. 1; 1997‑466, s. 2; 1998‑149,ss. 8, 9, 9.1; 1998‑177, s.1; 1999‑452, s. 23; 2000‑57, s. 1; 2001‑487, ss. 10, 50(e);2002‑126, s. 26.16(a); 2004‑145, ss. 1, 2; 2005‑248, s. 1;2005‑276, s. 6.37(o); 2005‑361, s. 3; 2006‑135, s. 1; 2006‑264,s. 37; 2008‑221, ss. 7, 8, 9; 2009‑127, s. 2; 2009‑376, ss.6, 16(a), 16(b); 2009‑531, s. 1.)