CHAPTER 4. GENERAL WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS
IC 9-20-4
Chapter 4. General Weight Restrictions
IC 9-20-4-1
Maximum weight restrictions; enforcement of limits
Sec. 1. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), a personmay not operate or cause to be operated upon an Indiana highway avehicle or combination of vehicles having weight in excess of one (1)or more of the following limitations:
(1) The total gross weight, with load, in pounds of any vehicleor combination of vehicles may not exceed an overall grossweight on a group of two (2) or more consecutive axlesproduced by application of the following formula:
W = 500 { [(LN) . (N-1)] + 12N + 36 }
where W equals the overall gross weight on any group of two(2) or more consecutive axles to the nearest five hundred (500)pounds, L equals the distance in feet between the extreme ofany group of two (2) or more consecutive axles, and N equalsthe number of axles in the group under consideration, exceptthat two (2) consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a grossload of thirty-four thousand (34,000) pounds each, providingthe overall distance between the first and last axles of theconsecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six (36) feet or more.The overall gross weight limit, calculated under thissubdivision, may not exceed eighty thousand (80,000) pounds.
(2) The weight concentrated on the roadway surface from anytandem axle group may not exceed the following:
(A) Thirty-four thousand (34,000) pounds total weight.
(B) Twenty thousand (20,000) pounds on an individual axlein a tandem group.
(3) A vehicle may not have a maximum wheel weight, unladenor with load, in excess of eight hundred (800) pounds per inchwidth of tire, measured between the flanges of the rim or anaxle weight in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) pounds.
(b) The enforcement of weight limits under this section is subjectto the following:
(1) It is lawful to operate within the scope of a permit, underweight limitations established by the Indiana department oftransportation and in effect on July 1, 1956, as provided inIC 9-20-6.
(2) It is lawful to operate or cause to be operated a vehicle orcombination of vehicles on a heavy duty highway or an extraheavy duty highway designated by the Indiana department oftransportation if operated within the imposed limitations.
(3) Subsection (a) does not apply to any highway, road, street,or bridge for which a lesser weight limit is imposed by localauthorities under IC 9-20-1-4 or IC 9-20-7-2. However, the localauthority may by appropriate action establish and designate acounty or city highway, road, or street or part of a highway,road, or street as a heavy duty highway subject to the weight
limitations established under IC 9-20-5.
(4) Vehicles operated on toll road facilities are subject to rulesof weight adopted for toll road facilities by the Indianadepartment of transportation under IC 8-15-2 and are notsubject to subsection (a) when operated on a toll road facility.
(5) For purposes of a heavy duty vehicle that is equipped withan auxiliary power unit, the weight limitations provided insubsection (a) are increased by four hundred (400) pounds.
(c) The greater of the weight limits imposed under subsection (a)or this subsection applies to vehicles operated upon an Indianahighway. The weight limits in effect on January 4, 1975, for anyhighway that is not designated as a heavy duty highway underIC 9-20-5 are the following:
(1) The total gross weight, with load, in pounds of a vehicle orcombination of vehicles may not exceed seventy-three thousandtwo hundred eighty (73,280) pounds.
(2) The total weight concentrated on the roadway surface froma tandem axle group may not exceed sixteen thousand (16,000)pounds for each axle of a tandem assembly.
(3) A vehicle may not have a maximum wheel weight, unladenor with load, in excess of eight hundred (800) pounds per inchwidth of tire, measured between the flanges of the rim, or anaxle weight greater than eighteen thousand (18,000) pounds.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.65-2010, SEC.3.
IC 9-20-4-2
Farm commodities; transportation from place of production tofirst point of delivery; limited exemption
Sec. 2. (a) Section 1 of this chapter relating to vehicle weight,IC 9-30 assessing a penalty for transporting a load in excess of theregistered limit of the load for the transporting vehicle, and IC 9-30prohibiting a person from moving a transported vehicle with anexcess load until a penalty is paid do not apply to a vehicle orcombination of vehicles that transports farm commodities from theplace of production to the first point of delivery where thecommodities are weighed and title to the commodities is transferredif the weight of the vehicle with load or combination of vehicles withload does not exceed the gross weight limit by more than ten percent(10%).
(b) The exemption in subsection (a) does not apply to thefollowing:
(1) Weight limits imposed for bridges or sections of highwaysunder IC 9-20-1-4.
(2) A vehicle operated on any part of an interstate highway.
(c) For purposes of this section, "farm commodities" includeslogs, wood chips, bark, sawdust, and bulk milk. The exemptions thatapply to vehicles that transport farm commodities under subsection(a) apply to the transportation of wood chips, bark, and sawdust at alltimes if the weight of the vehicle with load does not exceed either thegross weight limit or the axle weight limit by more than ten percent
(10%).
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.100-1991, SEC.2.
IC 9-20-4-3
Violation of load limitations; registered weight of vehicle;assessment of penalty; Class C infraction
Sec. 3. (a) The gross weight declared by an applicant in anapplication for registration under this title determines and fixes thelimit of the load, including the unladen weight of the vehicle orcombination of vehicles fully equipped for service, that may betransported by a vehicle or combination of vehicles on the highwaysfor the period for which the registration or license is granted. Exceptas provided in subsection (b), the transportation of a load on aregistered and licensed vehicle or combination of vehicles in excessof the limit fixed in the application for registration subjects theperson violating a provision of this title to the penalty provisions inthis title or to the revocation of the license for the vehicle, or both.
(b) Because of the various types of scales used and the variancein scale weights, a penalty may not be assessed if the actual scaleweight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles with load does notexceed one and one-half percent (1 1/2%) of the registered weight ofthe vehicle or combination of vehicles, including load.
(c) A person who violates this section commits a Class Cinfraction. In addition, the person shall pay the difference betweenthe fee paid for registration of the vehicle and the fee for theregistration of the vehicle plus a maximum load of a weight equal tothe excess load being transported. Until the fee is paid, the persontransporting the excess load is not permitted to move the transportingvehicle.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.8.
IC 9-20-4-4
Administration by department of state revenue
Sec. 4. The department of state revenue shall administer thischapter.
As added by P.L.61-1996, SEC.22.