2016 Arkansas Code
Title 27 - Transportation
Subtitle 3 - Motor Vehicles and Their Equipment
Chapter 35 - Size and Load Regulations
Subchapter 2 - -- Weights and Dimensions
§ 27-35-203. Single and tandem axle load limits

(a) Maximum Single Axle Load. The total gross load imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one (1) single axle of a vehicle shall not exceed twenty thousand pounds (20,000 lbs.).

(b) (1) Maximum Tandem Axle Load. The total gross load imposed on the highway by two (2) or more consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than forty inches (40'') and not more than ninety-six inches (96'') apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle, shall not exceed thirty-four thousand pounds (34,000 lbs.).

(2) No one (1) axle of any such group of two (2) or more consecutive axles shall exceed the load permitted for a single axle.

(c) (1) Maximum Weight on Front or Steering Axle. The maximum weight imposed on the highway by the front or steering axle of a vehicle shall not exceed the amount of the manufacturer's axle weight rating for the front or steering axle or twenty thousand pounds (20,000 lbs.), whichever is less. If the vehicle has no plate attached by the manufacturer providing the axle and gross weight ratings, the maximum weight allowed for the front or steering axle shall be twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.).

(2) The combined maximum weight imposed on the highway by a front or steering axle and any adjacent axle whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than forty inches (40'') and not more than ninety-six inches (96'') apart shall not exceed twenty-four thousand pounds (24,000 lbs.).

(3) A "front or steering axle", for the purposes of this subsection, shall be defined as an axle attached to the front of the vehicle and which is utilized to steer the vehicle on a given path or direction.

(d) (1) Subject to the limit upon the weight imposed upon the highway through any one (1) axle as set forth in subsections (a)-(c) of this section, no vehicle, or combination of vehicles, shall be operated upon the highways of this state when the gross weight is in excess of eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(2) Greater gross weights than permitted may be authorized by special permit issued by competent authority as authorized by law, or lesser gross weights will be required when highways are posted.

(e) (1) No vehicle, or combination of vehicles, shall operate upon any highway in this state when the total gross load imposed on the highway by the wheels of any one (1) single axle of such vehicle or combination exceeds eighteen thousand pounds (18,000 lbs.), nor when the total gross load imposed on the highway by two (2) or more consecutive axles of any such vehicle or combination of vehicles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than forty inches (40'') and not more than ninety-six inches (96'') apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle or combination of vehicles, exceeds thirty-two thousand pounds (32,000 lbs.), nor when the total gross weight of the vehicle, or combination of vehicles thereof, is in excess of seventy-three thousand two hundred eighty pounds (73,280 lbs.) unless the vehicle, or combination thereof, shall not exceed the value given in Table I corresponding to the distance in feet between the extreme axles of the group, measured longitudinally to the nearest foot.

Table I

(2) (A) If the Federal Highway Administration or the United States Congress prescribes or adopts vehicle size or weight limits greater than those prescribed by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which limits exceed, in full or in part, the provisions of subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section, the State Highway Commission shall adopt size and weight limits comparable to those prescribed or adopted by the Federal Highway Administration or the United States Congress and shall authorize the limits to be used by owners or operators of vehicles while the vehicles are using highways within this state.

(B) No vehicle size or weight limit so adopted by the commission shall be less in any respect than those provided for in subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section.

(f) (1) (A) Vehicles, or a combination of vehicles, transporting products commonly recognized in interstate commerce at gross weights exceeding seventy-three thousand two hundred eighty pounds (73,280 lbs.) shall be permitted direct access across any highway in this state to or from the nearest federal interstate highway or the nearest state primary highway.

(B) Vehicles, or combinations thereof, shall be subject to the limits set forth in subsections (a)-(e) and (g) of this section.

(2) Where more than one (1) highway in this state affords access to or from the point of shipment or receipt within this state, the commission may designate the access route to or from the nearest federal interstate highway or state-designated primary highway.

(g) (1) (A) Vehicles, or combinations of vehicles, which vehicles or combinations of vehicles have a total outside width in excess of one hundred two inches (102'') but not exceeding one hundred eight inches (108'') used for hauling compacted seed cotton from the farm to the first point at which such seed cotton shall first undergo any processing, preparation for processing, or transformation from its compacted state shall be permitted an eight thousand pounds (8,000 lbs.) per axle variance above the maximum allowable gross axle weight for single and tandem axles set forth in subsections (a) and (b) and subdivision (c)(1) of this section; provided, no such variance for such vehicles from the formula prescribed in subsection (e) of this section, nor from the axle weight nor overall maximum gross weight shall be allowable on federal interstate highways. Provided, further, no vehicle or combination of vehicles permitted the above axle variance, which vehicle or combination of vehicles has only three (3) axles, shall exceed a maximum overall gross weight of seventy thousand pounds (70,000 lbs.) and no such vehicle or combination of vehicles permitted the above axle variance, which vehicle or combination of vehicles has four (4) or more axles, shall exceed a maximum overall gross weight of eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(B) Vehicles, or combinations of vehicles, with five (5) axles and used exclusively by the owner of livestock or poultry for hauling animal feed to the owner's livestock or poultry for consumption in this state shall be permitted an eight percent (8%) variance above the allowable gross weight whenever the formula in subsection (e) of this section is applied to the vehicle or combination of vehicles. A maximum gross weight, including any allowable variance or tolerance, shall not exceed eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(C) Vehicles, or combinations of vehicles, used exclusively for hauling solid waste, as defined by regulations promulgated by the commission, shall be permitted an eight percent (8%) variance above the allowable gross weight whenever the formula in subsection (e) of this section is applied to the vehicle or combination of vehicles. However, the maximum gross weight, including any allowable variance or tolerance, shall not exceed eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(2) (A) Vehicles, or a combination of vehicles, meeting all of the requirements of subdivision (g)(1)(B) or subdivision (g)(1)(C) of this section shall not be required to meet the tandem axle load limits of subsection (b) of this section if the vehicles, or combinations thereof, do not exceed the allowable gross weight permitted by the formula in subsection (e) of this section, plus any variance, and do not exceed a gross weight of eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(B) (i) No tandem axle on any vehicle, or a combination of vehicles, meeting all of the requirements of subdivision (g)(1)(B) or subdivision (g)(1)(C) of this section shall exceed thirty-six thousand five hundred pounds (36,500 lbs.) under this subsection.

(ii) No variance on gross weight or axle shall be permitted on federal interstate highways.

(iii) When a violation of this subsection occurs, fines and penalties to be assessed for vehicles otherwise meeting the requirements of subdivision (g)(1)(B) or subdivision (g)(1)(C) of this section shall be computed only on the basis of the excess weight over and above the maximum weight for which the vehicle qualifies under the formula prescribed in subsection (e) of this section plus an eight percent (8%) variance.

(iv) When a violation of this subsection occurs, fines and penalties to be assessed for vehicles otherwise meeting the requirements of subdivision (g)(1)(A) of this section shall be computed only on the basis of the excess weight over and above seventy thousand pounds (70,000 lbs.), including the variance, for a three-axle vehicle, or combination of vehicles, and only on the basis of the excess weight over and above eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.), including the variance, for a vehicle, or combination of vehicles, with four (4) or more axles.

(h) (1) When any axle, including any enforcement tolerance, is overloaded, but the total weight of all axles, including the steering axle, does not exceed the maximum total weight allowed for all axles, including the steering axle, the operator shall be permitted to unload a portion of the load or to shift the load if this will not overload some other axle, without being charged with violating this section and without being required to pay the penalties provided by law.

(2) The maximum axle load provided for in this section is subject to reduction as provided in §§ 27-35-101 -- 27-35-103.

(i) (1) A truck tractor and single semi-trailer combination with five (5) axles hauling sand, gravel, rock, or crushed stone and vehicles or combinations of vehicles with five (5) axles hauling unfinished and unprocessed farm products, forest products, or other products of the soil shall be exempt from the federal bridge formula found in subsection (e) of this section on noninterstate highways in this state.

(2) (A) A truck tractor and single semi-trailer combination with five (5) axles hauling sand, gravel, rock, or crushed stone shall comply with a tandem axle limit of thirty-four thousand pounds (34,000 lbs.) and a single axle limit of twenty thousand pounds (20,000 lbs.) provided that the total gross weight shall not exceed eighty thousand pounds (80,000 lbs.).

(B) Vehicles, or combinations of vehicles, with five (5) axles hauling unfinished and unprocessed farm products, forest products, or other products of the soil shall comply with a tandem axle limit of thirty-six thousand five hundred pounds (36,500 lbs.) and a single axle limit of twenty thousand pounds (20,000 lbs.) provided that the total gross weight shall not exceed eighty-five thousand pounds (85,000 lbs.).

(C) Provided, no tandem axle shall exceed thirty-four thousand pounds (34,000 lbs.) while operated on the federal interstate highways of this state.

(3) No vehicle, or combination of vehicles, meeting all of the requirements of this subsection, shall be allowed any variance on overall gross weight or axle weight while operating on the federal interstate highways.