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.

NOTES:

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.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 46.44 Contents