Truck weight limits
West Virginia
✓ Sources verifiedEditorial review pending credentialed reviewer2 primary sources
West Virginia carries the lowest default gross limit in the country: 65,000 lb statewide. The familiar 80,000 lb figure applies only on the Interstate system and on routes providing reasonable access to terminals and facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest. Axle limits follow the federal 20,000 and 34,000. The width section is drafted oddly — a 96-inch rule immediately followed by a blanket 102-inch allowance on any highway.
At a glance
Max gross weight65,000 lb
Max single axle20,000 lb
Max tandem axle34,000 lb
Permit (width)102 in
Permit (height)13.5 ft
vs. federal gross-15,000 lb
1 Limits and thresholds
| Property | Value | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Max gross weight | 65,000 lb[1]Default statewide limit — the lowest in the country. 80,000 lb applies only on the Interstate system and reasonable-access routes. | § 17C-17-9 |
| Max single axle | 20,000 lb[1] | § 17C-17-8(a) |
| Max tandem axle | 34,000 lb[1]Two consecutive tandem sets at 34,000 lb each when spaced 36 ft or more. | § 17C-17-8a(a) |
| Oversize permit above (width) | 102 in[1]The section states a 96 in rule then allows 102 in on any highway; 102 in is the operative limit. | § 17C-17-2(a) |
| Oversize permit above (height) | 13.5 ft[1] | § 17C-17-4(a) |
| CDL disqualification — first major | 1 year for a first conviction while operating a CMV or a non-CMV; 3 years if operating a CMV transporting placarded hazardous materials. Applies to alcohol/controlled-substance influence, 0.04+ BAC in a CMV, test refusal, leaving the scene, using the vehicle in a felony, driving while disqualified, and causing a fatality by negligent operation.[2]Federal floor. A state may impose longer periods but may not go below this; verify state law before relying on it. | § 383.51(b), Table 1 |
| CDL disqualification — lifetime | Life for a second conviction of any combination of the Table 1 major offences in a separate incident. A state MAY reinstate after 10 years following an approved rehabilitation programme — § 383.51(a)(6) — but not after a subsequent disqualifying conviction. Felony manufacture/distribution of a controlled substance, and severe forms of human trafficking, draw life with NO 10-year reinstatement.[2]Federal floor. The 10-year reinstatement is permissive — states are not required to offer it. | § 383.51(a)(6), (b) Table 1 items (9)–(10) |
2 Sources
- W. Va. Code §§ 17C-17-2, 17C-17-4, 17C-17-8, 17C-17-8a, 17C-17-9 — West Virginia Legislature
- 49 CFR § 383.51 — Disqualification of drivers — U.S. Government Publishing Office
Review record
Every figure above was transcribed from the primary source cited beside it and carries a pinpoint locator. Editorial review by a credentialed reviewer is pending.