(A) For the purpose of this section the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(1) VEHICLE. Any single vehicle when not in combination, or any combination of vehicles, as defined in R.C. § 4501.01.
(B) The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any vehicle, load, object, or structure operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by § 71.60.
(C) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon a road surface that is part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed and of the following weight limitations:
(1) On any axle, 20,000 pounds;
(2) On any tandem axle, 34,000 pounds
(3) On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in division (D) of this section.
(D) For purposes of division (C)(3) of this section, the maximum gross weight on any two or more consecutive axles shall be determined by application of the following formula:
W = 500((LN/N-1) + 12N + 36)
In this formula, W equals the overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds, 1 equals the distance rounded whole in feet between the extreme of any group of two or more consecutive axles, and N equals the number of axles in the group under consideration. However, two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.
(E) Except as provided in division (I) of this section, the weight of vehicle and load imposed upon a road surface that is not part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:
(1) On any one axle, 20,000 pounds;
(2) On any two successive axles:
(a) Spaced four feet or less apart, and weighed simultaneously, 24,000 pounds;
(b) Spaced more than four feet apart, and weighed simultaneously, 34,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds per foot or fraction thereof, over four feet, not to exceed 40,000 pounds.
(3) On any three successive load-bearing axles designed to equalize the load between such axles and spaced so that each such axle of the three-axle group is more than four feet from the next axle in the three-axle group and so that the spacing between the first axle and the third axle of the three-axle group is no more than nine feet, and with such load-bearing three-axle group weighed simultaneously as a unit:
(a) Forty-eight thousand pounds with the total weight of vehicle and load not exceeding 38,000 pounds plus an additional 900 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle:
(b) As an alternative to division (E)(3)(a) of this section, 42,500 pounds, if part of a six-axle vehicle combination with at least 20 feet of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle, with the total weight of vehicle and load not exceeding 54,000 pounds plus an additional 600 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle.
(4) The total weight of vehicle and load utilizing any combination of axles, other than as provided for three-axle groups in this division, shall not exceed 38,000 pounds plus an additional 900 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and rearmost axle of the vehicle.
(F) Notwithstanding divisions (C)and (E) of this section, the maximum overall gross weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(G) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a vehicle is towing another vehicle, such drawbar or other connection shall be of a length such as will limit the spacing between nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of 12 feet and six inches.
(H) As used in division (C) of this section, TANDEM AXLE means two or more consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.
(I) This section does not apply to passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional transit authority pursuant to R.C. §§ 306.30 through 306.54.
(J) Either division (C) or (E) of this section applies to the weight of a vehicle and its load imposed upon any road surface that is not a part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires. As between divisions (C) and (E) of this section, only the division that yields the highest total gross vehicle weight limit shall be applied to any such vehicle. Once that division is determined, only the limits contained in the subdivisions of that division shall apply to that vehicle.
(R.C. § 5577.04)
(K) Whoever violates the weight provisions of this section shall be fined $25 for the first 2,000 pounds, or fraction thereof, of overload; for overloads in excess of 2,000 pounds, but not in excess of 5,000 pounds, the person shall be fined $25 and in addition thereto $1 per 100 pounds of overload; for overloads in excess of 5,000 pounds, but not in excess of 10,000 pounds, the person shall be fined $25 and in addition thereto $2 per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both. For all overloads in excess of 10,000 pounds the person shall be fined $25, and in addition thereto $2 per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both. Whoever violates the weight provisions of vehicle and load relating to gross load limits shall be fined not less than $100. No penalty prescribed herein shall be imposed on any vehicle combination if the overload on any axle does not exceed 100 pounds, and if the immediately preceding or following axle, excepting the front axle of the vehicle combination, is underloaded by the same or a greater amount. For purposes of this division, two axles on one vehicle less than eight feet apart, shall be considered as one axle.
(1) Whoever violates any other provision of this section shall be fined not more than $25 for a first offense; for a second offense within one year thereafter, the person shall be fined not less than $10 nor more than $100, or imprisoned not more than ten days, or both; for a third or subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, the person shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $200, or imprisoned not more than 30 days, or both.
(R.C. § 5577.99(A), (B))