(A) For the purpose of this section the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
VEHICLE. Any single vehicle when not in combination, or any combination of vehicles, as defined in R.C. § 4501.01.
(R.C. § 5577.01)
(B) Vehicles with pneumatic tires, load limits.
(1) 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 division (A) of this section.
(2) The weight of the vehicle and load imposed upon a road surface that is part of the interstate system by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:
(a) On any one axle, 20,000 pounds;
(b) On any tandem axle, 34,000 pounds;
(c) On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in division (B)(3) of this section.
(3) (a) For purposes of division (B)(2)(c) 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]
(b) 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 in rounded whole 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.
(4) Except as provided in division (B)(9) 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:
(a) On any one axle, 20,000 pounds.
(b) On any two successive axles:
1. Spaced four feet or less apart, and weighed simultaneously, 24,000 pounds;
2. 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.
(c) 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 in the three-axle group is no more than nine feet, and with such load-bearing three-axle group weighed simultaneously as a unit:
1. 48,000 pounds, with the total weight of the 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;
2. As an alternative to division (B)(4)(c)1. 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 the vehicle and load not exceeding 54,000 pounds plus an additional 600 pounds per each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle.
(d) The total weight of the vehicle and load utilizing any combination of axles, other than as provided for three-axle groups in division (B)(4) of this section, shall not exceed 38,000 pounds plus an additional 900 pounds for each foot of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axle of the vehicle.
(5) Notwithstanding divisions (B)(2) and (B)(4) of this section, the maximum overall gross weight of a vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(6) 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 12½ feet.
(7) As used in division (B)(2) 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.
(8) This division (B) does not apply to passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional transit authority pursuant to R.C. §§ 306.30 through 306.54.
(9) Either division (B)(2) or (B)(4) 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 (B)(2) and (B)(4) 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 has been determined, only the limits contained in the subdivisions of that division shall apply to that vehicle.
(R.C. § 5577.04)
(C) Axle and wheel load, gross weights and towing connection length for solid rubber tires.
(1) No vehicle, load, object or structure having a maximum axle load greater than 16,000 pounds when such vehicle is equipped with solid rubber tires shall be operated or moved upon the improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts. The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of such vehicle shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of tire, measured as prescribed by division (A) of this section, nor shall any solid tire or rubber or other resilient material, on any wheel of any such vehicle, be less than one inch thick when measure from the top of the flanges of the tire channel.
(2) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by any two successive axles, spaces four feet or less apart, shall not exceed 19,000 pounds for solid tires; or by any two successive axles spaced more than four feet but less than eight feet apart, shall not exceed 24,000 pounds for solid tires; or by any two successive axles, spaced eight feet or more apart, shall not exceed 28,000 pounds for solid tires; nor shall the total weight of vehicle and load exceed, for solid rubber tires, 28,000 pounds plus an additional 600 pounds for each foot or fraction thereof of spacing between the front axle and the rear-most axle of the vehicle; nor shall the weight of the vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by any vehicle equipped with solid rubber tires exceed 80% of the permissible weight of vehicle and load as provided for pneumatic tires.
(3) 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 the nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of 12½ feet. If the provisions of this division (C) are held to exceed the weight limitations or other provisions set forth in the “Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1958,” 72 Stat. 902, 23 U.S.C. 127, this division (C) shall become null and void to the extent of such inconsistency.
(R.C. § 5577.041)
(D) Penalties.
(1) Whoever violates this section shall be fined not more than $25 for a first offense; for a second offense within one year thereafter, such 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, such 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(C))
(2) Whoever violates the weight provisions of this section shall be punished as set forth in § 74.55(B).
(E) Modification of load limits. The load limits established in this section may be modified or waived upon special permission granted as provided in R.C. § 4513.34 or a substantially similar municipal ordinance.