Axle weight calculator: truck and trailer load distribution
Axle weight = the empty axle weight plus the load's share by lever arms: on a semi-trailer the trailer axles carry W × e ÷ T and the kingpin the rest, which the tractor splits between front and drive axle by the fifth-wheel position (K × v ÷ L to the front). In the UK a driving axle may carry 11,500 kg, a non-driving axle 10,000 kg and a tri-axle 24,000 kg (21,000 kg at 1.3 m spacing or less), and 44 tonnes needs six axles. In Logistivo the pallet lines, the stop order and the tractor and trailer of a load can sit together, so this check can be made before the truck is loaded.
Source: legislation.gov.uk · GOV.UK — DVSA / Department for Transport · EUR-Lex · Bundesministerium der Justiz — gesetze-im-internet.de · Overheid.nl — wetten.overheid.nl · Légifrance · Normattiva · BOE · ISAP — Sejm RP · Portal legislativ — Ministerul Justiției · Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi · Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü Trafik Başkanlığı · RDW.
Data last updated:
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Axle weights of your rig, drawn to scale
Axle weights of your rig, drawn to scale — Slide the load along the deck and see each axle, the kingpin and the gross weight against the legal limit — at departure and after every drop.
An estimate by moment balance from your empty-rig weighbridge ticket and the loading plan — a planning aid, not a weighbridge. Every limit it applies is listed below with its source; the lower of the legal limit and your registration value binds.
2-axle tractor with 3-axle semi-trailer (5 axles) — The common European artic: a steer axle, one driven axle and a tri-axle semi-trailer.
3-axle tractor with 3-axle semi-trailer (6 axles) — A tractor with a driven axle and a tag or mid-lift axle; the tool shares the rear tandem equally.
2-axle rigid truck — A box or curtain body on a 2-axle chassis, for example an 18-tonne rigid.
Wheelbase — Front axle to drive axle; for a 6×2 tractor to the centre of the rear tandem. Registration code M, in mm.
Fifth-wheel lead — How far the kingpin sits ahead of the drive axle (6×2: ahead of the tandem centre). Negative if it sits behind.
Rear tandem spacing — Drive axle to tag or mid-lift axle (6×2 only).
Front wall → kingpin — From the front wall of the load space back to the kingpin.
Kingpin → trailer axle centre — To the middle axle of the tri-axle.
Trailer axle spacing — Most limits change at 1.30 m and 1.40 m.
Load space length — Inside length of the trailer, for example 13.6 m.
Body length — Inside length of the box or curtain body.
Front axle → body front wall — From the centre of the front axle back to the front wall of the body.
Trailer unladen mass — Registration code G. Used only for the kingpin check: the empty trailer's kingpin share = unladen mass − trailer axles empty.
Kingpin, maximum load — From the trailer's registration or plate.
How the calculator works — Plain statics: every vehicle is a beam on two supports, and every load block acts at its centre of gravity.
Semi-trailer: kingpin and axle group carry the load — Trailer axles = Σ w·e ÷ T · Kingpin = Σ w − trailer axles — Each block of weight w acts at its middle; e is its distance behind the kingpin and T the distance from the kingpin to the centre of the axle group. A block behind the axle centre (e greater than T) lifts load off the kingpin. — Static equilibrium, moments about the kingpin
Tractor: the fifth wheel splits the kingpin load — Front += K·v ÷ L · Drive += K·(L − v) ÷ L — v is how far the kingpin sits ahead of the drive axle (fifth-wheel lead), L the wheelbase. Moving the fifth wheel forward puts more of the kingpin load on the front axle. — Static equilibrium, moments about the drive axle
Rigid truck — Rear += Σ w·x ÷ L · Front = Σ w − rear share — x is the distance from the front axle to the block's centre of gravity: front axle to the body's front wall, plus the block's position in the body. — Static equilibrium, moments about the front axle
Empty weights come from the scale — Axle weight = empty reading + cargo share — Weigh the coupled, empty rig axle by axle, fuelled and with the driver on board. The kingpin check needs the trailer's unladen mass: its kingpin share is the unladen mass minus the empty trailer-axle reading. — Method of this calculator
Axle groups share equally — Within a tri-axle, and within a 6×2 tractor's rear tandem, the load is split equally between the axles (load-equalising suspension). A raised lift axle changes the picture: the remaining axles carry its share. For a 6×2 tractor the split between the driven and the tag axle depends on the suspension, so the 25 % drive-axle rule is not evaluated for it. — Assumption of this calculator
Which limit binds — Limit = min(legal limit, registration value) — The legal limit comes from the selected country; the registration value is the technically permissible axle load declared by the manufacturer (on the EU registration certificate, codes N.1 to N.5 where filled in). Neither may be exceeded. — Directive 1999/37/EC, Annex I, codes M and N
Axle-safe window for the centre of gravity — Axle load(Δ) = axle load + slope × Δ — Moving the whole load by Δ metres changes every axle load along a straight line, so each limit gives one boundary for the load's centre of gravity. Their overlap is the green window on the deck; if there is none, the load has to be reduced. — Method of this calculator
Every stop is recalculated — Each block has an unloading stop. After a stop the calculator removes what was unloaded and recalculates the rest where it stands — unloading the rear first moves the remaining centre of gravity forward. — Method of this calculator
Drive-axle share in EU international traffic — Driven axle(s) ≥ 25 % × gross weight — Required for international traffic by Directive 96/53/EC and, among the countries here, for German cross-border traffic, in Spain, in Poland and on Romanian roads in international traffic. — Directive 96/53/EC, Annex I, 4.1
What does the calculator check?
Front axle — Against the single non-driven axle limit of the selected country (10,000 kg in the EU and the UK; France and Italy cap the most loaded axle at 13 t and 12 t) and your registration value, which is usually lower.
Drive axle — 11,500 kg in the UK, EU cross-border traffic, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Türkiye and on Romania's rehabilitated roads; 12,000 kg in Spain and Italy; 13,000 kg in France (12,000 kg above 40 t); 10,000 kg on Romania's non-rehabilitated roads.
Trailer tri-axle — By axle spacing: 21 t up to 1.30 m and 24 t above it (the EU up to 1.40 m); 27 t in Spain (1.30–1.40 m), in Poland (1.40–1.80 m) and in the Netherlands on air suspension; France and Italy per axle.
Kingpin — Against the trailer's maximum kingpin load from its registration — a technical value, not a traffic-law limit.
Gross weight — 40 t for five or six axles in EU cross-border traffic; 44 t with six axles in the UK, under the national rules of Italy and Spain and for transport entirely within France; 50 t as the Dutch national default.
Drive-axle share — At least 25 % of the gross weight on the driven axle where the selected rules require it.
Every stop — The same checks after each drop, because the axle weights change when part of the load leaves.
For scale: what the Dutch vehicle register shows — Median values from the public RDW register — useful to sanity-check your own figures.
2-axle tractor units — In a sample of 3,134 2-axle tractor units first registered in the Netherlands since 2021 the median wheelbase is 3.80 m and the median unladen mass 7,978 kg. RDW open data, queried 27-09-2026
Front axle: the registration binds first — The most common technically permissible front-axle load is 8,000 kg (1,703 of 3,134 tractors), followed by 7,500 kg (1,024) — well below the 10,000 kg legal limit for a single non-driven axle. RDW open data (axles), queried 27-09-2026
Drive axle: the law binds first — The median technically permissible drive-axle load is 13,000 kg, while the legal value in the register is 11,500 kg. RDW open data (axles), queried 27-09-2026
3-axle curtainsider semi-trailers — Among 3,807 registered since 2021: median unladen mass 6,915 kg; axle spacing 1.31 m on 2,115 of the 2,307 with a recorded spacing; 9,000 kg technical per axle, i.e. 27,000 kg per tri-axle — while EU cross-border rules allow 24,000 kg at 1.31 m; median maximum kingpin load 14,000 kg; 808 have a lift axle. RDW open data, queried 27-09-2026
Loading metre calculator — Will the load fit the trailer and its weight regime?
How many pallets fit in a container? — Floor plan and payload for 20 ft, 40 ft and trailers.
VGM calculator — Verified gross mass of a packed container, method 1 and 2.
Truck toll calculator Europe — Toll per km by country for the route.
Load securing calculator — Straps, blocking and tipping for the same load (EN 12195-1).
Keep what this check needs on the load itself — in Logistivo — Axle weights depend on three things you can keep on a load in Logistivo: the pallet lines with kg per pallet, the order of the stops and the tractor and trailer that carry it. Plan the drops there and this check starts from real numbers.
Load management — Pallet lines with kg per pallet on part-load requests, multi-stop loads and groupage with an optimised stop order. — /en/load-management
Fleet for carriers — Tractors and trailers as separate vehicles, created from a registration photo; inspection and tachograph dates in a fortnightly e-mail. — /en/carrier
Warehouse — Pallets measured with the phone, with the weight on the pallet record. — /en/warehouse-management
A planning estimate from statics, not a weighing. Real axle weights also depend on how the suspension shares a group, the fuel level, load shifting in transit and the scale's accuracy. Only a weighbridge or on-board weighing gives the figure that counts at a check; the limits listed here were compared with the official texts on 27 September 2026.
What is the maximum axle weight for a truck in the UK and Europe?
What is the maximum axle weight for a truck in the UK and Europe? — The values the calculator uses, country by country. Click a card to apply its limits above; your vehicle's registration values come first where they are lower.
EU EU cross-border traffic — Council Directive 96/53/EC, Annex I — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 24 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — Guaranteed for international traffic between Member States; national rules may allow more on domestic trips. Intermodal transport of containers or swap bodies up to 45 ft: 42 t with a 2-axle tractor and 3-axle semi-trailer, 44 t with a 3-axle tractor. — Directive 96/53/EC, Annex I, points 2.2.2, 3.1–3.5 and 4.1
DE Germany — StVZO § 34 — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 24 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — The technically permissible axle load also caps the permitted one (§ 34 (2)–(3)). Cross-border: at least 25 % on the driven axle(s) (§ 34 (8)). 44 t only for intermodal container or swap-body transport; alternative drives +1 t and zero-emission vehicles +2 t on the gross weight (§ 34 (5b), (6a)). — StVZO § 34 (4)–(8)
NL Netherlands (domestic) — Regeling voertuigen, art. 5.18.17a–f — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Each axle of a tri-axle: d < 1.30 m: 7 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 8 t (9 t on air suspension) — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 50 t — Values in the Dutch vehicle register come first; the defaults shown apply when none are registered or the vehicle is registered abroad. A combination may weigh 50,000 kg at most, also capped by five times the permitted load on the driven axle(s), the technical maximum and engine power ÷ 0.002 kW/kg. — Regeling voertuigen art. 5.18.17b, 5.18.17d and 5.18.17e (version of 1 July 2026)
FR France (domestic) — Code de la route, R312-4 to R312-6 — Most heavily loaded axle: 13 t · 12 t above 40 t gross — Each axle of a tri-axle: 7.35 t below 0.90 m, plus 0.35 t per full 5 cm from 0.90 to 1.35 m (10.15 t at 1.31 m); 10.5 t from 1.35 to 1.80 m — Tri-axle above 40 t gross: 27 t — Tractor tandem: 13.15 t below 0.90 m, plus 0.65 t per full 5 cm above 0.90 m (at least 16 t from 1.00 m), 19 t from 1.35 to 1.80 m; the driven axle may then carry 11.5 t — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 44 t — 2-axle rigid: 19 t — Any axle may carry 13 t, but 12 t when the vehicle runs above 40 t, and a tri-axle then at most 27 t. 44 t applies to transport entirely within France; cross-border 40 t. The calculator counts only full 5-cm steps. — Code de la route art. R312-4, R312-5 and R312-6
IT Italy — Codice della strada, art. 62 — Most heavily loaded axle: 12 t — Two adjacent axles: d < 1.00 m: 12 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 2.00 m: 20 t — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 44 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — There is no separate drive-axle value: the most heavily loaded axle may carry 12 t, two adjacent axles 12 t, 16 t or 20 t together depending on spacing. The calculator applies the pair limit to neighbouring axles of the tri-axle (equal sharing gives 10 t per axle at 1.31 m). — D.Lgs. 285/1992, art. 62, paragraphs 3–6
ES Spain — Reglamento General de Vehículos, annex IX — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 12 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 27 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 12 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 44 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — Driven axle 12 t, tri-axle 27 t for spacings above 1.30 m up to 1.40 m, articulated vehicles with five or more axles 44 t; at least 25 % of the gross weight on the driven axle(s). Intermodal operations: up to 2 t more on the combination. — RD 2822/1998, annex IX, tables 1 and 2 and point 2.1.7
PL Poland — Regulation on vehicle technical conditions, § 3 and § 5 — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 24 t · 1.40 m < d ≤ 1.80 m: 27 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d ≤ 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — Tri-axle 21 t up to 1.30 m, 24 t up to 1.40 m and 27 t up to 1.80 m; with different spacings in one group the smallest counts. At least 25 % of the actual gross weight on the driven axle(s); the permitted values never exceed the manufacturer's. — Dz.U. 2024 item 502, § 3 (1), (2) and (6), § 5 (1), (3) and (4)
RO Romania — rehabilitated roads — OG 43/1997, annex 2 (column R) — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 24 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — Romania sets limits per road category; on rehabilitated roads the EU values apply. Fines start above 4 % over an axle limit and 5 % over the gross weight. — OG 43/1997, annex 2, points 2–4, and art. 61
RO Romania — non-rehabilitated roads — OG 43/1997, annex 2 (column NR) — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 10 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 22 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 10 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 15 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 17 t (18 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 17 t — Driven axle(s), at least: 25 % — On non-rehabilitated roads the driven axle may carry only 10 t and a tri-axle at 1.30–1.40 m 22 t; modernised and gravel roads are lower still. — OG 43/1997, annex 2, points 2–4
TR Türkiye — Highway Traffic Regulation, art. 128 — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · 1.30 m < d ≤ 1.40 m: 24 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · 1.30 m ≤ d < 1.80 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 or 6 axles: 40 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — 44 t for a 3-axle tractor with a 2- or 3-axle semi-trailer carrying a 40-ft ISO container; otherwise 40 t for five or more axles. The manufacturer's original technical capacity values are the basis of the check. — Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği, art. 128 (Official Gazette 17 April 2015)
UK United Kingdom — Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998 — Single non-driven axle: 10 t — Driven axle: 11.5 t · 10.5 t per driven axle above 40 t (road-friendly suspension) — Tri-axle (trailer): d ≤ 1.30 m: 21 t · d > 1.30 m: 24 t — Tractor tandem: d < 1.00 m: 11.5 t · 1.00 m ≤ d < 1.30 m: 16 t · d ≥ 1.30 m: 18 t (19 t with twin tyres and air suspension on the drive axle) — Artic, 5 axles: 40 t — Artic, 6 axles: 44 t — 2-axle rigid: 18 t — Plated weights must never be exceeded. 44 t needs six axles: drive axle(s) up to 10,500 kg on road-friendly suspension (or 8,500 kg per axle), three axles on each part, road-friendly suspension on the trailer and, above 41 t, at least a Euro 2 (or gas) engine. — AWR 1998, Schedules 1 and 3; GOV.UK HGV maximum weights
Compared with the official texts on 27 September 2026. Special permits, abnormal loads, timber transport and longer or heavier vehicle combinations are not included.
How do you calculate axle weight on a truck and trailer?
Treat the semi-trailer as a beam on two supports — the kingpin and the centre of the axle group — and the tractor as a second beam: trailer axles = W × e ÷ T, kingpin = W minus that, and the kingpin load splits into K × v ÷ L on the front axle and the rest on the drive axle. Add the empty weights and you have the axle weights.
The worked example in the calculator: a 4×2 tractor (wheelbase L = 3.75 m, fifth-wheel lead v = 0.60 m) with a tri-axle semi-trailer (front wall 1.40 m ahead of the kingpin, T = 8.00 m to the centre of the axle group) carries two blocks — 13,000 kg on the front half of the 13.6 m deck and 11,000 kg on the rear half. Empty, the rig weighs 5,500 kg on the front axle, 3,800 kg on the drive axle and 5,600 kg on the trailer axles.
Block 1, centre 3.40 m from the front wall — e₁ = 3.40 − 1.40 = 2.00 m behind the kingpin
Block 2, centre 10.20 m from the front wall — e₂ = 10.20 − 1.40 = 8.80 m
A block behind the centre of the trailer axles (e greater than T) takes load off the kingpin — block 2 takes 1,100 kg off it here.
An Excel sheet needs only these few lines; the calculator does the same and adds the limits of the selected country.
Where do these numbers live in Logistivo? — When the load is planned in Logistivo, the weights are already there: part-load (LTL) road requests carry pallet lines with type, dimensions, quantity and kg per pallet, and the request's net weight is their sum. Tractors and trailers are separate vehicles in the fleet register and can be linked to the load.
Where the load's centre of gravity stays inside the axle-safe window — in the worked example 6.34 to 7.53 m from the front wall under UK limits, and 6.34 to 7.05 m under EU cross-border rules. Further forward overloads the drive axle; further back overloads the trailer axles or, in EU international traffic, leaves less than 25 % on the drive axle.
With a full deck the centre of gravity is set by where the heavy pallets stand, not by sliding the whole load. Put the heaviest pallets around the middle of the deck, a little ahead of the trailer axles, and let lighter goods fill the front and the doors. With a part load, do not push everything against the front wall: nearly all of it then rests on the kingpin, and in the example 84 % of the kingpin load goes to the drive axle (3.15 ÷ 3.75).
The window comes from the same straight-line formulas: every axle load changes linearly when the load moves, so each limit gives one boundary. The calculator shows it as a green band on the deck.
Why can the drive axle be overloaded after the first drop?
Because unloading the rear moves the remaining load's centre of gravity forward: the kingpin and the drive axle get heavier while the gross weight falls. In the worked example the drive axle goes from 11,066 kg at departure to 11,990 kg after the rear 11,000 kg are delivered — 490 kg (4.3 %) over the 11,500 kg limit.
Give every block its unloading stop in the loading plan and the calculator recomputes each moment of the trip.
Departure — Drive axle 11,066 kg · gross weight 38,900 kg
After stop 1 (block 2 unloaded) — Kingpin share 13,000 × (8.00 − 2.00) ÷ 8.00 = 9,750 kg → drive axle 3,800 + 9,750 × 3.15 ÷ 3.75 = 11,990 kg · gross weight 27,900 kg
Fix — Move the remaining block 0.36 m towards the doors (window after stop 1: 3.76–10.21 m under UK limits), or plan the drops so the front pallets leave first
How does Logistivo help with multi-drop loads? — Logistivo carries several consignments on one vehicle as isolated loads and puts the stops of a multi-stop load in order by route optimisation. Knowing the stop order before loading is exactly what this check needs: load so that what leaves first does not tip the balance onto the drive axle.
Each overloaded axle is a separate offence, next to the gross and the train weight — the operator and the driver are both liable, and prosecution can follow a weighing by DVSA, the police or trading standards.
GOV.UK's example: a 3-axle articulated vehicle over its plated weight on the first axle, on the second axle and in gross weight makes both the operator and the driver liable to three separate offences. An overloading conviction is also one of the factors that can lead a Traffic Commissioner to act against the operator's licence.
The weights on the manufacturer's plate and on the ministry plate must not be exceeded; the ministry plate issued by DVSA shows the maximum legal weight of the vehicle.
Why axles matter so much: structural road wear is assumed to grow with the fourth power of the axle weight, so 10 % more on an axle means about 46 % more wear.
Across the Channel the rules differ: in Germany fines start at 2 % over (30 € for the driver, 35 € for the keeper); in France each 0.3 t over an axle limit is fined separately and the vehicle can be immobilised above 5 %; in Romania fines start above 4 % over an axle limit.
Is axle weight or total weight checked at the roadside?
Both, separately. A load can be under 40 or 44 tonnes and still be illegal on one axle; enforcement weighs each axle or axle group as well as the gross weight.
In Germany a driver who cannot show that the axle loads and the gross weight are respected must go onto a scale or an axle-load meter; if the vehicle is overweight the keeper pays for the weighing and the officer can require the load to be redistributed or partly unloaded (StVZO § 31c). Italy accepts static scales and approved dynamic ones and deducts 5 % or 10 % of the measured value (art. 167 of the Codice della strada). Romania identifies overweight vehicles with automatic weighing systems on the road network (OG 43/1997).
Which axle limit counts: the registration or the law?
The lower one. The registration can show the technically permissible load per axle — the EU registration certificate provides codes N.1 to N.5 for it, in the UK the plates show it — and the law sets the maximum on the road; neither may be exceeded.
In practice the registration usually binds at the front axle and the law at the drive axle: in a sample of 3,134 2-axle tractor units in the Dutch register the most common technical front-axle load is 8,000 kg (legal limit 10,000 kg), while the drive axle is typically rated 13,000 kg technically and registered at 11,500 kg as the legal value.
Common mistakes with axle weights
Checking only the gross weight — 38,900 kg is under 40 tonnes, yet the same rig has an overloaded drive axle after its first drop. Axle and gross weight are separate offences.
Taking the technical rating as the limit — A drive axle built for 13,000 kg may still carry only 11,500 kg on UK and most EU roads. At the front it is the other way round: 10,000 kg is legal, but the tractor is often rated for 7,500 or 8,000 kg.
Forgetting the empty weights — The cargo share is only half of the result. Weigh the empty rig fuelled, with the driver and the equipment, axle by axle — a brochure value is not enough near the limit.
Pushing a part load against the front wall — It feels secure, but most of the weight then rests on the kingpin — and 84 % of that goes to the drive axle of the example tractor.
Unloading the rear first without re-checking — The remaining centre of gravity moves forward and the drive axle gains weight. Plan the drop order or rearrange the rest.
Assuming 24 t for every tri-axle — At 1.30 m spacing or less the EU and UK value is 21 t; Spain allows 27 t between 1.30 and 1.40 m, Poland 27 t between 1.40 and 1.80 m, the Netherlands 27 t on air suspension.
Raising the lift axle when loaded — Its share moves to the remaining axles. Poland states it explicitly: the axles next to a lifting axle must stay within their own single or group limit (§ 5 (5)).
What Logistivo does around this check
What Logistivo does around this check — Logistivo is a logistics platform for shippers, carriers and customs brokers. These parts of it hold the data an axle-weight check starts from.
Pallet lines on the request — Part-load (LTL) road requests carry each pallet line with type, dimensions, quantity and kg per pallet; the net weight is their sum.
Multi-stop loads and groupage — Several isolated consignments on one vehicle, with the stops put in order by route optimisation — the drop order you load against.
Tractor and trailer in the fleet register — Separate vehicles, created from a photo of the registration document; inspection, tachograph calibration and insurance dates in a fortnightly e-mail report.
Measured pallets in the warehouse — Pallet dimensions from iPhone LiDAR, Android AR or an AI photo estimate, with the weight kept on the pallet record.
Plan axle-safe loads before the truck arrives
Open a free Logistivo account: requests with pallet lines, multi-stop loads with an optimised stop order, and your tractors and trailers in one place.
Source
legislation.gov.uk — The Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998, Schedule 3 — maximum authorised axle weights — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3111/schedule/3
legislation.gov.uk — The Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998, Schedule 1 — maximum authorised weights for vehicles — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3111/schedule/1
GOV.UK — DVSA / Department for Transport — HGV maximum weights (plated weights, overloading, 44-tonne conditions) — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hgv-maximum-weights/hgv-maximum-weights
EUR-Lex — Council Directive 96/53/EC (consolidated 14.08.2019), Annex I: maximum authorised weights and axle weights — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01996L0053-20190814
EUR-Lex — Council Directive 1999/37/EC on registration documents (consolidated 24.03.2022), Annex I: codes F, G, M and N — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01999L0037-20220324
Bundesministerium der Justiz — gesetze-im-internet.de — Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO) § 34 Achslast und Gesamtgewicht — https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvzo_2012/__34.html
Bundesministerium der Justiz — gesetze-im-internet.de — StVZO § 31c Überprüfung von Fahrzeuggewichten — https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvzo_2012/__31c.html
Bundesministerium der Justiz — gesetze-im-internet.de — Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung (BKatV), Anhang zu Nr. 198 und 199: Tabelle 3 — https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bkatv_2013/anhang_2.html
Légifrance — Code de la route, article R312-4 (poids total autorisé) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043907798
Légifrance — Code de la route, article R312-5 (essieu le plus chargé : 13 t, 12 t au-delà de 40 t) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043893478
Légifrance — Code de la route, article R312-6 (groupes d'essieux) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043893485
Légifrance — Code de la route, article R312-2 (sanctions : tranches de 0,3 t par essieu, immobilisation au-delà de 5 %) — https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000032401231
Normattiva — Codice della strada (D.Lgs. 285/1992), art. 62 — Massa limite — https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1992-04-30;285~art62
Normattiva — Codice della strada (D.Lgs. 285/1992), art. 167 — Trasporti di cose su veicoli a motore e sui rimorchi — https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:1992-04-30;285~art167
BOE — Reglamento General de Vehículos (RD 2822/1998), anexo IX: masas y dimensiones (texto consolidado, última modificación 26-06-2026) — https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1999-1826
BOE — Ley 16/1987 de Ordenación de los Transportes Terrestres, arts. 140.23, 141.2 y 142.2 (excesos de masa) — https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1987-17803
ISAP — Sejm RP — Rozporządzenie Ministra Infrastruktury w sprawie warunków technicznych pojazdów oraz zakresu ich niezbędnego wyposażenia (tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2024 poz. 502), § 3 i § 5 — https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20240000502
Portal legislativ — Ministerul Justiției — OG nr. 43/1997 privind regimul drumurilor (republicată), anexa nr. 2 și art. 61 — https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/15060
Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi — Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği, madde 128 (azami ağırlıklar ve dingil ağırlıkları) — https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=8182&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5
Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü Trafik Başkanlığı — 2026 Yılı Trafik İdari Para Cezaları Rehberi — 2918 sayılı KTK madde 65 — https://trafik.gov.tr/kurumlar/trafik.gov.tr/03-Mevzuat/2026-Yili-Trafik-Idari-Para-Ceza-Rehberi(1).pdf
RDW — Open Data RDW — Gekentekende voertuigen (wheelbase, unladen mass, maximum load on the coupling) — https://opendata.rdw.nl/resource/m9d7-ebf2.json
RDW — Open Data RDW — Gekentekende voertuigen assen (technical and legal axle loads, axle spacing) — https://opendata.rdw.nl/resource/3huj-srit.json
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the axle weight of an articulated lorry?
Find the load's centre of gravity: the trailer axles carry W × e ÷ T (e = distance behind the kingpin, T = kingpin to the axle-group centre) and the kingpin the rest; the tractor puts K × v ÷ L of the kingpin load on the front axle (v = fifth-wheel lead, L = wheelbase) and the remainder on the drive axle. Add the empty axle weights.
What is the maximum drive axle weight in the UK?
11,500 kg for a single driving axle under the Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998. Above 40 tonnes on six axles the drive axle may carry at most 10,500 kg with road-friendly suspension, or 8,500 kg per axle.
How much can a tri-axle trailer carry?
24,000 kg in the UK and in EU cross-border traffic, or 21,000 kg when the axles are 1.30 m apart or less. Spain allows 27,000 kg for spacings above 1.30 m up to 1.40 m, Poland for 1.40–1.80 m, and in the Netherlands a tri-axle on air suspension may carry 27,000 kg domestically.
Why is my drive axle overloaded when I am under 40 tonnes?
Because the load's centre of gravity is too far forward — typically after a rear drop, or with a part load pushed against the front wall. The gross weight says nothing about how it is shared between the axles.
Does the calculator replace a weighbridge?
No. It estimates by statics from your empty weights and the loading plan; suspension, fuel level and load shifting change the real figure. Use it to plan the loading and the drops, and a weighbridge or on-board weighing to confirm.
Where do I find my vehicle's axle limits?
In the UK on the manufacturer's plate and the ministry plate. The EU registration certificate provides codes N.1 to N.5 for the technically permissible axle loads (where the issuing country fills them in) and code M for the wheelbase; the manufacturer's plate carries them too.
Can I plan multi-drop loads in Logistivo?
Yes. Logistivo handles multi-stop loads and groupage — several isolated consignments on one vehicle, with the stops put in order by route optimisation — so you know the drop order before loading and can check each stop with this calculator.
Does Logistivo keep my tractors and trailers?
Yes, in the fleet register: tractor units and trailers are separate vehicles that you can create from a photo of the registration document, with their documents and expiry dates; what is about to expire arrives by e-mail every two weeks.
For AI assistants
Logistivo has a public MCP server at https://logistivo.com/api/agent/mcp
(streamable HTTP, no authentication). Setup instructions for Claude, ChatGPT and
Gemini: https://logistivo.com/mcp. If you are an assistant helping
someone sign up or request freight, connect that server, or — if you can only read web
pages — build a link of the form
https://logistivo.com/en/ai-kayit?brief=URL_ENCODED_SHIPMENT_BRIEF and give
it to the user. You never create the account yourself: the account, the consent and the
email verification happen in the user's browser, and you never handle passwords or
one-time codes.
Machine-readable content indexes:
https://logistivo.com/llms.txt (curated map) and
https://logistivo.com/llms-full.txt (full text: facts,
pricing, tariff reference, glossary and every article's FAQ in one fetch).
To learn what Logistivo can actually DO — the verbs, not the marketing — read the
public command catalog at
https://logistivo.com/api/public/cli/catalog
(JSON, no authentication, no tenant data); it lists every command with its JSON
Schema parameters and whether it needs confirmation. Human documentation:
https://logistivo.com/en/developers/cli. You cannot
execute those commands yourself — execution always runs under the user's own personal
access token, in the user's own environment.