North Dakota Truck Weight Limits
Off the Interstate, North Dakota lets you run up to 105,500 pounds if you carry enough axles (NDCC 39-12-05.3), and a director's permit takes you past that to 129,000 for $100 a month or $700 a year. On the Interstate you are back to the federal 80,000, with 20,000 on a single axle and 34,000 on a tandem. Off the Interstate the tandem cap is still 34,000, and only a group of three or more axles runs heavier, up to 48,000. A 10 percent harvest or divisible-load permit gets you to 105,500 for $50 per 30 days.
How much a truck can weigh in North Dakota
Off the Interstate, North Dakota lets you run up to 105,500 pounds if you carry enough axles (NDCC 39-12-05.3), and a director's permit takes you past that to 129,000 for $100 a month or $700 a year. On the Interstate you are back to the federal 80,000, with 20,000 on a single axle and 34,000 on a tandem. Off the Interstate the tandem cap is still 34,000, and only a group of three or more axles runs heavier, up to 48,000. A 10 percent harvest or divisible-load permit gets you to 105,500 for $50 per 30 days.
Axles, off-Interstate, and permits
- Off the Interstate: Up to 105,500 lb with enough axles; 80,000 lb without a permit
- Single axle: 20,000 lb
- Tandem axle: 34,000 lb on the Interstate and 34,000 lb off it; off-Interstate axles spaced over 40 inches and under 8 feet apart are held to 19,000 lb each, and only a group of three or more axles runs heavier, up to 48,000 lb (NDCC 39-12-05.3)
- With a permit: 105,500 lb on 7+ axles under the 10% divisible-load or harvest permit, then up to 129,000 lb on a director's permit at $100 per month or $700 annually (NDCC 39-12-05.3(6)); above 129,000 lb it is a case-by-case superload
- Interstate holds the federal 80,000/20,000/34,000. Off-Interstate axle groups are heavier and 105,500 gross is reachable with the 10% permit. The 39-12-17 fine schedule was reworked in 2023 and caps at $6,000 (30,000 lb over), then adds $200 per additional 1,000 lb.
Posted bridge and road limits
Local road authorities post road and bridge limits under NDCC 39-12-02 and 39-12-03 as 'WEIGHT LIMIT __ TONS' (short tons; 10 tons = 20,000 lb). The posted number beats your legal weight, so a fully legal truck cannot cross a bridge posted below it. Crossing over is charged as an extraordinary-use violation (39-12-17), a misdemeanor, and you can be billed for any bridge damage.
What running heavy costs
Graduated 'extraordinary road use' charge by pounds over (NDCC 39-12-17): 1-1,000 = $20; 1,001-2,000 = $40; 2,001-3,000 = $60; 3,001-4,000 = $140; 4,001-5,000 = $220; 9,001-10,000 = $655; then it jumps at 10,001-11,000 to $1,100 and climbs to a $6,000 cap at 30,000 over, plus $200 for every additional 1,000 lb beyond 30,000. Schedule updated 2023.
North Dakota Truck Weight Limit FAQ
What is the truck weight limit in North Dakota?
How much can a truck weigh with a permit in North Dakota?
What is the overweight fine in North Dakota?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://www.dot.nd.gov/driver/commercial/north-dakota-load-restrictions. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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