Wisconsin Truck Weight Limits

How much a truck can weigh in Wisconsin

Wisconsin sticks to 80,000 lb gross, 20,000 single, 34,000 tandem on its main Class A highways (Wis. Stat. 348.15). Drop onto a Class B highway and you're cut to 60 percent of that, roughly 48,000 lb (348.16). Overweight fines run per pound over the limit, starting at a penny a pound and climbing from there (348.21). Anything heavier needs an oversize/overweight permit.

Axles, off-Interstate, and permits

• Off the Interstate: 80,000 lb on Class A highways; Class B highways are capped at 60 percent, about 48,000 lb (Wis. Stat. 348.16)
• Single axle: 20,000 lb on Class A; cut to 60 percent on Class B highways
• Tandem axle: 34,000 lb on Class A; cut to 60 percent on Class B highways
• With a permit: No grandfathered LCV tier. Single-trip and annual oversize/overweight permits authorize divisible and indivisible loads above 80,000 lb case by case.
• Class B mileage is extensive on the local system. The per-pound upper brackets escalate; verify the exact top-tier rates against 348.21(3) for a specific overload.

Posted bridge and road limits

Watch for Class B and spring-thaw postings, not just bridges. Class B highways cap you at 60 percent of normal, and seasonal posted roads knock limits down further while the frost comes out. Those seasonal limits are imposed and signed route by route by state or local authorities (Wis. Stat. 348.17(1)), so there is no single statewide start and end date. A posted 'WEIGHT LIMIT X TONS' bridge sign overrides your legal weight, and tons are 2,000-lb short tons. Cross a posted structure over its rating and you're ticketed under 348.21 and on the hook for damage.

What running heavy costs

Forfeiture plus a per-pound add-on under Wis. Stat. 348.21(3). Up to 1,000 lb over is a $50-$100 forfeiture on a first offense. More than 1,000 over is $50-$200 plus 1 cent a pound up to 2,000 excess, 3 cents at 2,001-3,000, 5 cents at 3,001-4,000, 8 cents at 4,001-5,000, and 15 cents a pound over 5,000. A second or later conviction within 12 months runs $100-$300 plus 2, 5, 8, 12 and 18 cents a pound on those same brackets. Raw forest products run $150-$250 plus 6 to 11 cents a pound on a first or second conviction, and $500-$550 plus 20 to 23 cents on a third within 12 months (348.21(3g)).

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