Texas Truck Weight and Size Limits
Legal limits for a truck in Texas without a permit: Interstate axle and gross weights, height, width, and semitrailer length, each with its official source.
Texas limits at a glance
| Limit | Texas | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate gross weight | 80,000 lb | 23 CFR 658.17, Weight (eCFR) |
| Interstate single axle | 20,000 lb | 23 CFR 658.17, Weight (eCFR) |
| Interstate tandem axle | 34,000 lb | 23 CFR 658.17, Weight (eCFR) |
| Width (National Network) | 102 in | 23 CFR 658.15, Width (eCFR) |
| Height | 14 ft | Texas DMV, Texas Size/Weight Limits |
| Semitrailer length | 59 ft (semitrailer of a two-vehicle combination; truck-tractor length unlimited) | Texas DMV, Texas Size/Weight Limits |
| Grandfathered semitrailer length | 59 ft | 23 CFR part 658, Appendix B, Grandfathered Semitrailer Lengths (eCFR) |
Interstate weight limits
Federal law sets the Interstate limits at 20,000 lb on a single axle, 34,000 lb on a tandem, and 80,000 lb gross, with the bridge formula on every axle group (23 CFR 658.17). States may keep higher limits they had before the federal limits took effect ("grandfather rights").
Bridge formula check with Texas limits
A 5-axle tractor-trailer is filled in. Change the spacings and weights to match your rig; the limits for single axles, tandems, and gross are Texas's Interstate limits.
Your result
Texas limits off the Interstate
FHWA's summary of Texas law for trucks in regular operation (no permit), including non-Interstate highways. It reflects state law as of October 1, 2012; check the state for later changes.
- Single axle
- 20,000 lbs.
- Tandem axle
- 34,000 lbs.
- Gross weight
- 80,000 lbs.
- Other
- 5 percent tolerance on GVW up to 80,000 lbs. (Tex. Transportation Code Ann. §621.403) / 5 percent tolerance on axle weight (Tex. Transportation Code Ann. §621.404)
Where Texas allows more than federal limits
- Texas has several commodity-specific weight exemptions that apply to axle weights and GVW.
- Texas State statute exempts various types of vehicles from State weight limits.
Height, width, and length
- Width: 102 inches. States may not set a width limit of more or less than 102 inches on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15(a)). Permits can allow wider loads.
- Height: 14 ft. There is no federal height limit; each state sets its own.
- Semitrailer length: 59 ft (semitrailer of a two-vehicle combination; truck-tractor length unlimited)
- Grandfathered semitrailer length: 59 ft. The minimum semitrailer length the state must allow in a tractor-semitrailer combination on the National Network, based on lengths legal in the state on December 1, 1982. Federal law also requires at least 48 ft (23 CFR 658.13(b)(1)).
Over these limits you need a permit. Texas oversize/overweight permits (800-299-1700, option 1).
Texas compared with neighboring states
| State | Gross | Single | Tandem | Height | Semitrailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 80,000 lb | 20,000 lb | 34,000 lb | 14 ft | 59 ft |
| Arkansas | 80,000 lb | 20,000 lb | 34,000 lb | 14 ft | Pending |
| Louisiana | 80,000 lb | 20,000 lb | 34,000 lb | Pending | Pending |
| New Mexico | 86,400 lb | 21,600 lb | 34,200 lb | Pending | Pending |
| Oklahoma | 80,000 lb | 20,000 lb | 34,000 lb | 13 ft 6 in | Pending |
Sources
Source: 23 CFR 658.17, Weight (eCFR) · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Source: FHWA, Compilation of Existing State Truck Size and Weight Limit Laws (Report to Congress, May 2015), Appendix A: Texas · Effective Oct 1, 2012 · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Source: 23 CFR 658.15, Width (eCFR) · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Source: 23 CFR part 658, Appendix B, Grandfathered Semitrailer Lengths (eCFR) · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Source: Texas DMV, Texas Size/Weight Limits · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Source: FHWA, Oversize/Overweight Load Permits: State permit contacts · Last verified Sep 28, 2026
Limits change, and cities, counties, and posted bridges can set lower ones. Check with Texas before you run a load near the limits. Page data last verified Sep 28, 2026.