HGV axle weights: the UK limits explained

By Pavan Jheeta

If you’re transporting heavy goods, you need to know the limits and the regulations that apply.

But it’s not just as simple as adding up the total weight:

HGVs have their own weight limits for each individual axle. Which means staying compliant can be a little more complex.

Here’s what you need to know about the UK’s HGV axle weight limits — and the rules that apply to your fleet on the road:

 

What does axle weight mean?

Axle weight is the total weight transferred onto the road from all the wheels of a single axle.

It’s a different limit to the maximum gross weight, which looks at the total weight of the vehicle and the load it’s carrying.

When we’re talking about axle weight limits, we’re talking about each axle measured individually — as a completely separate legal limit from the maximum gross weight.

 

What are the UK’s HGV axle weight limits?

In the UK, there are two different axle weight limits for HGVs:

  • Up to 11.5 tonnes (11,500kg) for driving axles.
  • Up to 10 tonnes (10,000kg) for non-driving axles.

A driving axle is any axle that’s connected to the engine and transmits power to the wheels.

A non-driving axle is one that’s not connected and doesn’t transmit power to the wheels.

For smaller HGVs with only 2 axles, that usually means a drive axle at the rear, and a non-drive axle at the front.

So, as well as considering the weight limits of each axle, you also need to consider both types of axle and the limits for each type.

 

Why does it matter?

The simplest approach to loads and weight would be to look only at the gross weight — the total weight of the vehicle and its load.

But in practice, this isn’t enough.

If the load carried by an HGV isn’t distributed equally, there’s a different strain on each axle. That has an effect on the steering and braking of the vehicle, which could have serious consequences for its safety out on the road.

But beyond the safety aspect, these limits are in place to help protect the UK’s roads and bridges. An estimated £50m a year is spent on wear and tear to the UK’s road infrastructure due to overloaded goods vehicles — particularly with overloading drive axles, which is the biggest single cause of excessive wear on our roads.

 

What if you can’t stay under the limits?

For most fleets, a failure to comply with the UK’s HGV axle weight limits is an offence.

Even worse: overloading on each individual axle would be considered separate offences — which means overloading the largest HGVs could lead to 4 or 6 offences on a single vehicle!

But in some cases, you may be able to get special permits for ‘abnormal loads’.

In terms of weight, an abnormal load is any vehicle with either:

  • A weight of more than 44,000kg
  • A driving axle weight of more than 11,500kg
  • A non-driving axle weigh of more than 10,000kg.

For vehicles transporting under these conditions, you’ll need to notify the relevant authorities and follow special regulations.

You can get the full details on the rules around abnormal loads in the government’s guidance — or find out how to get special permits for abnormal loads here.