Kansas § 8-1909 - Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation

Full text of Kansas Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1909 — Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 8-1909. Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation

8-1909. Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation. (a) No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be moved or operated on any highway when the gross weight on two or more consecutive axles exceeds the limitations prescribed in the following table:Distance in feet between the Maximum load in pounds carriedextremes of any group of 2 or on any group of 2 or moremore consecutive axles consecutive axles 2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles 7 axles 8 axles---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 34,0005 34,0006 34,0007 34,0008 and less 34,000 34,000More than 8 38,000 42,0009 39,000 42,50010 40,000 43,50011 44,00012 45,000 50,00013 45,500 50,50014 46,500 51,50015 47,000 52,00016 48,000 52,500 58,00017 48,500 53,500 58,50018 49,500 54,000 59,00019 50,000 54,500 60,00020 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,00021 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,50022 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,00023 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,00024 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500 74,00025 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000 74,50026 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500 75,00027 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000 75,50028 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000 76,500 82,00029 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500 77,000 82,50030 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000 77,500 83,00031 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500 78,000 83,50032 60,000 63,500 68,000 73,000 78,500 84,50033 64,000 68,500 74,000 79,000 85,00034 64,500 69,000 74,500 80,000 85,50035 65,500 70,000 75,000 80,50036 66,000 70,500 75,500 81,00037 66,500 71,000 76,000 81,50038 67,500 72,000 77,000 82,00039 68,000 72,500 77,500 82,50040 68,500 73,000 78,000 83,50041 69,500 73,500 78,500 84,00042 70,000 74,000 79,000 84,50043 70,500 75,000 80,000 85,00044 71,500 75,500 80,500 85,50045 72,000 76,000 81,00046 72,500 76,500 81,50047 73,500 77,500 82,00048 74,000 78,000 83,00049 74,500 78,500 83,50050 75,500 79,000 84,00051 76,000 80,000 84,50052 76,500 80,500 85,00053 77,500 81,000 85,50054 78,000 81,50055 78,500 82,50056 79,500 83,00057 80,000 83,50058 84,00059 85,00060 85,500except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles is 36 feet or more.(1) The gross weight on any one axle of a vehicle shall not exceed the limits prescribed in K.S.A. 8-1908, and amendments thereto.(2) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (e), for vehicles and combinations of vehicles on the interstate system the table in this section shall not authorize a maximum gross weight of more than 80,000 pounds.(3) The table in this section shall not apply to truck tractor and dump semitrailer or truck trailer combination when such are used as a combination unit exclusively for the transportation of sand, salt for highway maintenance operations, gravel, slag stone, limestone, crushed stone, cinders, coal, blacktop, dirt or fill material, when such vehicles are used for transportation to a construction site, highway maintenance or construction project or other storage facility, except that such vehicles or combination of vehicles shall not be exempted from any application of the table as may be required to determine applicable axle weights for triple and quad axles as defined in K.S.A. 8-1908, and amendments thereto. As used in this paragraph (3), the term "dump semitrailer" means any semitrailer designed in such a way as to divest itself of the load carried thereon.(b) Any vehicle registered under the laws of this state which vehicle is designed and used primarily for the transportation of property or for the transportation of 10 or more persons may, at the time of its registration, be subjected by the director of vehicles to investigation or test as may be necessary to enable such director to determine whether such vehicle may safely be operated upon the highways in compliance with all provisions of this act. Every such vehicle shall meet the following requirements:(1) It shall be equipped with brakes as required in K.S.A. 8-1734, and amendments thereto.(2) Every motor vehicle to be operated outside of business and residence districts shall have motive power adequate to propel such vehicle and any load thereon or to be drawn thereby, at a speed which will not impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. Exception to this requirement shall be recognized when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or when a vehicle or combination of vehicles is necessarily or in compliance with law or police direction proceeding at reduced speed.(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross weight in excess of the limitations set forth in article 19 of chapter 8 of * Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, except as provided in K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto.(d) As used in this section, "interstate system" means the national system of interstate and defense highways.(e) A vehicle, if operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas, may exceed any vehicle weight limit under this section, up to a maximum gross vehicle weight of 82,000 pounds, by an amount that is equal to the difference between:(1) The weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle; and(2) the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system.History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1909; L. 1975, ch. 427, § 48; L. 1980, ch. 45, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 3; L. 1983, ch. 41, § 4; L. 1986, ch. 45, § 2; L. 2016, ch. 44, § 3; April 14.

Source: official Kansas text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Kansas § 8-1909

What does Kansas Statutes Annotated § 8-1909 cover?

Section 8-1909 ("Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation") is part of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, the codified statutory law of Kansas. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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Is this the official text of Kansas law?

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Sources & Verification

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