Truck and trailer rules in Vermont: licence classes, trailer brakes, size and weight limits

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The sources are sections of Title 23, Motor Vehicles, of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, published on the Vermont General Assembly website: chapter 39 on the Commercial Driver's License Act and chapter 13 on operation of vehicles. Federal background and the other places are on the parent page, trucks and trailers for tree work.

At a glance

Item	What the sources say
Commercial motor vehicle	Gross vehicle weight rating or weight of at least 26,001 pounds; more than 15 passengers; or placarded hazardous materials
Class A	Combination rated 26,001 pounds or more where the towed vehicle is rated over 10,000 pounds
Class B	Single vehicle rated 26,001 pounds or more, or one towing a vehicle not over 10,000 pounds
Trailer brakes	Brakes on at least one axle over 3,000 pounds gross; on all wheels at 6,000 pounds or more; automatic on breakaway and held 15 minutes
Safety chain	Required on a trailer coach in addition to the hitch; the sections read give no general rule for other trailers
Width, height	8 1/2 feet wide; 13 feet 6 inches high
Length	46 feet for a motor vehicle without a trailer; 75 feet overall for a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer without a permit
Weight	80,000 pounds gross; 22,400 pounds single axle and 36,000 pounds tandem axle off the interstate

The commercial vehicle line and licence classes

Section 4103 defines a commercial motor vehicle as a motor vehicle designed or used to carry passengers or property that has a gross vehicle weight rating or weight of at least 26,001 pounds or a lesser rating set by federal regulation, is designed to carry more than 15 passengers including the driver, or carries hazardous materials that must be placarded under 49 CFR part 172 subpart F. The definition leaves out authorized emergency vehicles and some recreational motor homes and trailer coaches. Section 4111 sets the classes. Class A is any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the rating of the vehicle being towed is over 10,000 pounds. Class B is any single vehicle rated 26,001 pounds or more, and any such vehicle towing a vehicle not over 10,000 pounds. Class C is a single vehicle rated under 26,001 pounds, or one towing a vehicle rated 10,000 pounds or less, that is built for 16 or more passengers or carries placarded hazardous materials. Licensees may drive all vehicles in their class and lesser classes, except those needing special endorsements. See section 4103 on definitions and section 4111 on the commercial driver's license.

Trailer brakes and safety chains

Section 1307 requires every motor vehicle on a highway to have brakes acting on all wheels, adequate to control, stop and hold it, with two separate means of applying them. A trailer, semi-trailer, trailer coach or pole trailer with a gross weight not over 3,000 pounds need not have brakes if the total weight on its wheels does not exceed 40 percent of the gross weight of the towing vehicle. One of more than 3,000 pounds but under 6,000 pounds must have brakes on the wheels of at least one axle that the driver applies from the cab. One of 6,000 pounds or more must have brakes on all wheels applied from the cab. The brakes must be designed so that on an accidental breakaway they apply automatically and remain applied for not less than 15 minutes. A farm trailer with a load over 3,000 pounds is left out. See section 1307 on brake equipment.

Section 1341 says that, in addition to a hitch, trailer coaches must be secured to the towing vehicle by a safety chain while on a highway, and that the hitch, coupling and chain must be adequate to ensure public safety. The sections read give no safety chain rule for other trailers.

Width, height and length

Section 1431 says motor vehicles and loads may not exceed eight and one-half feet in width or 13 feet six inches in height, counting the vehicle and load and leaving out safety devices up to three inches on each side that the Commissioner determines. The limits do not apply to road-building equipment working in a construction area or to vehicles under a permit from the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Section 1432 says no motor vehicle without a trailer or semitrailer attached that is longer than 46 feet overall may be operated except with special permission from the Commissioner. A vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer may be operated without a permit if its overall length does not exceed 75 feet, and the distance from the kingpin to the centre of the rearmost axle group may not exceed 41 feet. A trailer or semitrailer up to 53 feet needs a rear-end protective device. See section 1431 on height and width and section 1432 on length.

Weight

Section 1391 says no single axle load may exceed 22,400 pounds, with a 10 percent tolerance, and no tandem axle load 36,000 pounds, with a 10 percent tolerance, except under a special permit. Unless federal law authorizes those limits on the interstate, single axle loads there may not exceed 20,000 pounds and tandem axle loads 34,000 pounds, with no tolerance. Section 1392 says no vehicle may exceed a gross weight of 80,000 pounds unless the operator or owner has complied with the permit rules of section 1400, and sets total gross weight for a group of axles by a table of maximum loads by the distance between the first and last axle. It also sets lower limits of 24,000 pounds on class 2, 3 or 4 town highways or bridges with other than a wood floor, and 16,000 or 20,000 pounds on bridges with a wood floor, unless posted otherwise. See section 1391 on tire and axle limits and section 1392 on gross weight limits.